Happy New Year to all!
Date: January 9, 2012
Meet the 2010 GreenShoots
Ed Donovan
Heartaid
Ed has worked in the healthcare industry for the last 6 years. Having identified many barriers for young people to get cardiac screening (access to specialists, cost etc), Ed decided to look into ways that cardiac screening could be offered on a larger scale and at a price that was affordable.
Heartaid was set up to provide mobile cardiac screening to schools & clubs involved in sport. The service includes a health questionnaire, physical examination & electrocardiogram. All testing will be carried out by a medical doctor and the results of the testing will be analysed by a cardiologist. All screening will be carried out at the school or club and at a time that is convenient
Maresa Gieles & Benjamin Ladd
Ground-Sol
Ground-Sol deals in Natural building planning and implementation. In particular, reed beds, as an alternative solution to domestic waste water treatment. Generally these systems are low in maintenance, maybe an occasional trim of the reeds but that is it! It is very cheap to install, there are no pumps involved (where there is a slight slope) and it never has to be sucked out.
Maresa studied Geography, Botany and Hydrology at the University of Frankfurt and University College Cork. Ben is a carpenter and in his spare time a keen windsurfer.He has completed a natural building course and thereafter built his own energy efficient eco-house. He has experience with lots of different green building techniques. They have two children and live in the Gaeltacht, Coolea, Co. Cork
Stephen Hynes
Triskel Technology
Stephen is a consulting engineer in the fields of Structural, Civil, construction management, Environmental, Fire and Anerobic Digestion. He is establishing a biotechnology research and manufacturing business which will attempt to capture environmental enrichment of national waterways through the aquaculture and harvest of excess seaweeds. This enrichment will be returned in a stable state to the local natural environment after an engineered codigestion and blending system with local waste streams to provide commercial grade liquid fertilizer which is more stable and easily absorbed than commercial chemical fertilizers. The biogas byproducts from the digestion process are then to be reused to provide processing energy, local commercial energy and surplus energy for sale to national users.
The philosophy is to provide sustainable life cycle solutions to environmental enrichment by providing full life cycle services.
Lucy Hyland
Food for Living
In 2009, Lucy set up Food for Living, a company whose aim is to support people in making positive healthy changes in their eating habits and lifestyle through education and support.
As a nutritional therapist and chef, Lucy travelled the world looking at the eating habits of many countries and returned to Ireland to translate this message into practical advice. Having specialised in the area of children’s health, she is now setting up a range of healthy eating meals for children that will be available nationwide. These meals will focus on providing children with nutritious and tasty meals throughout the day.
Conor O’Donoghue
Newport Geographic
While living in California, Conor started his geographic products company Newport Geographic. Now living in Ireland again, he plans on pursuing the future development of the company from here. The initial focus is on Satellite Imagery Maps and custom mapping. Long term plans include the introduction of a broad range of geographic products including but not limited to political maps and relief globes.
Conor has over 25 years experience in manufacturing. After graduating from the University of Limerick in the early 80s he worked in EI Company Shannon and Western Digital Cork before moving to California where he worked in a number of manufacturing companies before going into consulting in 2002.
Therese Cronin
Computer Xplorers
A passion for building children’s’ confidence through the use of technology in learning led mother-of two Therese Cronin to set up ComputerXplorers Cork and Kerry. Mastering technology skills at an early age increases children’s e-confidence and competence, and gives them a great head start to their education. ComputerXplorers runs classes that are inspirational and designed to enhance the learning skills of children of different ages and abilities. ComputerXplorers provide equipment, materials and the teachers so there is nothing for schools to do other than provide the room and the children.
Born in Dublin, Therese spent 19 years living and working in Boston before returning to Cork five years ago. Her career to date has been spent working with children and adults in academic institutions in a technical capacity, she gained most of her technical experience at Harvard University.
Sheila Cagney
Autumn Angels
When Sheila Cagney left her life in the USA and returned to Ireland to look after her aging parents, the successful financial advisor learned first hand how to navigate the chaotic and confusing landscape of home care.
She is now putting her planning, advisory and project management skills to use to design Autumn Angels, a company focused on providing a suite of services to aid busy professionals preserve their elderly parents’ ability to remain living at home.
Autumn Angels is providing a suite of services encompassing planning, advice and project management as well as home and personal care, tailored to meet the needs of elderly parents when their families are living far away.
Maura Horgan & Martha Keller
B-Introduced
Maura & Martha’s new business is an introductory agency. The aim is simple: to arrange informal introductions between people who are finding it hard to meet others…for friendship or romance.
The initial target market is the rural areas of Cork and Kerry with a view to going nationwide eventually!
Aylene Kelleher
Castle Gate Crafts
Aylene is the newest member in the group. She has set up Castle Gate Crafts in the Castle Gate Lodge in Macroom, home to the tourist office in the summer months. Her mission is to promote all that is brilliant and unique about Irish craft talent by creating an exhibition type shop & gallery for crafts people and artists to display their wares and generate an income. She will showcase established artists and craft makers, encourage emerging artists and craft makers and nurture the talented local students.
