The PorterShed Team travelled to Inis Mór with Diarmaid Ó Fátharta to kick off the TY Island Innovation Programme. It was a standout session and a fresh perspective for all of us. This is the first time this kind of programme has landed on the Aran Islands, and running it fully through Irish (as Gaeilge) made it something special for the students and the island community.
This part of the programme focused on empathy and design thinking, delivered through Irish thanks to Diarmaid, and it showed students something simple but important: the best products start with real problems people face every day. Once that way of thinking clicked, the students took the lead. They created customer personas, explored challenges that matter to them, and tackled the central question, “How might we use technology to protect what matters most in a changing world?”
From there, the students moved into identifying challenges and designing solutions, bringing strong energy and creativity to the work. We saw a great variety of human-centred ideas take shape, with themes ranging from job security and future skills to unlocking creativity and confidence through technology. The ideas were thoughtful, grounded, and shaped by what life looks like for young people today.
Next Tuesday, the programme continues as the students travel right here to PorterShed for the next stage of their learning. They’ll spend the first half of the day with us here at PorterShed, taking part in workshops across VR, podcasting, and steps to entrepreneurship, before moving into the final stage of the programme and preparing their product pitches.
Programmes like this matter because they help spark interest early and show that tech and entrepreneurship are real options for everyone, not just those in major cities. Young people shouldn’t feel boxed in by geography. Talent lives everywhere, and with the right support, it can grow anywhere too.
A huge thank you to the Western Development Commission and Local Enterprise Office Galway for supporting this programme and helping extend our reach to the islands. It’s already creating real momentum for young people, proving that opportunity and ambition aren’t limited by location. We can’t wait to see what the students build next. Stay tuned.
As Gaeilge
Thaistil foireann an PorterShed go hInis Mór in éineacht le Diarmaid Ó Fátharta chun tús a chur leis an gClár Nuálaíochta Oileáin TY. Seisiún den scoth a bhí ann, agus thug sé peirspictíocht úr dúinn ar fad. Seo an chéad uair riamh a cuireadh clár den chineál seo ar fáil ar Oileáin Árann, agus rinne sé an taithí fíorspeisialta do na scoláirí agus don phobal oileáin é a reáchtáil go hiomlán trí Ghaeilge.
Dhírigh an chuid seo den chlár ar ionbhá agus ar dhearadh smaointeoireachta, agus buíochas le Diarmaid, cuireadh an t-ábhar ar fad i láthair trí Ghaeilge. Thaispeáin sé rud simplí ach fíorthábhachtach do na scoláirí: tosaíonn na táirgí is fearr le fadhbanna fíora a bhíonn ag daoine ina saol laethúil. Nuair a thuig na scoláirí an cur chuige sin, ghlac siad an stiúir. Chruthaigh siad pearsanraí custaiméirí, scrúdaigh siad dúshláin a raibh tábhacht leo féin, agus thug siad aghaidh ar an gceist lárnach:
“Conas is féidir linn teicneolaíocht a úsáid chun an rud is tábhachtaí a chosaint i ndomhan atá ag athrú?”
Ina dhiaidh sin, thosaigh na scoláirí ag aithint dúshlán agus ag dearadh réitigh, ag tabhairt fuinnimh agus cruthaitheachta don obair. Chonaiceamar réimse leathan smaointe daonlárnacha ag teacht chun cinn, le téamaí idir shlándáil post agus scileanna don todhchaí, go dtí cruthaitheacht agus muinín a chothú trí theicneolaíocht. Bhí na smaointe machnamhach, bunaithe ar an réaltacht, agus múnlaithe ar an saol atá ag daoine óga inniu.
An Mháirt seo chugainn, leanfaidh an clár ar aghaidh agus taistealóidh na scoláirí anseo go PorterShed don chéad chéim eile dá gcuid foghlama. Caithfidh siad an chéad leath den lá linn anseo i bPorterShed, ag glacadh páirte i gceardlanna ar réaltacht fhíorúil (VR), podchraoladh, agus na chéad chéimeanna san fhiontraíocht, sula rachaidh siad ar aghaidh chuig an gcéim dheiridh den chlár agus ullmhóidh siad a cur i láthair
Tá cláir mar seo fíorthábhachtach mar spreagann siad suim go luath agus léiríonn siad gur roghanna fíora iad an teicneolaíocht agus an fhiontraíocht do chách, ní hamháin dóibh siúd i gcathracha móra. Níor cheart do dhaoine óga mothú go bhfuil siad teoranta ag an áit ina gcónaíonn siad. Tá tallann i ngach áit, agus leis an tacaíocht cheart, is féidir léi fás in áit ar bith.
Gabhaimid buíochas ó chroí leis an Western Development Commission agus leis an Local Enterprise Office Gaillimh as tacú leis an gclár seo agus cabhrú linn ár sroicheadh a leathnú chuig na hoileáin. Tá fíormhóiminteam á chruthú aige cheana féin do dhaoine óga, agus tá sé ag cruthú nach bhfuil deiseanna ná uaillmhian teoranta ag suíomh. Táimid ag tnúth go mór leis an méid a chruthóidh na scoláirí ina dhiaidh seo. Tuilleadh le teacht.
Media Contact
Nigel Moran
Marketing | PorterShed
Email: nigel@portershed.com
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