Local project in running for 2013 Dragons' Den appearance

Tullamore's Seamus Kirwan is currently experiencing some success with his latest book "Ravings of a Mad Irishman". However the man who describes himself as a writer and inventor is having success with his most recent invention as well it seems. Seamus hit on an idea related to gardening in the past months. Just last Sunday he filled in an online application looking to seek funding for his product as part of the next series of Dragons' Den and since then he's progressed to the telephone interview stage of the competition. Though Seamus is obliged to keep details of his idea under wraps, he said it's a gardening idea he came up with in the last three to four months. "It's the simplest idea I ever came up with," he said. "Hopefully everyone will want one." He added that the finished product will be "very simple and inexpensive" for consumers. With a bank loan not an option, Seamus began to look elsewhere for capital to progress his idea. He says any money that is invested in his product will go towards work being done on it by DesignHub in Aras an Chontae in Tullamore. "They're working on it at the moment, but I need to raise money to get it through three phases with them," Seamus explained. Seamus first heard back from the Dragons' Den team last Monday, just one day after he submitted his application. A phone interview followed on Tuesday evening last, and Seamus said he's expecting to hear whether he's made it through to the face-to-face interview round shortly. It's expected he'll know before Christmas, as filming for the series set to air next March is due to begin in January. "I have myself prepared for either eventuality," Seamus said this week, adding that he's going to try progress the idea further regardless of his Dragons' Den performance. Thanking everyone for the support he has received so far, he said he'll do his best now and just see what way it goes. Seamus' other venture - "Ravings of a Mad Irishman" - is also selling successfully. Launched only months ago with a print run of 300, already there are only just over 20 copies left and another print run has been ordered.