*New efforts to generate more activity in the Market in Ennis have been touted.
TRANSITION YEAR in Ennis students could soon be growing their own vegetables and selling at the Ennis Market.
Seeds were planted at the Ennis Municipal District in a motion by Cllr Tommy Guilfoyle (SF). He initiated support for the facilitation of a TY project in collaboration with Ennis Community College/Gaelcoláiste an Chlair where students will grow vegetables in a polytunnel belonging to the school, sell their produce at Ennis Market and donate the profits to a local charity of their choice.
Having discussed the matter with principal James O’Shaughnessy and teacher Conor O’Brien, “full support” has been expressed for the secondary schools for the venture, Cllr Guilfoyle said. “This project offers students a unique, hands-on learning experience in horticulture, business, entrepreneurship, and teamwork. It will guide them through the full business cycle from planting and harvesting their produce to selling it at the Ennis Market and managing the financial and administrative aspects of their venture, including maintaining records and securing necessary licences. Additionally, the project has a bilingual dimension, fostering collaboration between Gaeilge and Béarla speakers to create a successful business”.
Support from the Ennis MD would include assisting with the granting of a market licence, ensuring the project aligns with the broader goal of re-energising the Ennis Market area and facilitating discussions with local businesses to ensure the project operates harmoniously within the market environment, Cllr Guilfoyle stated. The stall would operate for an agreed short period.
Acting Director of Service for Economic Development, Seán Lenihan said they would be “delighted to support and assist in this initiative in whatever way that we can. In the first instance, we are happy to meet with the Teachers/Group Leaders to understand and agree what needs to be done. Moreover, I have consulted with my colleagues in the Local Enterprise Office and they are happy to facilitate student workshops focusing on the business skills required such as understanding costs, determining appropriate pricing, promotion, marketing and engaging with customers”.
Lenihan asked the teachers to contact the Ennis MD “to arrange a mutually suitable time to meet and progress this worthwhile initiative”.
Students need “opportunities to become entrepreneurs and to be in business,” Cllr Guilfoyle told a meeting of the Ennis MD. “There is many ways to become an entrepreneur. This allows the kids in our area to get an experience with business and with running a business if possible”.
Cllr Paul Murphy (FG) labelled the motion as “proactive” and “fantastic”. He noted that students from St Flannan’s College had attended recent meetings of Clare County Council. “It is great to have young people engaged, they can be tarred with a brush of being on gaming machine the whole time”.
Substantial money was raised for St Vincent de Paul by students in Ennis at Christmas, Cllr Mary Howard (FG) recalled. “The market for Ennis changed when Clare Marts opened,” she maintained referencing the selling of animals away from the heart of the town, “it changed the way the market was going to be for the rest of our lives”. She felt the motion was “a win win situation”. She rebuked Cllr Guilfoyle for referring to Ennis Community College as ‘The Tech’.
Students growing their own vegetables “is a great iniaitive,” said Cllr Pat Daly (FF) when backing the proposal.
Pop up charities could be let use the Market building in Ennis, Cllr Antoinette Baker Bashua (FF) suggested. “It is a very well put together motion and it took me a while to read it. There’s so many initiatives within this school and other secondary schools in the area, the youth of today love pop-up areas, we have a beautiful building not utilised at the moment, maybe the Council could waive the insurance levy and let the schools in and these pop up charities”.
Mayor of the Ennis MD, Cllr Clare Colleran Molloy (FF) noted that the proposal was “initiative and addresses how the Council can help with school and community efforts”. Getting the local enterprise office involved “can help future entrepreneurs”.
Helping students understand how hard it is to make money would be worthwhile, Cllr Guilfoyle maintained. “I apologise for using the nickname of the school, when I went to school in Flannan’s, others went to the Christian Brothers and others went to this ‘other’ school which we called by the nickname back then,” he added.
