Our TY-Mini business journey began in November 2022 as part of the Student Enterprise Programme. Our vision was clear from the very outset; we wanted to solve a problem that Irish teenagers in particular face on a daily basis.

 

Our business idea was to create a product that could hold a hurley and attach to a bicycle to make travelling with a hurl easier, more convenient and safer. We created prototypes using steel but were careful to ensure that the product wasn’t too heavy. We felt that our product would appeal to young hurlers who we observed holding their hurl in one hand and the handle bar of their bike with the other whilst cycling to training or matches. We came up with the name ‘hurlr’ for our product, as it is a hybrid of the words ‘hurl’ and ‘holder’ and is also short and memorable.

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We'd like to take this opportunity to thank the people who have helped us along the way. Firstly we would like to thank all of our teachers and staff in Heywood Community School who helped massively with our business plan and countless other aspects along the way.  Student Enterprise Coordinator Rosie Dunne of the Laois Enterprise Board has given us invaluable advice and assistance throughout the project. 

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Through our business journey, we have received a lot of advice, for which we are very grateful, from

various local businesses. Mary Ahearne and Shane Whelan at Aubren in Portlaoise praised,

encouraged and gave us great advice on our product, opening our minds to the idea of producing

our product on a larger scale. 

 

Next we'd like to thank Ian Hyland of Hyland Engineering in Clough Ballacolla who introduced us CNC machining . Ian is master in his field of metal fabrication and engineering so his help was hugely beneficial to us. You can check Hyland Engineering here: https://hylandengineering.ie/ 

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Thanks you to CM Signs for printing our stickers.

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Thank you also Michael Hopkins and Fergus Naughton at Ross Engineering in Athlone for

their time and advice and Michael for sharing his fount of knowledge in the field of

polymer injection moulding and the possibilities that exist for a larger production of our holders. 

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Finally we'd like to thank Darren Strong at DS Sports in Emo for letting us stock a sample of our product in their shop. You can check them out here: https://www.dssports.ie/