In the spirit of ideas worth spreading, TEDx is a program of local, self-organized events that bring people together to share a TED-like experience. At a TEDx event, TEDTalks video and live speakers combine to spark deep discussion and connection in a small group. These local, self-organized events are branded TEDx, where x = independently organized TED event. The TED Conference provides general guidance for the TEDx program, but individual TEDx events are self-organized (subject to certain rules and regulations).

Town Hall Theatre Studio
1 Courthouse Square
Galway, Galway, A
Ireland

Aindrias De Staic

Aindrias de Staic is a captivating TV presenter, comic actor, musician, and is well known as one of Irelands most entertaining story-tellers. A modern-day raconteur, he effortlessly fuses his music with spoken word comedy. Much of his work has been influenced by his overcoming adversities. He continues to inspire others with his stories, music and comedy.

Bob Carley

Robert is a trainer and motivational speaker by trade. He's largely involved in Irish Mental Health organisations big and small. He regularly runs wellness workshops with Suicide or Survive, and runs his own organisation The Right Mind. He speaks from personal experience about the value of reaching out to someone who is feeling despondent with the simple phrase - You're lovely, you're lovable, you're loved.

Brenda Romero

Brenda Romero is an award-winning game designer, artist and Fulbright scholar who entered the video game industry in 1981. As a designer, she has contributed to many seminal titles, including the Wizardry and Jagged Alliance series and titles in the Ghost Recon and Dungeons & Dragons franchises. Away from the machine, her analog series of six games, The Mechanic is the Message, has drawn national and international acclaim, particularly Train and Síochán Leat (The Irish Game) which is presently housed in the National Museum of Play. In 2015, she won the coveted Ambassador’s Award at the Game Developers Choice Awards. In 2014, she received a Fulbright award to study Ireland’s game industry, academic and government policies. In 2013, she was named one of the top 10 game developers by Gamasutra.com and Develop magazine listed her among the 25 people who changed games in 2013. Romero co-owns Romero Games based in Galway.

Evan Keane

Evan Keane is an award winning Irish astrophysicist. Keane is best known for his discoveries of mysterious explosions in space, and his studies of neutron stars and black holes. He is currently designing the Square Kilometre Array, the biggest telescope in the world. His work has taken him to every corner of the globe, and given him a unique perspective on why and how to explore the unknown frontiers of the Universe

Ivan Fahy

Ivan Fahy is a gender expressive model from Galway, Ireland. He goes against convention and expectation to be himself. He has a BA (Hons) degree in Psychology and Sociology & Politics from the National University of Ireland, Galway. Ivan is a gender and sexuality activist and educator, regularly giving talks and workshops in schools and universities. Ivan and his story rose to prominence after he wore high heels to his graduation. Ivan's modelling and activism work can be seen at http://facebook.com/IvanFahy and his Twitter is @IvanFahy

Mary McGill

Mary McGill is a Hardiman Scholar at NUI Galway. Her PhD research explores young women’s relationship to the selfie phenomenon. She lectures in feminist and gender theory at the Centre for Global Women’s Studies. Outside of academia, Mary is a freelance journalist with a focus on social justice, gender issues, and the arts. She is also an award-winning broadcaster and writer, regularly contributing to a wide range of Irish media including RTÉ Radio One’s Arena, Irish Tatler and TV3’s Midday.

Norah Casey

Broadcaster and publishing entrepreneur Norah Casey was formerly a Dragon in the popular television series Dragons’ den and is a well-known radio and television personality. Her documentary exploring issues around death and the Irish titled Way to Go was aired on RTE 1 in July 2014. She is owner and Chairwoman of Harmonia, Ireland's largest magazine publishing company, printing over four million magazines annually for the Irish, British and USA market and selling on average 2.6 million in the Irish market annually. She decided to leave Dragons’ Den the successful business entrepreneur show in 2013 to pursue a full time career in radio and television. Having run many successful publishing companies in London, Norah bought her own business, Harmonia, in 2004 with a strong portfolio of brands and events. A journalist and former nurse, Norah has been Ireland’s Publisher of the Year no fewer than four times.

Pat Divilly

Pat Divilly is an Irish author, speaker and fitness expert whose client base has grown from 5 clients locally to 5000 clients nationally in just three years. Pat prides himself on building powerful communities, instilling belief and promoting authenticity. His groups have raised over €250,000 for local charities in the last 12 months.

Pat Falvey

Pat Falvey is a world renowned Explorer - Author - Filmmaker and Strategist. His stories of survival against the odds in business and his adventurous life, have inspired tens of thousands of people to follow their dreams. Pat has completed over 90 expeditions around the world. He has lived and worked with 30 tribes of people; exploring what it is that has driven man since the evolution of our species to dream, to challenge and to be ‘the best that they can be’. Pat is the first person in the world to climb ‘The Seven Summits’ - the seven highest mountains on the world’s seven continents - TWICE - including Mt Everest from Nepal and Tibet. This iconic adventurer has experienced the hunger for success, the yearning for more, the disappointment of failure and the satisfaction of achievement. He has also suffered great costs personally to himself and to his family in a ‘rags to riches’ story that has finally led to a contented, balanced life.

Siobhan Keenan Fitzgerald

Siobhán Keenan Fitzgerald (M.Ed) is Teaching Principal of Eglish Primary School in east Galway, Ireland. With 23 years teaching experience, she spent 8 of those years teaching in Japan, Switzerland, France and Saudi Arabia. She is the creator of the ‘LET’s Stand’ Oral Language Communication and Presentation Programme for children (aged 5-15), Mother of 4 young children, Siobhán is also an Associate with the SESS (Special Education Support Service). Passionate about helping all children develop their communication and public speaking skills, Siobhán is the 2014 EU Direct, Irish National Soapbox Champion.

Sunny Jacobs

Sonia 'Sunny' Jacobs (64) was sentenced to death at the age of 28 for the murder of two police officers in Florida. When she was imprisoned, her two young children were cast into the foster care system. Nearly 17 years after her arrest, Sunny’s conviction was overturned on appeal. Her story, along with those of five other wrongfully convicted death row inmates, became The Exonerated, a play put on by the nonprofit theater, The Culture Project. Sunny is the author of Stolen Time: One Woman’s Inspiring Story as an Innocent Condemned to Death.