AN 18-year-old craftsman has been honoured as Ireland’s young entrepreneur of the year after building a toy-making business following the birth of his son.

Kyle McMahon from Coolock in Dublin began hand-making wooden toy trains, jigsaws and clocks as part of his course at Bonnybrook Youthreach. Kyle’s Wood Crafts is now on target to record a net profit of more than €3,000 for its first five months in operation.

He was selected for the Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship (NFTE) award by a judging panel including Small Firms Association director Patricia Callan, Ernst Young partner Frank O’Keeffe and Insomnia Coffee chief executive Bobby Kerr.

Kyle’s business was one of 450 established by the 1,000 participants in the Foróige NFTE programme this year, 600 of which were honoured during a ceremony in Dublin yesterday.

Mr Kerr, a judge on RTÉ’s Dragon’s Den, said the young entrepreneurs participating in the competition had demonstrated tenacity, creativity and an ability to develop a business without requiring a significant amount of capital.

Kyle said that, having being thrown out of secondary school for being a “messer”, he was delighted to have an opportunity to develop a business through his Youthreach course.

“The next step is to sell enough of my products so I can get machinery and build a shed so I can work from home,” he said.