Bantry schoolgirls bound for New York with jewellery made from recycled glass

FOUR West Cork schoolgirls have turned their passion for sustainability and recycling into jewellery which they will bring to New York next month to represent Ireland in the final of a global competition for young entrepreneurs.

Coláiste Pobail Bheanntraí students Meadhbh Sammon, Tempy Stock, Elaine McSweeney, and Aoife O’Shea will be Ireland’s flagbearers at the World Youth Entrepreneurship Challenge.

Clear Cut Jewellery marketing manager Elaine McSweeney told The Echo that they’ve received plenty of positive feedback about their bracelets, earrings, necklaces, and rings.

“It’s an original idea — we just thought that lots of bottles are such gorgeous colours and are being thrown away and wasted after use so we thought we should do something with it, with a sustainable aspect,” she explained.

The basic idea of the product is smashing the bottles and incorporating the broken glass with resin to provide the material to make various items of jewellery.

They entered the Network For Teaching Entrepreneurship, a Foróige competition, and reached the national finals in May, along with another Coláiste Phobail Beanntraí team, Rock Paper Seeds, which makes the wrapping paper Clear Cut Jewellery uses as part of their packaging.

The invitation to travel to New York has led to huge excitement for Clear Cut Jewellery but, as Elaine explained, they are looking beyond the trip to one of the hotspots of world fashion.

“In future we’re looking at selling online and taking part in local trade fairs,” she said.