Explore student competitions.

QUICK SUMMARY

Rated Advanced, Ireland’s national environmental journalism competition asks young people to investigate a local issue, report solutions and share the work with a real audience. Open to individuals or groups aged 11–25 in participating Green-Schools secondary schools and Green Campus third-level institutions. Success depends on credible research, a clear local-to-global story, a practical solution and thoughtful dissemination across article, photo, video, reel or podcast formats.

QUICK SUMMARY

Rated Advanced, Concern Debates is a long-form schools programme in which students repeatedly research and argue global-justice motions rather than preparing for a single one-off speech. Senior-cycle schools across the island of Ireland register teams of four to six students through a teacher. The season rewards evidence-led argument, rapid rebuttal, coordinated team roles, confident delivery, and the resilience to improve across many rounds.

QUICK SUMMARY

Rated Intermediate, this Poetry Ireland education hub brings together several opportunities for post-primary students, with eligibility, entry route and format varying by competition. Pupils or schools should choose a specific listed programme before preparing. The main challenge is matching work or performance to the correct brief while maintaining originality, accuracy and a strong command of language.

QUICK SUMMARY

Rated Advanced, An all-island school poetry-speaking competition run by the National Library of Ireland and Poetry Ireland, with three age categories and a national final. Post-primary students resident on the island of Ireland enter through a teacher; categories align to school years. Contestants memorise and interpret a prescribed and a chosen poem, performing both through regional heats and later rounds.

QUICK SUMMARY

Rated Intermediate, this bilingual haiku competition is for post-primary students across Irish year groups, with entries accepted in English or Irish through the published school or individual route. Entrants submit concise original poems for adjudication and celebration. The challenge is using precise imagery, rhythm and restraint to create meaning within the compact haiku form.