The next generation of entrepreneurs and innovators took centre stage at the Tides of Time Visitor Centre as The Journey of an Idea – Year Two reached its exciting conclusion with a vibrant awards ceremony celebrating creativity, tourism, and community spirit.
Led by Explore Carrick-on-Suir and supported by Tina Mulhearne of the Tipperary Local Enterprise Office, the programme has quickly established itself as a flagship initiative encouraging young people to shape the future of their town. Following the success of last year’s programme, which saw previous winner Danny Nugent secure second place at the National Student Enterprise Awards, this year’s students were challenged to embrace the theme “The Quest for Tourism Innovation.”
Inspired by the Explore Carrick-on-Suir Quest Map and following Tipperary’s inclusion in Lonely Planet’s Top 25 Destinations in the World for 2026, students from Comeragh College and Scoil Mhuire Greenhill developed imaginative ideas aimed at enhancing the visitor experience through accessibility, heritage, storytelling, sustainability, and enterprise. Throughout the year, participants took part in webinars, school visits, mentoring sessions and networking opportunities with local businesses.
Held one day before the public opening of the newly developed Tides of Time Visitor Centre, the awards ceremony provided a fitting setting to celebrate the power of imagination and ambition. Supported by the EU Just Transition Fund and Fáilte Ireland, the Centre itself stands as a testament to what can be achieved through vision and collaboration.
This year’s overall winners, Katie Lonergan and Saoirse Shanahan Roche, received the top prize of €2,000 for Access4All, an app designed to help people with mobility challenges access attractions and locations more easily. Joint second place prizes of €1,000 each were awarded to Kevin Jones for Capture Carrick Photos, a concept combining heritage tours and photography, and to Evan Boland, Keeley Nevin and Mia Lowe Waters for Le Chéile, a project centred on community walks and engagement. Joint third place prizes of €500 each went to Shay Smith, whose Smith & Vaughan Sliotars creatively linked sport and heritage through specially designed sliotars featuring local landmarks, and Anna Taylor, who developed a student-led digital guide to provide visitors with authentic local recommendations. Additional prizes recognised a range of imaginative projects rooted in storytelling, sustainability and family experiences.
Speaking at the event, Sarah-Jane Cleary of Explore Carrick-on-Suir praised the students’ ability to think about tourism in practical and meaningful ways, while Tony Musiol, Chairman of Carrick-on-Suir Economic Development, described the occasion as especially significant, with the next generation of ideas being celebrated within a building that itself represents a long journey of imagination and ambition.
As The Journey of an Idea continues to grow, planning is already underway for Year Three, promising an even more dynamic programme that will continue to empower young people and inspire fresh ideas for the future of Carrick-on-Suir.
