Students Initatives
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Student Initiatives
Explore Carrick-on-Suir, in partnership with LEO Tipperary’s Student Enterprise Programme, is proud to introduce The Journey of an Idea—a five-year initiative for all secondary school students in Carrick-on-Suir. Launched on 7th October with an empowering Ideas Seminar, this programme will inspire students to transform their ideas into real-life actions. Whether it’s a business, a community initiative, or a project to enhance local vibrancy, this programme guides students through every stage, from concept creation to taking the first steps in making their ideas a reality.
Our mission is to inspire youth to think creatively and act boldly for the betterment of Carrick-on-Suir and beyond. This initiative is not only about entrepreneurship but about fostering the drive to make meaningful contributions to the community. Students will learn how to spark ideas, transform them into action, and see the potential of their contributions in shaping a thriving and vibrant town.
STUDENT INFORMATION PACK
Welcome to
The Journey of an Idea
Ready to turn your ideas into reality?
Where creativity begins, community thrives.
1. What’s This All About?
We’re on a mission to inspire you to think big, get creative, and showcase your entrepreneurial spirit! You’ll get guidance from business and social entrepreneurs, creatives, and marketing experts to help shape your ideas.
2. Who’s it for?
Every secondary school student in Carrick-on-Suir is invited to get involved—whether you’re in the junior, intermediate, or senior cycle!
3. What’s in it for you?
- Explore your creativity
- Learn real-world entrepreneurial skills
- Win cash prizes and spot prizes 💰
- Build a business that can make a difference in your community!
5. Sample Ideas to Get You Started 🚀
Stuck on what to do? Here are some creative ideas you can work on (no capital needed!):
- Freelance Social Media Management: Help local businesses boost their online presence.
- Digital Tour Guides: Use the Explore Carrick-on-Suir Quest Map to create fun, interactive tours for tourists.
- Community Storytelling Podcast: Share the unique history and stories of Carrick-on-Suir.
- Pop-Up Events: Plan local festivals, student open-mic nights, or themed tours!
- Content Creation: Manage social media or create blogs for local businesses or events.
6. What to Expect at the Launching Seminar 📅
We’re kicking off the programme with an exciting Launching Seminar on 7th October 2024!
Here’s what you can look forward to:
- Inspiring talks from top business minds and creatives, including economist Jim Power.
- Interactive Q&A sessions that are fun, dynamic, and engaging with the audience!
- A chance to start shaping your business idea with real-time feedback!
- Breaks for networking and brainstorming with other students.
The seminar will be live-streamed and recorded, so everyone can be inspired by the event. Each school will send 10 Junior Cycle representatives, 10 Intermediate Cycle representatives, and 10 Senior Cycle representatives to participate live.
Seminar hosted by Kirsten Mate Maher: Explore Carrick-on-Suir Social Media and Marketing Executive, Beat 102103 Presenter, 2018 Crowned Rose of Tralee, Entrepreneur
7. How to Get Involved
We’re inviting all secondary school students in Carrick-on-Suir to get involved! Each school will have a dedicated liaison tutor to guide and support you throughout the programme.
8. Prizes 🎉
The programme offers cash prizes, spot prizes, and certificates for each school! 💸. You’ll also work with community leaders to bring your ideas to life.
- Junior Cycle Prize: €300 per year
- Intermediate Cycle Prize: €400 per year
- Senior Cycle Prize: €1000 per year
Gain valuable real-world experience, earn recognition for your innovative ideas, win awards, and make a lasting impact in your community and beyond!
9. Programme Schedule
Here’s the timeline of the events you’ll be involved in:
- October 2024 – Launching Seminar in partnership with LEO Tipperary Student Enterprise Programme 2024-2025
- November 2024 – Networking Events (beginning in November and running for the duration of the programme)
These networking events will provide opportunities for student-to-student, student-to-business, and student-to-organisation connections. You’ll also get to engage with town stakeholders, adding extra value to your experience!
- January 2025 – Presentation of Business Ideas
- April 2025 – Final Event and Awards Ceremony
Each step of the journey will help you refine your ideas, connect with mentors and stakeholders, and prepare for the final pitch!
10. Ready to Get Started?
Download the Students Entrepreneurial Handbook now for all the tips, ideas, and guidance you’ll need to create something amazing. Your Resource Pack is designed to help you build ideas and concepts throughout the programme. Use it to track your progress, jot down inspiration, and refine your business plan.
Jun 23
Open Call: Creative Tides
Explore Carrick-on-Suir is commissioning three artists to create contemporary responses to the heritage, stories, and identity of Carrick-on-Suir and the Tides of Time Visitor Centre.
Selected creators will receive a €250 commission fee and retain full ownership and copyright of their work. Important Note: You do not need a finished piece to apply. The July 9th deadline is strictly for a written project proposal outlining your concept.
Key Dates:
- July 9th: Proposal Deadline (text concept only).
- Mid-July: Three artists selected; project development and check-ins begin.
- Last Week of July: Install week for completed works at the venue.
- First Week of August: Live showcase event. Present your 8–10 minute response and join fellow creators for a panel discussion and audience Q&A.
Who Can Apply: Open to musicians, sound artists, visual artists, writers, poets, storytellers, theatre practitioners, filmmakers, dancers, and interdisciplinary creators at any career stage (local, national, or international).
How to Apply:
Tap the link in our Facebook/Instagram bio or website to review the full Info PDF and fill out the Open Call: ‘Creative Tides’ by Explore Carrick-on-Suir Google Form submission to submit your concept today!
#explorecarrickonsuir #tidesoftimevisitorcentre #carrickonsuir #visittipperary #tipperaryartist
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Jun 16
A massive congratulations to our friends at the Lingaun Valley Solstice Festival for such a successful run of events so far! The ‘5,000 Years of Carving Monuments’ talk with Elizabeth Shee Twohig just wrapped up here at Knockroe Passage Tomb this afternoon.
This site, excavated in 1990, features a prehistoric monument that predates both the Pyramids and Stonehenge. Nestled in the Hinterlands just 10km north of Carrick-on-Suir, it features 30 highly decorated stones and uniquely aligns with both the rising and setting sun. ☀️
If you’re looking to catch the rest of the action, please check out the full festival lineup at https://solsticefestival.lingaunvalley.ie/ 🌅
Here is a selection of the upcoming events, sorted by location:
📍 Ahenny High Cross
(Starting shortly!) Tuesday 16 June (3:30 PM – 4:30 PM): 5,000 Years of Carving Monuments in the Lingaun Valley with Elizabeth Shee Twohig.
📍 Tullahought / Ahenny High Crosses
Wednesday 17 June (10:00 AM - 1:00 PM): Stories from the Valley with Jimmy Walsh and Pat O’Gorman.
📍 Ormond Slate Quarries
Thursday 18 June (10:00 AM - 2:00 PM): Walls and Waylines.- Dry Stone Walling Workshop with Alan Counihan and Declan McNamara.
Friday 19 June (2:00 PM - 3:00 PM): Heritage Talk: Ormond Slate Quarries with Pat O’Gorman and Jimmy Walsh.
Saturday 20 June (11:00 AM - 3:00 PM): Lighting the Lingaun - Community Lantern Making with Selene Murphy and Paul Bokslag.
📍 Kilkieran Barn
Friday 19 June (8:00 PM - 10:30 PM): Community Storytelling & Live Music with Martin Matthews, Ade Walsh, and local musicians.
📍 Ormond Castle, Carrick-on-Suir
Sunday 21 June (11:00 AM - 4:00 PM): Public viewing of the community festival relief slate carvings, displayed across both the ground floor and upper levels of the castle.
Sunday 21 June (6:00 PM - 10:30 PM): The Solstice Festival’s Finale. A spectacular ticketed evening celebration featuring community light lanterns to close out the solstice!
Also, please do keep an eye on our socials to see what Explore Carrick-on-Suir ‘Quest Map’ routes we recommend for this Summer. We love the Lingaun Valley 🚲🥾🚗
#knockroepassagetomb #lingaunvalleysolsticefestival #lingaunvalleytourism
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Jun 13
We had great fun in Carrick-on-Suir recently, soaking up the sun on the Suir Blueway ☀️ Our adventures were guided by the Explore Carrick-on-Suir Quest Map and awesome rented bikes from our friends at Blueway Bike Hire @bluewaybikes 🚲
📍Connecting people, places, stories, and experiences, our Quest Map is for locals and visitors alike. It’s freely available on our website (link in bio!), with physical copies free to pick up in the Tides of Time Visitor Centre.
We hope you enjoy checking out new routes, completing challenges, and unearthing some fascinating local stories as you create your own adventure. 🌟
#explorecarrickonsuir #visittipperary #bluewaybikehire #bluewaybikehire #carrickonsuirbusinessassociation
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Jun 6
As fellow enthusiasts of Co. Tipperary and the Hinterlands, we`re delighted to highlight our friends at Lingaun Valley and their amazing Lingaun Valley Solstice Festival, kicking off properly June 6th!
We`re sharing the festival programme in this post but here is your quick guide to the event locations:
- Windgap Community Hall, Co. Kilkenny (R95 K57T)
Slate Relief Carving Workshops (5 & 12 June)
Storytelling Workshops (6 & 7 June)
- Kilcash Community Centre (E91 H60)
Songs and Stories of Slievenamon (14 June)
- Kilkieran Barn, Carrick-on-Suir, Co. Tipperary (E32 CX59)
The Harvest Meitheal (19 June)
- Ormonde / Clashnasmut Slate Quarry, Co. Tipperary (E32 DF85)
Stories Into Light & Final Carving Workshop (20 June)
Please check out all other info on the @linguanvalleysolsticefest and book workshop spots by emailing ade@lingaunvalley.ie.
#ExploreCarrickOnSuir #LingaunValleySolsticeFestival #WhereLightMeetstheLand #IrelandsAncientEast #TipperaryTourism`
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May 27
We were delighted to chat to Chairman of the the Clancy Brothers Music and Arts Festival Walter ‘Wattie’ Dunphy yesterday about the festival’s opening today. Three of the amazingly successful troupe hailed from Carrick-on-Suir, and we are proud to be displaying some Clancy Brothers ephemera and memorabilia and inside our soon-opened Tides of Time Visitor Centre.
The festival runs from Wednesday, May 27 to Monday, June 1 and all event info can be best found on the Clancy Brothers Music and Arts Festival Facebook page!
#explorecarrickonsuir #carrickonsuir #clancybrothers #clancybrothersmusicandartsfestival #tidesoftimevisitorcentre
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May 14
We’re getting ready to open very soon and wanted to give you a small glimpse into what’s coming.
Follow this page for behind the scenes moments, sneak peeks of the exhibition, introductions to the team, local stories, and the voices that will bring this space to life.
The Tides of Time story is only beginning.
Voice clip from our storytelling session held in @meanys_shoes
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May 7
Did you know...👇
You can find a mural painted by International Mural Artist Fintan Magee right here in Carrick-on-Suir?
The Tides of Time mural tells an interesting story of Carrick-on-Suir.
Representing its people, its heritage, and its biodiversity.
The closer you look, the more details you see about what it means to live life in Carrick-on-Suir.
Take a moment when you pass it. There’s more to see than you think. 😉
You can find the mural located on the side of the Tirlán Building on the riverfront. Take a few pictures and tag us in your posts!
Photo credits to @ross.lonergan for the 2nd picture.
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May 3
Looking for a weekend adventure?
We have a few ideas for you...
- Join us for a stroll along the River Suir Blueway (Did you know you can walk all the way from Carrick-on-Suir to Cahir?!)
- Explore the Butler Trail and visit the Ormond Castle (One of Ireland`s only Elizabethan Manor Houses).
- Follow along the Dove Hill Loop and experience how culture, craft, and countryside come together (you`ll also have the opportunity to do some shopping).
These are just a few of the quests you can journey on with the Explore Carrick-on-Suir Quest Map.
Download link in bio.
Or visit our website to create your own quest adventure.
Photo credits to @ross.lonergan for the first and third picture.
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Apr 30
It really does take a village...
And we wanted to give thanks to every member of ours!
We wanted to give a special mention to the business owners and employees in the Carrick-on-Suir area who have invested their time, resources and knowledge into our Idea of a Journey initiative.
An initiative that helps us encourage entrepreneurship and independent thinking within the youth of Carrick-on-Suir.
Thank you to the owners and employees of the following businesses for participating in our Journey of an Idea business networking breakfast!
Bourkes Menswear
Meany`s Shoes
Comeragh College
Lazy Cow Coffee House
CCW Carrick Vets
Blue Way Bike Hire
Tudor Artisan Hub
AIB Bank Carrick-on-Suir
Ormond Castle OPW
Carrick-on-Suir Business Association
Leonies Boutique
Lynn Keane Travel Councillor
My Dress Bridal
Centra Maxol Carrick-on-Suir
Shee and Hawe Auctioneers
Scoil Mhuire Greenhills`s School
Laura Keane Marketing
Martys Pantry
To learn more about your Journey of an Idea initiative, visit our website.
Link in bio.
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Apr 29
How good is your local business knowledge?
Use the clues to identify this local, Carrick-on-Suir business 👇
1. Originally finding it’s roots in manufacturing, this site was established in 1987/1988
2. It was the first place Tipperary Crystal called home
3. The redevelopment of the site took place between 2003 & 2006
4. It is now a flagship location for the Blarney Group’s Brands
Who do you think it is?
Let us know your guesses in the comments below
👉 Swipe to the end to reveal answer
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Apr 28
A fantastic morning at our Journey of an Idea Networking Breakfast.
A huge thank you to all the local businesses who took the time to meet with students, share their journeys, and collaborate on new ideas.
Huge thank you to Laura Keane who gave a fantastic presentation on how to market their ideas.
Your openness and support made a real impact.
Thank you to Comeragh College for hosting us, and to the students and teachers from Comeragh College and Greenhill School for bringing such energy and engagement to the session.
Students connected with businesses, shared ideas, and began shaping real marketing campaigns, all with the aim of telling local stories and promoting Carrick-on-Suir.
Great momentum as we head into the final stage.
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Apr 26
The sun is finally out in Ireland!
Which means it is time for some adventuring 🚗
If you’re looking for something to do around Tipperary, Waterford, or Kilkenny, then we can help you 👇
Download the Explore Carrick-on-Suir quest map and experience the gems that Carrick-on-Suir and the hinterlands have to offer ☀️
Want to create your own unique quest? Visit our website and design a quest that suits your interests.
Link in bio.
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Apr 23
Step into the study of a legendary local author ✍️
Did you know that we will have a space dedicated to Michael Coady and his work at the Tides of Time?
Made from original materials found in his office (from the desk right down to the floorboards) this exhibition will spotlight the literary success of our local town legend.
Tides of Time is scheduled for opening in May.
Join us as we celebrate the heritage and culture of a riverside town in Carrick-on-Suir.
To stay up to date with our launch, give us a follow or visit explorecarrickonsuir.com. Link in bio.
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Apr 21
Learn the heritage and history of Carrick-on-Suir directly from a local woman!
Dorothea Herbert was a diarist and poet who lived in Carrick-on-Suir in the late 1700s.
She wrote a lot about her life as a Rector’s daughter in 18th century Ireland.
And now she gets to bring the stories of Carrick-on-Suir to life by guiding you through our Tides of Time exhibits.
We cannot wait to share our contribution to Tipperary heritage with you!
Tides of Time coming to Carrick-on-Suir in May 2026.
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Apr 20
A new light through old panes ☀️
We are so excited to reveal the new window decor for the Tides of Time Visitor Centre in Carrick-on-Suir.
Each design has been carefully hand crafted to share the stories and heritage of Carrick-on-Suir.
Do you recognise anything or anyone? Let us know in the comments who or what you can see 👇
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Apr 14
We think this is something we can all agree on 👇
A little adventure is good for the soul 🫶
Carrick-on-Suir is the perfect day trip adventure for anyone living in Kilkenny, Tipperary, or Waterford.
Elegantly located alongside the River Suir, this picturesque town is ideal for anyone who loves the outdoors, enjoys culture, and wants to explore quintessential Irish villages.
Download the Explore Carrick-on-Suir Quest Map or visit explorecarrickonsuir.com for more information on what to see and do in and around Carrick-on-Suir
Let’s go! Your next adventure awaits.
Link in bio.
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Apr 9
The men are hard at work!
We are so thrilled to share that we have officially started phase 2 of our Visitor Centre Project!
After months of restoration and preparation work we are now able to start with our installation process…this is when our visitor centre starts to come to life!
Stay tuned to watch how we transform this Church in Carrick-on-Suir into a community hub steeped in culture, history, and heritage!
Want to join us on our journey? Give us a follow and share this post with someone who might want to follow along too!
Visit explorecarrickonsuir.com for more information about the Tides of Time exhibit and other attractions. Link in bio.
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Apr 5
So how may chocolate eggs did you find? 👀
Easter is a time that is best spent with family and friends.
It is an opportunity to reflect on what has passed, and welcome in something new.
We want to wish all our followers and their families a Happy Easter!
And if you’re looking for something to do this bank holiday, check out our Explore Carrick-on-Suir Quest Map!
Link in bio.
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Apr 3
An exciting opportunity has arisen to lead Tides of Time - Stories of a River Town!
We are seeking a motivated and capable individual to lead the day-to-day operation and ongoing development of the Visitor Centre!
Requirements:
- Located in Carrick-on-Suir or within a commutable distance (or willing to relocate)
- Previous tourism, heritage, cultural or visitor attraction experience.
- Strong organisational skills
- Confident leader
- Strong communicator
Think you’re the perfect candidate?
Send us your CV!
Visit the link in bio or email us at info@explorecarrickonsuir.com
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Apr 2
📣 Exciting new opportunities are coming!
We are looking for volunteers to be part of our team at the soon to be opening Visitor Centre in Carrick-on-Suir!
If you have 2-3 hours a week to spare, enjoy meeting new people, and have a love for local heritage we would love to connect with you!
No experience required. Full training provided. Various roles and opportunities available.
Enquire using the link in bio or email us at info@explorecarrickonsuir.com
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