Two young students, with a scheme to convert cow manure into cash, will represent Ireland at a Youth Entrepreneurship showcase in New York.
Cousins Linda and Clare Dolan, 17 and 16, have devised a way of turning cow manure into odourless fuel briquettes. They’ve set up a business, Mure, through the Foróige Youth Entrepeneurship.
The fifth year students from St Clare’s Comprehensive School in Manorhamilton, County Leitrim, come from a farming background.
The girls carried out a series of studies in conjunction with IT Sligo under the guidance of lecturers Dr Bill Crowe and the late Dermot Greaney from the Institute’s School of Science.
“The girls aptitude for Science came to light in 2012 when they won the annual Secondary Schools Science Fair competition, SciFest, at IT Sligo,” explains Dr Crowe.
“Their research at the Institute helped them determine that their briquettes were more efficient than peat alternatives,” he added.
Linda and Clare have since developed several products including kindlers and a fire lighter.
“One of our biggest challenges initially was that our customers were worried about an odour from cow manure briquettes,” says Linda.
The girls are hoping to sell their products nationwide and in are consultation with several regional fuel stockists and garage chains.
They will now represent Ireland at the Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship’s global showcase in New York in March.
Photo caption:
Cousins Linda and Clare Dolan, from St Clare’s Comprehensive School in Manorhamilton.