Over 700 students showcase groundbreaking STEAM projects at Longford’s Microsoft Dream Space Showcase Event

More than 700 primary school students from across County Longford transformed St. Mary’s Community Campus, in Edgeworthstown, into a hub of innovation on Tuesday, 24 March, as they presented their cutting-edge STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Maths) projects at the annual Longford Microsoft Dream Space Showcase.

A series of awards were presented across all three Municipal Districts, and this year’s overall Rising Star award was presented to St Mary’s NS, Edgeworthstown, for their unique project ‘Coding to Communicate.’ The students used their newly acquired coding skills to help communicate with non-verbal classmates and children with Autism.

This year’s Microsoft Dream Space Showcase event also welcomed some of the most prestigious and respected names in the industry, including Ericsson, MTU Cork, EY, KPMG, Storm Technologies and Global Logic. Their presence underscored the high regard and esteem in which this pioneering event is held.

The Ambassador of Hungary to Ireland, Gergely Bánhegyi, was one of the special guests on the day as part of a series of cultural events and collaborative projects linking County Longford with Hungary as part of Ireland’s EU Presidency community engagement programme.

YouTube star Farmer Phil was also in attendance, and he visited a number of agricultural-related projects on the day with children from primary schools all over the county, delighted to meet the social media influencer.

Longford’s Microsoft Dream Space Showcase is the culmination of months of engagement with primary schools in County Longford, which included the delivery of hands-on STEAM sessions by the Microsoft Dream Space teaching team as part of a 10-week Dream Space programme. The programme provided students with the opportunity to enhance their STEM and AI skills through the development of innovative STEM projects addressing sustainability challenges.

Over a 10-week period, students worked with their teachers, Longford County Council’s STEM Engagement Officer, Siobhan Grealy, and Microsoft’s teaching team to develop the STEAM and coding skills they needed for their projects. These newly acquired skills were then put into action by developing an innovative project addressing various challenges related to the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals.

The students celebrated their learnings and presented their projects at the Microsoft Dream Space Showcase event. Now in its fourth year, this initiative provides an opportunity for primary school children to enhance their STEM and AI skills through immersive experiences that help unlock their full potential, while also showing them the possibilities of a future career in the STEM sector. Ultimately, it is hoped that this will lead to all County Longford secondary schools offering computer science as a Leaving Certificate subject.

The collaboration with Microsoft, empowering local schools to participate in the Microsoft Dream Space Showcase, builds on a series of targeted interventions in the area of STEAM education spearheaded by Longford County Council.

Funding received by Longford County Council from the Government of Ireland and the European Union through the EU Just Transition Fund Programme 2021-2027 has been invested into local schools with a focus on accelerating interest and engagement in Computer Science and STEAM-related subjects as students transition from primary to post-primary level.

The ongoing support of primary school teachers throughout County Longford has been vital to the success of the programme while thanks was also extended to secondary school teachers who acted as adjudicators on the day.

Creative Ireland is also funding the building blocks of creativity for this project.

Chief Executive of Longford County Council, Paddy Mahon, said, “What we witnessed at this year’s Microsoft Dream Space Showcase event exceeded every expectation. Longford County Council’s commitment to pioneering STEAM education has created something extraordinary. We’re not just preparing students for future careers; we’re cultivating the problem-solvers who will reshape our world. The council’s leadership in this space has positioned Longford as a beacon for educational innovation across Ireland.”

Longford County Council Cathaoirleach Cllr Garry Murtagh said:

“It was truly inspiring to see the energy and creativity of the students taking part in this year’s Microsoft Dream Space Showcase. This innovative programme, spearheaded by Longford County Council, is helping to create the leaders and innovators of our future. When you see ten-year-old children developing coding skills to solve real-life problems, you know this is something really special. The aim is to see the students continue to nurture these skills into second level and beyond, and ultimately this programme will act as a pipeline into industry, all right here in the Midlands.”

Amanda Jolliffe, Microsoft Ireland’s Dream Space Lead, celebrated the partnership’s impact, saying:

“The energy and creativity on display at Longford’s Microsoft Dream Space Showcase 2026 was truly inspiring. Since launching Dream Space in 2018, we’ve reached over 500,000 students across the country, and events like the Longford Microsoft Dream Space Showcase are a testament to our ongoing commitment to working in partnership with local councils, schools, and industry to provide the opportunity for students in communities across the country to develop their STEM and AI skills.

“It has been a privilege to work with Longford County Council on this initiative for a fourth year, and to see the tangible impact that strong public–private collaboration can deliver. The quality and creativity of the student projects on display speak for themselves, underlining the role initiatives like this play in building confidence, curiosity and long?term ambition among the next generation of STEM leaders.”

The Microsoft Dream Space Showcase continues to build momentum towards its ultimate goal of ensuring all County Longford secondary schools offer Computer Science as a Leaving Certificate subject, creating a seamless pathway for students to advance their technological capabilities.

Overall Rising Star Award: St Mary’s NS, Edgeworthstown: Coding to Communicate

For further information, visit Longfordcoco.ie or follow Longford County Council on social media.