The people behind ChessCraft
Meet Tomás and Oisín
Two teachers, one shared belief: every child should get the chance to think, play and grow through chess. We’ve taught over 8,000 of them so far.
Tomás and Oisín
Founded February 2025
Our story
ChessCraft was founded in February 2025 by Tomás Fitzpatrick and Oisín Flynn — two qualified primary school teachers and lifelong chess players who met at Mary Immaculate College in Limerick.
While training as teachers, they founded the MIC Chess Club and went on to represent the college three times at the PCU International Chess Cup in Antwerp. But it was on teaching placement, in real Irish classrooms, that they saw what chess could do for children — the focus, the patience, the quiet confidence that grows move by move — and how few schools had a simple way to bring it in. ChessCraft grew out of that.
Since then, they’ve taught over 8,000 children to play chess and worked with more than 100 schools through live classes, pilots and workshops across the country. In 2026 they launched Chess4Schools Live — believed to be the largest online school chess event in Irish history — now reaching over 1,100 children in classrooms every single week.
Experience and expertise
The credentials behind every session
B.Ed graduates
Graduates of Mary Immaculate College, Limerick.
Founders of the MIC Chess Club
Established the chess club while studying at Mary Immaculate College.
PCU International Chess Cup
Represented Mary I three times at the international competition in Antwerp.
Irish Chess Union tournaments
Competed in recognised chess tournaments across Ireland.
Why we started
Making the benefits of chess accessible to schools
ChessCraft began with a shared belief that chess can give children far more than knowledge of the game. It provides an enjoyable way to practise patience, decision-making, concentration and confidence.
The aim is to make that experience straightforward for schools to introduce, with programmes designed around real classrooms, pupil needs and school timetables.
