Longford school is awarded STEM on Track award at I Wish 2026

Lack of early exposure remains a key factor preventing more girls from pursuing science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) careers, International Rose of Tralee, Dancing with the Stars contestant, and apprentice electrical engineer Katelyn Cummins has said ahead of the 12th annual I Wish Festival at the RDS, Dublin. 

As almost 4,000 female teenage students from across the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland gathered on February 5 for the acclaimed annual experience-led STEM event, guest speaker Katelyn outlined that many girls rule out engineering long before they ever reach third level — not due to a lack of ability or ambition, but because they simply don’t see the pathway.

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“If I hadn’t met women working in engineering, I wouldn’t have believed there was a place for me,” she said. “Too many girls never get the chance to see what modern engineering really looks like — creative, hands-on, technology-driven and full of opportunity. I Wish shows girls what’s possible before they make choices that can quietly close doors.”

The I Wish Festival connects thousands of teenage girls with female role models, industry leaders and real-world STEM careers. To support all-island participation, Iarnród Éireann is providing free rail transport from 22 stations, with Translink supporting access for students travelling from Northern Ireland.

This year’s Festival places a strong emphasis on AI, engineering, construction and future-ready STEM careers. With 50% of girls citing a lack of access to female role models as a barrier to STEM careers, according to the 2025 I Wish Report, and 58% saying they lack confidence in a career in STEM, over 30  speakers are engaging directly with students at the event, highlighting the critical role visible role models play in shaping career choice.

Among them is Mary O’Donnell, aeronautical engineer and I Wish alumna, who said early exposure was pivotal in shaping her career choices. “I Wish was a turning point for me,” she said. “Before attending in 2017, I hadn’t seriously considered engineering. Seeing women who were already working in these roles helped me understand what was possible.”

Further speakers include Irish Olympians — boxer Gráinne Walsh; paracyclist and graduate in Sports Science, Richael Timothy; and athlete and physicist, Louise Shanahan, along with Marie Moynihan, Senior Vice President of Global Human Resource Services at Dell Technologies; Weronika Mozolewska, Quality Assurance Engineer at Dell Technologies; and Elaine Laird, Head of People and Culture at Logitech. TV presenter, Katja Mia is MC for I Wish 2026.

I Wish co-founder Gillian Keating said addressing access and awareness gaps must become a national imperative. “Ireland’s future depends on widening the STEM talent pipeline to ensure we can remain competitive and continue to attract the most innovative companies,” she said. “While female enrolment in engineering, manufacturing and construction has increased by 10% over the past decade, progress is slow and uneven. At I Wish, we don’t just see schoolgirls, we see future leaders and innovators. Realising that potential requires sustained investment in early STEM exposure, equal access at second level and  experience-led learning.”

Students attending I Wish 2026 are taking part in an immersive, experience-led programme featuring 26 exhibitors. This year, there is a dedicated Construction Zone, in partnership with the Construction Industry Federation (CIF), offering hands-on demonstrations, insight into apprenticeships and direct engagement with women working in the sector. There is also a new I Wish award, STEM on Track, sponsored by Iarnród Éireann. It was presented by Mary Considine, Chief Executive of Iarnród Éireann, along with a cash prize of €4,000, to Longford school Ardscoil Phádraig in Granard for its “outstanding commitment to building a strong STEM culture”. 

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Co-founder Caroline O’Driscoll said: “Female STEM role models and hands-on industry engagement from companies such as Deloitte, along with Dell Technologies, Regeneron, Johnson & Johnson, Iarnród Éireann and Logitech, will change how girls see their future. Our partners help bring STEM to life, connecting classroom learning with real careers and real people. That visibility is powerful. It builds confidence, broadens ambition and helps girls understand the role they can play in shaping the world around them.”

I Wish, a multi-award-winning programme showcasing the power of STEM to female students in Ireland and across the globe, has held its renowned annual Festival since 2015. It has engaged with 65,988 students, hosted 1,118 speakers, and partnered with 141 industry leaders.

For more information on I Wish, visit www.iwish.ie.