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.
Media Contact
Nigel Moran
Marketing | PorterShed
Email: nigel@portershed.com
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