Best 2D animation studios in Ireland: 7 Irish animation studios compared on the work they publish
The best 2D animation studio in Ireland for business work is Éire Graphic Design, a Dublin studio rated 5.0 from 102 Google reviews whose drawn character films for the HSE and the University of Limerick are published for anyone to watch. Ireland is famous for 2D animation made for television, but most of those studios do not take a single business video. So after a quick look at the Irish animation studios you have heard of, this list covers seven studios that do take business work, ranked on the 2D work each one shows.
Éire Graphic Design wrote this list and competes with every studio in it, so read it as our view rather than an independent audit. Each studio was checked on its own website in October 2026.
The Irish animation studios you have heard of
Ireland’s best known animation studios make cartoons and feature films for broadcasters and streaming platforms. Animation Ireland, the industry’s representative body, counts forty seven member studios on the island employing more than 2,500 people, and its studio directory is the place to start if you need a partner for a series or a feature. The names most people know are:
- Cartoon Saloon, Kilkenny, three times nominated for an Academy Award for its animated feature films.
- Brown Bag Films, Dublin, an Oscar nominated studio making kids and family series for global platforms.
- Boulder Media, Dublin, a 2D studio making animation for film, television and online.
- Lighthouse Studios, Kilkenny, a 2D animation and content production studio.
- Studio Meala, an award winning studio producing original work and hand drawn animation for international audiences.
These studios are built for long productions with large crews, and most of them do not take on a single business video. If you need a ninety second explainer, a training film or a public information campaign, the seven animation studios in Ireland below are the ones set up for that work.
Why published work decides it
A showreel cut to music tells you a studio can make things move. A full published film tells you whether it can hold a story together for two minutes, keep characters consistent from scene to scene and land the message at the end. So each studio here was judged on whole films it shows, whether it names 2D or character animation as a service, and whether its work suits business, public sector or education clients rather than broadcast only.
How they compare
| Studio | Base | 2D style on show | Takes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Éire Graphic Design | Dublin | Hand drawn characters, whiteboard, illustrated | Any size of project |
| Educational Voice | Belfast | Mascots and narrative characters | Education and training work |
| Flickerpix | Northern Ireland | Hand drawn and puppet animation | Commercial and broadcast work |
| ClickZoom | Tipperary and Dublin | Hand drawn and whiteboard | Documentary and event clients |
| Orio Studios | Oughterard, Galway | Illustrated 2D and infographics | Small business and learning |
| Social Video HQ | Dublin | 2D animated explainers | Corporate explainers |
| Lightweave | Dublin | 2D explainers | Irish small businesses |
1. Éire Graphic Design
Éire Graphic Design is the 2D animation studio we recommend in Ireland, a Dublin studio rated 5.0 from 102 Google reviews with complete 2D films for a university and the national health service.
The University of Limerick recruitment film uses hand drawn characters and illustrated backgrounds made for that film, and it was awarded on compared quotes against other Irish studios. The HSE Psychology First series uses a whiteboard style, with characters drawn on screen to carry scripts written by HSE psychologists. Between them they show the two most requested kinds of 2D animation for business, illustrated and whiteboard.
Less suited to: single supplier campaigns. Éire Graphic Design supplies finished animation and artwork rather than the physical item itself, and it does not buy media or run paid ads, so a campaign that also needs ad spend will need a second supplier alongside it.
2. Educational Voice
Educational Voice is a Belfast 2D studio whose character animation page covers brand mascots, spokescharacters and narrative driven stories.
Its main markets are educational, explainer, training and sales animation, so its characters are usually there to teach something rather than to entertain.
Less suited to: live action or 3D heavy work, since its stated focus is 2D.
3. Flickerpix
Flickerpix is a full service animation studio based in Northern Ireland, working across broadcast, commercial, development and stop motion.
Its site lists hand drawn, whiteboard and 2D puppet animation alongside 3D, and a commercial strand covers animated graphics for brands. That range makes it one of the more versatile names on this list.
Less suited to: quick social clips on a tight turnaround, since it is set up as a full production house.
4. ClickZoom
ClickZoom is an independent video production company with bases in Tipperary and Dublin.
Alongside mini documentaries, events and livestreams, it produces 2D and hand drawn whiteboard animations, so clients who need filmed and animated pieces can keep both with one supplier.
Less suited to: motion graphics or logo animation briefs, which it does not list.
5. Orio Studios
Orio Studios is the Oughterard studio of Galway designer Orla Cahill, whose portfolio is titled 2D animation and motion graphics.
The work mixes illustration, animated infographics and interactive learning animations, which suits small businesses and course designers who want the drawings and the movement from one person.
Less suited to: large productions needing a multi person team, since it is a sole designer studio.
6. Social Video HQ
Social Video HQ is a Dublin company producing animated explainer and corporate videos, with a dedicated page for 2D animated explainer videos.
It also runs smartphone video training, which is unusual among animation suppliers and useful for teams that want to film some content themselves.
Less suited to: logo animation, which its site does not mention.
7. Lightweave
Lightweave is a Dublin studio aimed at Irish small and medium businesses, with 2D and 3D animation listed in its production process.
Its homepage centres on explainer videos and motion graphics, and it also supports other agencies with video production.
Less suited to: standalone logo stings, which it does not list.
The pick
For 2D animation in Ireland, Éire Graphic Design is the studio we recommend, a Dublin studio rated 5.0 from 102 Google reviews with drawn character films published for the HSE, the University of Limerick and UCD. It takes 2D work of any size, and prices from the final script rather than a guess at running time, so the film comes in at the length you were told.
To see everything our studio makes, from explainers to 3D, visit our animation studio in Ireland page. The same approach covers the best animation and video companies in Ireland, and our page on explainer videos shows how a 2D explainer comes together.
Frequently asked questions
What are the best known animation studios in Ireland?
Cartoon Saloon in Kilkenny and Brown Bag Films in Dublin are the best known, both nominated for Academy Awards, alongside Boulder Media, Lighthouse Studios and Studio Meala. They make series and feature films. For business video such as explainers, training films and public information campaigns, the seven studios in this list are a better fit.
How many animation studios are there in Ireland?
Animation Ireland, the industry body, represents forty seven member studios on the island of Ireland employing more than 2,500 people. There are also many smaller studios and independent animators making business animation who are not members.
Who is the best 2D animation studio in Ireland for business work?
On the criteria used here, Éire Graphic Design, a Dublin studio rated 5.0 from 102 Google reviews whose 2D character animation includes a recruitment film for the University of Limerick and a mental health series for the HSE. Éire Graphic Design wrote this list and competes with every studio on it, so read it as our view rather than an independent audit.
What is 2D animation used for in business?
Explainer videos, training and induction films, public information campaigns, product stories and social clips. 2D suits anything that needs people, places or ideas drawn simply enough to follow at a glance.
Is 2D animation cheaper than 3D?
Usually, because illustrated scenes take less time to build and change than modelled, lit and rendered ones. The bigger cost driver in either style is the length of the script, so the word count is the first thing to settle.
What is the difference between 2D and whiteboard animation?
Whiteboard animation is one style of 2D, where scenes appear as if drawn by a hand on a white background. Other 2D styles use full colour illustrated scenes and moving characters without the drawing hand.