Updated / Friday, 8 May 2026 14:50
A glow-in-the-dark sliotar has won top prize at this year’s Student Enterprise National Finals.
Glo Ball was designed by 16-year-old Cathal Sweeney, who is a student at Mungret Community College in Co Limerick.
It is made using a phosphorescent material and glows in the dark, meaning it can be used by hurlers in dark conditions.
To enhance further visibility he paired the ball with a UV light that is significantly stronger than a torch, helping maintain a long lasting glow.
Mr Sweeney said he developed the product to cater to players who wanted to train for longer during winter months, but who did not have access to floodlighting.
Speaking on RTÉ’s Morning Ireland, Cathal said came up with the idea as an avid hurler himself because he kept losing his balls.
“I was pucking the ball and I think it was probably 5.30pm or 6pm in November,” he said.
“I just kept missing the ball, I couldn’t see it, I’d come out with like three or four balls and then I’d go back in with none.
“So I decided instead of complaining about it, I’d do something about it.”
Since launching the product four months ago, the Glo Ball has generated €40,000 in sales through his company Glo Hurling.
When he set about how to make the product he considered a pair of glow in the dark pyjamas he owned.
He contacted GAA manufacturers who used an injected mould for the balls and asked if they could put the phosphorescent powder into it.
We need your consent to load this rte-player contentWe use rte-player to manage extra content that can set cookies on your device and collect data about your activity. Please review their details and accept them to load the content.Manage Preferences
“I contacted about ten of them and nine of them said ‘oh this is impossible this is never going to happen’ because I feel like with GAA everything is the way it is and there’s nothing really changing in it, but the one that came back to me after going back and forth, sample after sample I finally found one that I was happy with.”
With business firmly on his mind, Mr Sweeny is hoping Glo Hurling won’t have to take a back seat as he heads into fifth year and starts focusing on the Leaving Cert.
“I think I’m just going to keep pushing with it, this is what I love, I want to pursue business. So I think school might be the one on the back burner.”
Glo Hurling was one of 88 businesses from across the country shortlisted in the three main categories of the awards, which are managed by Local Enterprise Offices.
This is the 24th year of the Student Enterprise programme, which has seen more than 500,000 students take part since its foundation.
“Year-on-year we are always amazed at the standards many of these businesses hit when it comes to entrepreneurship,” said Gareth Evans, chair of the Local Enterprise Office’s Enterprise Education Committee.
“Innovative thinking, creative solutions and a perseverance to simply make their ideas happen. These students don’t want to make sales, they want to help change the world and make it a better place,” he added.
