TU Dublin Brings Halloween Magic to LauraLynn Through Creative Community Collaboration
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Students and staff from TU Dublin's Tallaght Campus joined forces with local primary schools, industry partners and the wider community to bring Halloween magic to LauraLynn Children's Hospice, Ireland's only children's hospice, on Tuesday, 27 October 2026.
The annual LauraLynn Halloween Parade celebrated creativity, inclusion and community spirit, with TU Dublin students and staff from the School of Mechanical Engineering and School of Marketing and Entrepreneurship working together to create a memorable experience for children and their families.
Supported by generous funding from Google, this year's initiative extended beyond the university, engaging 10 primary school classes in a series of creative design workshops in the weeks leading up to the parade.
The workshops invited primary school pupils to imagine and design costumes for the children of LauraLynn. Their colourful and imaginative ideas were then brought to life by TU Dublin students, who used their technical, creative and manufacturing skills to transform the children's sketches into bespoke costumes and wheelchair decorations.
For many of the primary school pupils, it was their first opportunity to contribute directly to a project supporting other children. For TU Dublin students, it provided a valuable opportunity to apply their learning in a real-world setting while making a meaningful difference in the community.
Among the highlights of this year's parade were a number of imaginative wheelchair-themed costumes, including Harry Potter-inspired creations. Seeing these designs progress from initial classroom sketches to finished costumes, worn with pride by the children taking part in the parade, captured the true spirit of the project.
More than a costume-making initiative, the project created meaningful connections between young people at different stages of education, university staff, volunteers, industry partners and the families supported by LauraLynn. Through Google's support, hundreds of young people had the opportunity to contribute to something bigger than themselves, helping to create moments of joy, lasting memories and smiles for children and families facing extraordinary challenges.
The collaboration demonstrates how education, engineering, creativity and community engagement can come together to deliver a positive social impact, while giving students the opportunity to use their skills and knowledge for the benefit of others.
TU Dublin would like to acknowledge the contributions of Elaine McGeogh, Chris Keogh, Aiden Meagher, Mateus Veloso Dos Santos, Robbie O’Connor and Hilda Burton, whose expertise and commitment were instrumental in the costume production process.
Thanks are also extended to the Tallaght Marching Band, who led the parade, the dedicated team at LauraLynn Children's Hospice, 3DAssist and Google for their generous and continued support.
For TU Dublin students based on our Tallaght Campus, being involved in the initiative was both a rewarding learning experience and an opportunity to make a tangible difference.
Caoimhe Moore said:
“We were grateful for the opportunity to work with LauraLynn. It was a rewarding experience and a privilege to contribute to such a meaningful project.”
Max Quinlan added:
“It was fantastic to apply the skills we've developed in college to support a wonderful charity event and make a positive difference for the children involved.”
The LauraLynn Halloween Parade 2026 was a wonderful celebration of what can be achieved when education, creativity and community come together, reminding everyone involved that even the smallest idea can help create something truly special.
More photos from the LauraLynn Halloween Parade 2026
