A new summer camp aimed at introducing children to entrepreneurship will take place in Ballylanders this August, giving young people from North Cork, South Limerick and South Tipperary the opportunity to learn how to develop and run their own simple business ideas.
The programme will run from Tuesday, August 4th to Friday, August 7th, 2026 at the Village Park building in Ballylanders. It is designed for children aged 11 to 14 and focuses on practical, hands-on learning around how businesses are created, developed and brought to market.
The course is being organised by Máiréad O’Donnell Consulting & Training and is structured to guide participants through the full process of turning an idea into a product or service. This includes idea generation, basic product development, simple marketing, and selling.
Organisers say the aim is to make business learning accessible and engaging for younger participants, with a strong focus on creativity, teamwork and confidence-building through real-world activity rather than classroom-style teaching.
A key feature of the camp will be a “Dragon’s Den”-style presentation, where children will pitch their ideas to local businesspeople. Participants will also have the opportunity to sell their products at the Ballylanders Pattern Festival on August 15th, providing direct experience of interacting with customers and handling sales.
The programme is designed to give each child meaningful participation time in a small group setting, with individual support throughout the week.
Unlike larger camps, this programme is intentionally limited to just 10 participants. Further information can be got by texting your details to Máiréad O’Donnell on 087-2070539 or emailing hello@maireadonnell.com.
