Kidscreen publisher Jocelyn Christie cuddled lambs in between pitches and panels at Animation Dingle.

I’m just back from attending the 14th edition of Animation Dingle in Dublin, which was blessed with unseasonal sunshine and warm temperatures that put everyone in a good mood for conversation and collaboration (as well as cuddling lambs, listening to Irish folk music in tiny pubs and drinking a whole lot of beer).

This festival is all about creating a bridge between working professionals and the next generation of talent graduating from leading animation schools in Ireland and beyond. The best of these up-and-comers were selected to present their projects at The Big Pitcher, which was a highlight of the event’s first full day. I wasn’t the only one impressed by the six student pitches—the quality of their concept development, and their preparedness and confidence, would give many Cartoon Forum presentations a run for their money. 

And I’m told that the jury panel, consisting of Sarah Muller (BBC Children’s), Suzanne Kelly (RTE), Tyler Martin (ITV), Richard Goldsmith (Blue Ant Media), Kyle Jenkins (Paramount UK & Ireland) and Will Cartwright-Harwood (Netflix), had a hard time singling out just one winner from such a strong field.

But in the end, that honor went to Mighty Knighticorn, created by Caoimhe O’Brien from the Ballyfermot College of Further Education. This 20 x 11-minute concept for six- to nine-year-olds revolves around a horse trying to pass as a unicorn in a small medieval kingdom where the mythical horned beasts are revered as heroes. Jupiter was born with a peculiar birthmark on his forehead, and he attaches a fake horn to it whenever the royals are around. 

The judges selected Mighty Knighticorn, created by Caoimhe O’Brien, as this year’s winner of The Big Pitcher at Animation Dingle. (Image courtesy of Caoimhe O’Brien)

Duped by this masquerade, King Dodo often asks Jupiter to perform tasks that are befitting of his pretended unicorn status, and this always threatens to expose him. Luckily, his friends Rex (a talented wizard) and Arabella (a brawny minotaur) are happy to step in and use their unique talents to help him through these challenges and keep his real identity a secret.

The judging panel loved the design of this 2D-animated pitch and could easily see how its episodes would unfold. As this year’s winner, O’Brien will now embark on a three-month paid internship at JAM Media in Dublin to develop her concept further, before presenting it again at Cartoon Springboard in Madrid toward the end of October.

The Big Pitcher is starting to gain a real reputation as a successful incubator. 2024 winner Michael Berrill Doran’s Ultra Cat & Mega Dog—a preschool series that explores the importance of kindness and emotional intelligence with an unlikely pair of superheroes—has just been picked up by BBC Children’s and only has a small 5% to 10% financing gap left to close. 

And last year’s winner, Mariia Kishchuk from the Vancouver Institute of Media Arts in Canada, has attracted co-pro partner Creative Conspiracy to help get her 52 x 11-minute buddy comedy Fished & Found closer to the starting line at JAM. This series for six to nines stars a couple of aquatic creatures who run a bizarre lost-and-found service under the sea. Its next industry outing will hopefully be Cartoon Forum 2027.

Reflecting on the festival’s 2026 edition, director Maurice Galway said: “As we celebrate 14 years of Animation Dingle, it’s inspiring to see the exceptional talent and creativity on display from Ireland and around the world. This year’s festival again highlights the camaraderie and support of the animation community. We are committed to supporting these young emerging artists as they shape the future of storytelling.”

Featured image: From left, Sarah Muller (BBC Children’s), Will Cartwright-Harwood (Netflix), Suzanne Kelly (RTE), Tyler Martin (ITV), Mighty Knighticorn creator Caoimhe O’Brien, Kyle Jenkins (Paramount UK & Ireland) and Richard Goldsmith (Blue Ant Media) gather on stage after The Big Pitcher at Animation Dingle.