Back to School Deals Ireland 2026: Discount Codes & Savings

Author: Sarah O'Riordan
August 9, 2026
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Back-to-school shopping can get expensive very quickly. Between school uniforms, shoes, books, stationery, backpacks, lunchboxes and everything else on the list, the costs soon add up.

Having two school-age children myself, I’ve learned that the best way to save isn’t necessarily to buy the cheapest of everything. It’s to get organised early, reuse what you can, compare prices and take advantage of genuine offers and discount codes when they come up.

Last year, I left a lot of our back-to-school shopping until about two weeks before the kids went back, and it was a mistake! Lots of uniform pieces and popular shoe sizes were already out of stock.

So this year, I’ve been much more organised and have been picking things up as I find good deals.

Here are some of the best back-to-school deals and discount codes in Ireland I’ve found for 2026, along with my favourite ways to keep the cost down.

Offers and prices can change, so always check the retailer’s website before purchasing.

My Top Back-to-School Money-Saving Tips

1. Make a list before you start shopping
Before buying anything, check exactly what your child’s school requires and make a list. It’s very easy to get carried away when the shops are full of back-to-school displays, but buying things you don’t need isn’t a saving — no matter how good the offer looks!

2. Start shopping early
If you see something you know you’ll need at a genuinely good price, consider picking it up rather than waiting until the end of August. Last year I left a lot of our shopping until the final two weeks before school started and found that popular uniform and shoe sizes had already sold out. It’s also worth watching the sales from June onwards.

3. See what you can reuse
Before buying new, go through what you already have. Do the backpacks really need replacing? What about pencil cases, rulers, lunchboxes, water bottles or stationery? Children don’t need a completely new set of everything just because it’s a new school year.

4. Compare prices online
Never assume something is a bargain just because it has a sale sticker. I’ve often spotted an item “on sale” on one website only to find that the sale price is the normal price — or even more expensive — somewhere else.

5. Always check for a discount code
This is one of my golden rules. Before I buy almost anything online, I check whether there’s a discount code available first. Even 10% or 15% off can make a significant difference when you’re buying several school items at once.

6. Don’t buy something just because it’s cheap
Value and cheap aren’t necessarily the same thing. For things children use every day — particularly shoes, backpacks and coats — I look at quality as well as price. Saving €10 now isn’t much of a saving if you have to replace the item halfway through the school year.

Best Back-to-School Deals Ireland 2026

School Uniform Deals

School uniforms can be one of the biggest back-to-school expenses, so this is one category where shopping early can really pay off.

F&F at Tesco

25% off school uniforms with a Tesco Clubcard.

ENDS 9 AUGUST 2026

Lidl

Buy 3, get the cheapest free on selected school uniform pieces — particularly useful if you need several basics.

Dunnes Stores

Even without a specific discount code, I’ve found Dunnes Stores school uniform basics to be very good quality for the price. Worth choosing on quality rather than lowest price for items that get washed constantly all year.

M&S — one to remember for 2027

M&S ran 20% off school uniforms during the last week of June this year, around the time schools were finishing up. If they run a similar promotion in 2027, it could be a great one to get in early for.

School Jackets & Coats

Irish weather means a decent school coat or waterproof is going to get plenty of use. There are currently lots of children’s jackets, coats and waterproofs reduced at Regatta, so it’s worth checking the sale before paying full price elsewhere. A good waterproof coat is also something I’d rather buy once and have last than replace halfway through winter.

Cheap School Stationery

Mr Price is very hard to beat for both range and price. I went there with my children’s school lists recently and managed to tick everything off in one place — pens and pencils, highlighters, mathematical sets, calculators, rulers, glue sticks, copybooks, Irish dictionaries, folders, pencil cases, lunchboxes and bottles. They also stock many of the big stationery brands at very competitive prices.

Tip: bring the actual school stationery list with you. It’s surprisingly easy to throw extra stationery into the basket simply because it’s inexpensive!

School Books Discount Code

If you need to order school books, check Schoolbooks.ie. With a big school book order, even 5% is worth having.

5% off with code:

LOYAL2026

Get the Schoolbooks.ie Code

Name Label Discount Codes

If there’s one thing I’ve learned from having children at school, it’s to label everything! A good set of name labels can end up saving money if it means fewer missing jumpers, coats, lunchboxes and bottles need to be replaced. I use labels on far more than just uniforms — think coats, bottles, lunchboxes, pencil cases and anything else likely to disappear during the school year!

My Nametags

15% OFF

Get the Code

MyStuff (Irish business)

20% OFF

Get the Code

[Note: swap in your affiliate/tracking links for My Nametags and MyStuff before publishing]

Best School Backpack Deals

A school backpack is another area where I think quality over the cheapest possible price can pay off.

StreetSac Backpacks — Home Store + More

Currently half price. Really good quality and should last for years — also useful as travel backpacks outside school term.

JanSport

I bought my daughter’s JanSport backpack this year and got 15% off my first order.

CODE: WELCOME15

JD Sports

It pays to start looking before August — I picked up an Adidas backpack for my son for just €15 in the JD Sports June sale. A perfect example of why I keep an eye on the summer sales for things I know we’ll need for September.

School Shoes & Trainer Deals

School footwear is probably one of the areas where I find it hardest to get a genuinely good deal.

Black School Shoes — Clarks

For proper school shoes, I normally go to Clarks. They’re worn five days a week, so fit and quality matter more to me than simply finding the lowest price.

Life Style Sports

20% off eligible Back to School footwear when spending €50. Popular trainers with older children right now include On Cloud, New Balance and Nike, so the summer sales are worth checking before paying full price for the newest styles. Also worth checking the summer sales at Nike and JD Sports if trainers are allowed for school or PE.

CODE: READY20

Lunchboxes, Cool Bags & Water Bottles

Don’t automatically replace last year’s lunch gear — check whether lunchboxes, cool bags and water bottles are still perfectly usable first. That’s one less expense. If you do need replacements, some of the places I’d compare include Tesco, Amazon.ie, Home Store + More, Dealz and Mr Price.

Sistema 520ml Straw Bottle — Amazon.ie

One particularly good deal I’ve spotted: reduced from €12.58 to €3.79 at the time of writing. Prices on Amazon can change very quickly, so check the current price before ordering.

The Best Time to Buy Back-to-School Supplies

One of the biggest lessons I’ve learned is that back-to-school shopping doesn’t have to happen in August. Keep a running list from June onwards and start watching for:

LATE JUNE — Uniform promotions and summer sales

JULY — Trainers, backpacks, coats and clothing sales

LATE JULY/AUGUST — Dedicated back-to-school promotions

AUGUST — Stationery, lunchboxes and remaining uniform offers

If something your child genuinely needs is reduced to a good price in June or July, buying it then can save both money and the stress of trying to find the right size at the end of August.