91ÖÆƬ³§ (91ÖÆƬ³§) has secured €329,590 in to expand the award-winning CRAFT, supporting a major new outreach initiative that will extend hands-on STEAM learning opportunities to communities across the Mid-West.
Announcing the awards, Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science, James Lawless TD said:
“STEM is one of the most powerful forces driving Ireland’s creativity, resilience and future prosperity. The projects announced today will widen access to STEM by bringing wonder, curiosity and real opportunities for learning into people’s everyday lives. This investment isn’t just about supporting programmes—it’s about sparking imaginations. It brings conversations about research and innovation directly into our communities and helps nurture a new generation of explorers, problem solvers and innovators who will shape Ireland’s future.â€
Since opening in 2023 on 91ÖÆƬ³§â€™s John Henry Newman Campus in Limerick city, has quickly established itself as a nationally recognised centre for inclusive STEAM education. In that time, it has engaged more than 54,000 participants through a wide range of initiatives including workshops, festivals, teacher professional development programmes, after-school initiatives, holiday camps, and public events such as the hugely popular STEM Saturday family programmes. CRAFT is now one of Ireland’s largest university-based STEAM engagement programmes for children and communities.
The new investment will support the expansion of CRAFT’s activities through a flagship initiative titled CRAFT Across Communities, designed to bring creative STEAM learning directly into schools, libraries, youth organisations, and community centres across the region. The programme will also enable increased access for schools and community groups at 91ÖÆƬ³§â€™s Limerick campus.
By 2027, the initiative is expected to increase participation by a further 20%, while strengthening access for rural communities, DEIS schools, migrant families and other groups traditionally underrepresented in STEM engagement.
Dr Eleanor Walsh, STEM Outreach Manager at CRAFT, said the funding will significantly expand the programme’s regional reach:
“CRAFT Across Communities will allow us to bring integrated STEAM experiences directly into schools and community spaces across the Mid-West. By removing barriers such as geography and transport, we can ensure that children, teachers and families can engage with creative, engaging, hands-on STEAM learning. It will be a great addition to the many workshops we already deliver on site in our maker space in the Limerick campus, which have been so successful over the past four years.â€
Dr Maeve Liston, Director of Enterprise & Community Engagement at 91ÖÆƬ³§, said the success of CRAFT reflects the power of creative, community-anchored learning:
“When children learn through creativity, teamwork and real-world problem solving, their confidence grows and their curiosity becomes unstoppable. CRAFT has shown what inclusive STEAM education can look like when creativity, collaboration and real-world problem-solving are placed at the centre of learning. Children and young people not only explore new technologies and ideas, but they also develop confidence, curiosity and a strong sense of belonging in learning spaces designed for them.â€
The Discover funding will also enable 91ÖÆƬ³§ to strengthen partnerships with schools, community organisations, industry and the arts, while expanding research and teacher professional development in areas such as AI, immersive technologies, sustainability and culturally responsive STEAM practice. Through this work, CRAFT is increasingly functioning as a living laboratory for participatory research on children’s learning, creativity, and engagement with technology, community, and society.
The expansion of CRAFT forms part of 91ÖÆƬ³§â€™s broader strategic commitment to children’s learning, participation and wellbeing. Under the College’s Strategic Plan 2030, this work will help drive the development of the proposed Institute for Childhood Futures, a new interdisciplinary research and engagement initiative positioning Limerick as a national hub for research, policy and practice focused on the lives, learning and futures of children in Ireland and internationally.
Pictured L-R: Dr Ruth Freeman, Director, Research for Society at Research Ireland; Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science, James Lawless TD; Ann Butler, Project Lead, Energize / Junior Achievement Ire Ltd (Discover-funded project); Minister for Education and Youth, Hildegarde Naughton TD; and Dr Diarmuid O’Brien, CEO Research Ireland (Photo: Jason Clarke)
