County Cork student wins National Scratch Coding Competition 2026

National Scratch Coding Finals Winner Aisling Fitzgerald from Coláiste Muire Crosshaven, Co. Cork (centre) pictured with Dr Clare McInerney Education and Public Engagement Manager, Lero/UL (left) and Tom O’Sullivan, CEO of ICS (right)

Aisling Fitzgerald from Cork has been named the overall winner of the Annual National Scratch Coding Competition, organised by Lero, the Research Ireland Centre for Software and the Irish Computer Society.

Aisling, a student from Coláiste Muire Crosshaven, Co. Cork, was presented with her award at the 16th national finals of the annual competition at University of Limerick (UL) on Thursday. The finals brought together Ireland’s best young coders from primary and post-primary schools from all over the country to showcase their project to the competition judges. The keynote address at the finals was given by Professor at UL Patrick Denny.

Aisling’s project truth can be bent was designed and built using Scratch, a visual programming language that makes it easy to create interactive stories, animations, games, music, and art and share these creations on the web. The Scratch project is a puzzle game in which you play as a news reporter assigned to write a story in a small town.

Lero’s Education and Public Engagement Manager, Dr Clare McInerney, said Lero’s involvement in the Scratch competition is crucial for a critical reason:
“Software is everywhere, it is all around us and it has never been so important that children and young people learn not just how to use it but also how it works. At Lero, we support the development of software skills at every stage of education. It is part of our mission to foster and grow coding skills and computational thinking among younger children, teens, and those far older.”

“What we witness at the culmination of the National Scratch Competition Finals is the payoff of months of hard graft by the contestants, their teachers and families – and let me tell you – it’s awe-inspiring. Their projects are an amazing combination of science, technology, imagination and ingenuity – showing off just how much fun coding can be. It leaves me wondering what these finalists will do next?” she added.

Dr McInerney said this year, there were 407 students involved this year with 65% male and 35% female entrants.

“We congratulate Aisling and all today’s finalists and those who supported them on their journey. Our panel of 15 judges were so impressed by the quality and originality of the projects that some have asked to come back next year,” she added.

Prof Patrick Denny, UL presented the keynote at the Scratch competition “AI- the road from here”

The winners of the National Scratch Coding Competition 2026 are:

Overall winner: Truth can be bent Aisling Fitzgerald Coláiste Muire Crosshaven, Co. Cork

Category winners:

Junior Infants to First Class: Castle of the ice dragon Annie Carberry, Joey Flynn, Donnacha Ryan, Milford National School, Castletroy, Limerick

Second Class to Fourth Class:  Going Bananas Amelia Bray, Aisling Ryan, Eve Ryan Milford National School, Castletroy, Limerick

Fifth to Sixth Class: Formula racers (2 player) Leo Burns St.Francis National School, Dundalk, Co Louth

First to Third Year: Monk’s Adventure: 2 Ryan Duggan Abbey Community College, Ferrybank , Waterford

Fourth to Sixth Year: Gridlock Ben Stafford, Belvedere College S.J Dublin

Judges’ Award winners:

Second Class to Fourth Class: 

  • FLOPPY BUNBUN!!! Sam Bray Milford National School, Castletroy, Limerick
  • Air Pollution Game Sesandu Methdam Wasala, Elliot Shinners Kennedy, Felix Nash Milford National School, Castletroy, Limerick
  • The battle for Ireland Cillian Flynn, Eoinín Shinners, Giorgio Lusi Young, Milford National School, Castletroy, Limerick
  • Shooter Game Rudransh Garg St. Corban’s National School, Naas, Kildare
  • Game Time!!! Rosanna Burke Craughwell National School, Co. Galway

Fifth to Sixth Class:

  • Head Wrecker Oisín Dawkins Donabate Portrane Educate Together National School, Co Dublin
  • The Vikings Ada Flynn, Olivia Gorman Craughwell National School, Co. Galway
  • Platformer William Jordan St Helen’s Senior National School, Portmarnock, Dublin
  • Race Car Universe Aaron Burke Craughwell National School, Co Galway
  • Mr Blobbysin Jeremy Shannon, Eoin Harnett An Mhodhscoil, Limerick
  • School Game!! Sophie Subramaniam Craughwell National School, Co Galway
  • Spike Invasion Saoirse O’Sullivan, Scoil Bhailenóra, Waterfall, Cork
  • Sir Woofs A Lot’s Adventure! Zoey Slattery, Rebecca O’Sullivan, Milford National School, Limerick
  • Mars Adventure Gwyddion O’Brien, Eugene McTiernan, Saint Hugh’s National School, Dowra, Co Leitrim
  • Brotato Maze Luke Naughton, Jack Riester, An Mhodhscoil, Limerick
  • Arianna THE DISAPPEARING ROCKET, Arianna O Malley, MAC Creative Hub, Manualla, Co Mayo

First to Third Year:

  • Scratchabox: Epsilon Oliver Staveley Donabate Community College, Donabate, Co. Dublin
  • Cosmic Strike Ronald Su Colaiste Choilm Secondary School, Ballincollig, Cork
  • THE duck game Tiernan Hazzard De La Salle College Dundalk, Louth
  • Mr. Hedgehog Ava Wilson Presentation Secondary School Clonmel, Tipperary
  • Space Minigames Artur Piotrowski Coláiste Éamann RÍs, Turners Cross, Cork
  • Windows 10 Simulator Christopher Barrett Coláiste Chiarain, Croom, Limerick
  • THE CORRIDORS Murphy Owanta Ardgillan Community College, Balbriggan, Dublin

Visit www.Scratch.ie for more information about Scratch and the Scratch competition.