What is The Code Lab?
The Code Lab is a STEM education business delivering coding programmes for children aged 4 to 13, both directly to families and through primary schools across Ireland.
For schools, we provide a fully managed online learning platform delivering curriculum-aligned coding lessons, built so any classroom teacher can run it with no coding background required. Schools access the programme through a membership model, giving them ongoing use of a growing library of lessons teaching fundamentals of coding and computer science through Scratch.
For families, kids can learn to code online with our Step-By-Step Video Lessons, working at their own pace, whether they’re just starting out or building on skills from school.
Kids can also get hands-on with technology through our workshops, camps, and events, including robotics and electronics with platforms like Micro:bit and VEX, and our Early Years Code Movers programme, bringing coding to children from as young as 4.
Accessibility is central to everything we do, through initiatives like Girls Can Code and our work with DEIS schools, and additional needs settings, we’re committed to making coding open to every child, regardless of background or ability.
The Possibilities Are Endless When A Child Learns To Code
About Joan McCann
Joan is the Founder and Lead Instructor at The Code Lab. She is passionate about demystifying the world of Coding & Computer Science for Kids.
Joan has a BSc. in Computer Science and worked in the IT Industry for many years, before taking a career break to focus on her family. With four young children, she went in search of coding/STEM courses suitable for their age but couldn’t find any, SO SHE CREATED HER OWN!
She has been teaching children’s coding courses, workshops, camps & school lessons since 2018, and moved online in 2021. Her work has since been recognised at both local and national level, with her most recent awards Louth Local Enterprise Digitalisation Award, Cathaoirleach’s Business of the Month, and Network Ireland Louth’s Networker of the Year 2026, recognising her as a natural connector and community builder, and she now represents Louth at the Network Ireland National Finals.Â
She continues to grow her online portfolio, allowing her to share her passion for Coding & STEM with Children all over Ireland.
The Code Lab's Story So Far
From a single volunteer coding session to representing Louth on the national stage
2026
The Code Lab’s schools coding programme continues to grow, with our pilot school returning for a third year and more schools coming on board across the region. Joan completes the WeBuild programme, and The Code Lab moves to a full membership model for schools. She also launches the Early Years Code Movers programme, bringing coding to children aged 4 and up for the first time, with a live pilot running at a Childcare facility summer camp.
The Code Lab is named Cathaoirleach’s Business of the Month for January 2026. Joan is invited as a guest panelist for Network Ireland Louth and LEO Louth’s International Women’s Day event during Enterprise Week. She goes on to win the Louth Local Enterprise Digitalisation Award, and is named Network Ireland Louth’s Networker of the Year 2026. She now represents Louth at the Network Ireland National Finals in Galway this September.
2025
The Code Lab’s schools coding programme expands into more schools across Louth and Monaghan. In June 2025, Joan presents The Code Lab’s schools coding programme to Minister Jack Chambers and Deputy Erin McGreehan at Creative Spark, Dundalk. Joan wins the Louth Businesswoman of the Year, STEM Professional award, and goes on to win the Judges Recognition Award in the STEM Category at the Network Ireland National Awards. The Code Lab is also accepted onto the WeBuild programme, supporting the development of the business and its technical solution. Joan and The Code Lab are shortlisted as a finalist in two categories at the Business Post Women in STEM Summit & Awards. Joan co-ordinates the DojoMór national coding event for kids in October, and speaks at the SciFest 2025 National Final and joins the Women in STEM live podcast for Science Week. We continued our collaboration with MTU for BCP VEX workshops, and also worked on DojoMór 2025 National Coding Event.
2024
The Code Lab launched a new Logo and website makeover. Hope you like it! The Code Lab launches its schools coding programme, with an all-girls DEIS school as our very first pilot school in April 2024. We have lots planned for 2024, The Code Lab team are going to be very busy building online courses for kids at home and kids in school to code along with. We have a series of coding camps in Co Louth allowing local kids to get hands on with technology. In 2024, we also began our collaboration with MTU to provide VEX workshops to BCP’s (Broadband Connection Points) across the North East, and continued our role in the annual DojoMór National Coding Event.
Schools – watch this space, lots coming down the pipeline in 2024 to make coding more accessible for your school. Get in touch to find out more…
2023
TheCodeLab.ie launches a new suite of online coding courses for kids. Since then, kids all over Ireland are coding along with The Code Lab’s online coding lessons.  Joan took part in ACORNS, an accelerator programme designed to support early-stage female entrepreneurs living in rural Ireland. Learn about Joan’s ACORNS journey. Also in 2023, Joan joins Brendan Courtney on RTE Radio One to discuss the ACORNS Programme and her journey to entrepreneurship. You can listen to Joan’s interview here. Joan is featured in The Argus/Independent Newspaper to promote the upcoming ACORNS programme for 2024. Checkout this full page article. The Code Lab is involved in presenting DojoMór 2023 Online Coding Event for Kids, what a milestone for our Small Irish Business! Joan works alongside the major Technological Universities around the country, offering her experience and expertise to provide tailored workshop video’s to suit a younger audience and inspire the next generation of coders. The Code Lab also delivers two of the DojoMór workshops online.
2021 - 2022
2022: The Code Lab’s portfolio of online courses has grown, and Joan is back in the classroom and back in worshops and camps, as restrictions have eased
2021: The Code Lab ran some pre-recorded online lessons, these were step-by-step video lessons for children to code along with and work at their own pace. These have been a huge success, feedback is fantastic from both children and parents.Â
2020 - Remember This???
2020: Joan’s coding lessons moved Online, running live online coding lessons and courses for kids in lockdown. These online lessons were a huge hit, and offered ch.ldren all over Ireland an outlet during the COVID Pandemic lockdown!
2018 - 2019
2019: Joan added more courses to her portfolio, and moved into the area of coding and electronics using the BBC micro:bit, and Microsoft MakeCode. She ran an electro-fashion workshop for girls using the Micro:bit and Conductive Thread to make light-up high-vis garments. She also delved into the world of robotics with Micro Maqueen and the BBC Micro:bit.
2018: Joan began teaching Scratch coding lessons, first in schools, and then at camps and workshops at weekends and midterm breaks.
2017 – 2019: Joan was a volunteer coding instructor at her local CoderDojo in DKIT for three years mentoring young children in Scratch coding. This formed the foundation for Joan’s extensive knowledge and experience teaching kids coding, and her passion for encouraging more young kids into technology and STEM. Joan returned each year for the annual DKIT DojoMór and again in 2022 to celebrate 10 years of CoderDojo in DKIT with fellow-volunteers.
