Social Entrepreneurs - Shortlist

Shortlist for Emerging Social Entrepreneur (www.davidmanleyawards.ie):

Attendance at 3rd level education from disadvantaged areas is low, despite it being free. John Lawlor & Claire Conneely set up The Bridge to College (B2C) and developed an innovative programme to address this, using a mix of team-based workshops and technology-mediated learning.

2 people under the age of 35 die each week in Ireland from Sudden Cardiac Death (SCD). Mary Desmond Vasseghi and other bereaved parents established the 'Sudden Cardiac Death in the Young Support Group' in February 2006. It supports affected families and is advocating for the compulsory screening of all athletes.

In 2006, Krystian Fikert, a Polish psychologist, set up The Psychological Centre in Dublin (PPD) to address the psychological needs of Polish immigrants in Ireland. In 2007, they expanded to include all immigrant groups and last year, it was extended as a service to all.

Arts Entrepreneurs - Shortlist

3 Arts entrepreneurs on DMA shortlist - further info www.davidmanleyawards.ie

Galway company, Arcana, founded by former Saw Doctor, Johnny Donnelly, had a brilliant 2009 - including providing Irish-themed entertainment for Tourism Ireland at every port worldwide during Volvo Ocean Race.

Bray-based Serendipity provide interactive theatre and entertainment for old people in residential care whose access to artistic and cultural experiences can be limited. Founded by German-born Hedda Kaphengst.

THISISPOPBABY bring new audiences to theatre by redefining the very notion of what theatre can be. They blur the distinctions between art and performance and between actor and audience.

Shortlist for Emerging Business Entrepreneur 09

3 entrepreneurs short-listed for the Business Category in 2009 David Manley Emerging Entrepreneur Awards:

Drs. Peter Briggs & Maurice Coyle for HeyStaks - a social web search platform that makes it easier for people to find and share relevant content on the Web:

Paul Groarke & Garrett Hussey for RendezVu - which takes a different approach to language learning by using virtual technology and a 'gaming' approach;

Kevin O'Shaughnessy for the XIT Travel Experience - a new concept in travel planning which fits the way people actually travel.

Further info: www.davidmanleyawards.ie

Shortlist for 09 Awards

Many congrats to the 9 entrepreneurs shortlisted for the 2009 DMA - overall winner will be announced on 21st January! Short-listed are:

Arts Category:
Arcana - Johnny Donnelly - www.arcana.ie
Serendipity - Hedda Kaphengst - www.theatregroup.ie
THISISPOPBABY - Jennifer Jennings & Phillip McMahon - www.ThisIsPopBaby.com

Business Category:
HeyStaks - Drs. Peter Briggs & Maurice Coyle - www.heystaks.com
RendezVu - Paul Groarke & Garrett Hussey - www.rendezvu.co.uk
XIT - Kevin O'Shaughnessy - www.xitbeta.com

Social Category:
The Bridge to College (B2C) - John Lawlor & Claire Conneely - www.suas.ie/b2c/html
Sudden Cardiac Death in the Young Support Group - Mary Desmond Vasseghi - www.scdyoung.ie
PPD - Psychological Centre in Dublin - Krystian Fikert - www.theppd.eu