LEADING Irish businessman Sean Mulryan has donated nearly 100 iPads to schools across his home county to ensure equal education opportunities for all children.
The Roscommon native, who founded property developers the Ballymore Group, donated 95 upcycled iPads to national schools across the county.
The project, undertaken with Variety – the Children’s Charity of Ireland, is designed to “promote equal access to remote education”.
Each national school in Roscommon received an upcycled iPad this month, provided to their Special Needs Assistants.
Kevin O’Brien, who heads up development projects for Variety Ireland, said: “This was a great week for Special Needs Assistants in national schools across Co. Roscommon.”
He added: “Variety Ireland relies on donors like Sean Mulryan of Ballymore to help us deliver projects that directly benefit children who may need that extra bit of support with learning in the classroom.
“The fact that Sean has paid-for 95 upcycled iPads for national schools throughout Roscommon means not only is this project beneficial to addressing children’s education needs but it is also highly environmentally friendly.
“As a society, we need to protect and help our most vulnerable and in doing so we also need to protect the environment and these iPads do just that.”
Following Mr Mulryan’s generous donation, Variety Ireland, which celebrates its 70th anniversary next year, will be rolling out a new national project over the next 12 months where philanthropists who have an affiliation of links to a specific county can commit to help Special Needs Assistants in national schools by paying for upcycled iPads to help them teach children with learning difficulties.
Businessman Sean Mulryan with his Variety Ireland awardThis is not the first time the businessman has gone above and beyond to give back to his home county.
In 2020 he donated 7500 Irish native trees - one for to every national school child in Roscommon - to plant in their garden at home.
Mr O’Brien said: “Roscommon is extremely lucky to have someone like Sean Mulryan who gets behind projects that have huge educational and environmental benefits within the county.”
Mr Mulryan, who is CEO of Ballymore, said: “We take sustainability and biodiversity seriously on all our projects and I'm thrilled to be a part of this.”
He added: "Supplying upcycled iPads to help Special Needs Assistants is a fantastic idea that will have a big impact on the education of children who may need that little bit more help with learning.
“Both our iPad and tree initiatives are designed to help children and spark young people's curiosity in getting them involved in safeguarding our planet's future.”
Variety Ireland is a non-government funded charity specialising in helping children up to the age of 18 with environmentally friendly and sustainable solutions in addressing their mobility, educational needs and well-being across the island of Ireland.
This week, in honour of the ongoing support they have received from Mr Mulryan, he charity presented him with their Environmental Award.
St Michael's School Castlerea receive their iPad“We are delighted to present Sean Mulryan with this prestigious award that we present to people who support children with disabilities and our environmental initiatives,” Mr O’Brein explained.
“Sean truly deserves this award,” he added.
“He has helped children with learning difficulties by paying for sustainable upcycled iPads given to Special Needs Assistants.
“This coupled with him supplying native Irish trees to all national school children in Roscommon late last year is all part of his commitment to helping children and the environment.”
