There’s never been a better time to hop on a bike! Bike Week celebrates active travel, sustainable transport, and the simple joy of cycling!
Bike Week 2026 will run from Saturday 9th to Sunday 17th May 2026.
How will your school celebrate?
In partnership with the National Transport Authority, Green-Schools will be marking Bike Week from Saturday 9th to Sunday 17th May, with National COW Day (Cycle on Wednesdays/Weekdays) taking place on Wednesday 13th May.
Benefits of Cycling
Cycling has many benefits for both health and the environment — but most importantly its a fun, efficient way to get to school. More people are choosing to cycle for shorter journeys, and it’s a great way to explore and connect with your local area.
The Green-Schools Travel programme aims to encourage more students to cycle to school regularly .
Bike events will be taking place across Ireland and you can find out what activities are happening in your area by visiting the NTA’s dedicated Bike Week page.
COW Day
COW (Cycle on Wednesday)
Green-Schools would like to invite all schools currently on Travel and Global Citizenship Travel to participate in Bike Week. Schools who have already been awarded the Travel flag are also welcome to participate in the initiative and are invited to enter the competition to see which school has the highest number of students cycling on National COW day. There will also be spot prizes given, so any school that enters can win!
Prizes: €150 Cheque for your school.
If you need a little help, a COW day guide can be downloaded here.
Remember to keep a record of how many students cycled to school on National COW Day, Wednesday 13th May. Simply complete and submit the entry form to ensure that your numbers are included.
Competitions!
For Bike Week 2026, we have two competitions to motivate and reward you!
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Primary
Imagine cycling around the world with a wonderful set of wheels. What would the coolest bicycle look like for you? Does it have wheels that go faster than the speed of light? Does it have a huge umbrella to keep off the typical Irish rain? Or is does it have a crazy design? Whatever it may be, draw your dream bike and share your creation with us as part of Bike Week 2026. Make sure to tell us about it in 20 words or less. You can choose which version of the template suits best, which can be found on the Green-Schools Bike Week 2026 page.
The ‘My Dream Bike’ competition is open to all primary school students residing in the Republic of Ireland. The closing date for this competition is Wednesday 6th May. Entries must be submitted by an adult and may be accepted in Irish or English. Please read the Terms and Conditions before entering.
Download the Primary Art Competition Template (ENGLISH+IRISH) Here
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Secondary
Our actions can cause a powerful chain reaction. What would happen if more people were to ditch the car and cycle instead? We can band together to prove that a greener and more sustainable world is possible. It is our future and we must look after ourselves and the planet.
As part of Bike Week 2026, Green-Schools is looking for entries from secondary schools across the Republic of Ireland for our mixed medium art competition. Submit a photograph of your 2D or 3D piece, created with the theme ‘A Chain Reaction’ / ‘Tionchar an tSlabhra’. Students may use a variety of materials to create their artwork, but we do encourage recycled and biodegradable materials. Tell us about your piece in 20 words or less.
The mixed medium art competition is open to all secondary school students residing in the Republic of Ireland. The closing date for this competition is Wednesday 6th of May. Entries must be submitted by an adult and may be accepted in Irish or English. Please read the Terms and Conditions before entering.
Here are some examples for inspiration!
Closing Date : Wed 6th May 2026
Winners of the Primary and Secondary Art Competitions will be announced during Bike Week. One winner will be chosen per junior primary, senior primary and secondary categories.
Download the Terms & Conditions here
Submit your entries below:
Tell us about it!
Don’t forget to share your photos and news with us on Facebook and Instagram by tagging @greenschools_travel and @TFIupdates using #BikeWeek.