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).

Civic Theatre
Belgard Square
Tallaght
Dublin, Dublin, 24
Ireland

Anna Roe

Yoga & Meditation

Born in Dublin, Anna did all the things she was ‘supposed’ to do to as a child and young adult; School, University, Education Awards, First Class Honours Degree – tick. Shortly after joining the workforce as a radiographer, Anna became aware of a tiny whisper within, telling her to stop, just stop, following the ‘norm’ and delivering on the expectations society had created of young people. Once she began to listen to, and honour this little whisper inside, many realities, perceptions and experiences began to shift. Retrospectively, Anna now recognizes the 4 years that followed this little ‘whisper’ as that in which she began to walk and talk her own head-to-heart journey. This en-heartened journey was nurtured and nourished by much travel, yoga, meditation, observation, and most importantly – heart connection with others. Anna truly believes that the ability and awareness to live, act and experience from the authentic, vulnerable heart space is the key to experiencing joy, happiness.

Bobbie Hickey

Student & Motivational Speaker

Bobbie Hickey - a curious 16 year old girl born blind, but with a big personality. Having had over 150 general anesthetics and in excess of 50 operations, Bobbie has had her fair share of ups and downs. Today, Hickey stands as a 5ft 4inch confident teen, who has a passion for animals, fashion, adrenalin and has a desire to travel and explore the world. Some of Bobbie's achievements include receiving her RIB license, (meaning she may be Ireland's first blind speed boat driver) and taking part in various musicals. Her friends and family know she loves to talk so it was no surprise when Hickey brought home the winning trophy for her previous school's speech competition, and announced she would make an uplifting and motivating speech in front of that same school. Remember, Bobbie is spelt with an IE.

Carol Conway

Freelance Catalyst

Carol is a lifelong Behavioural Scientist with a passionate interest in human dynamics and a fundamental belief in people. Her work revolves around assisting individuals and organisations to achieve more of their potential. On any given day that can included training, facilitation, leadership development or coaching. Carol’s mission in life is to share information so that those she works with can achieve more; personally, professionally and organisationally. Carol also designed and co-ordinates the Young Community Leaders project for the Northside Partnership which has produced almost 100 young leaders in the last four years who are all working to make their community a better place. Since she works almost exclusively within the Voluntary and Community sector, Carol sees the value of her work as being better outcomes for Irish society.

Colin Guilfoyle

Game Developer

The founder of Nebula Interactive Game Studio (nebula.ie) and co-creator of Kesho Town - a Game with Real World Impact. Tired of working in purely commercial organisations Colin set out to found a company and lifestyle that looked at giving back as well as developing great games. An Accountant by qualification, coder by passion, and entrepreneur at heart, Colin has combined these traits to create a company whose games have topped the App store, made international press and entertained thousands. Colin has worked with a number of charities and not for profits from his base in Drogheda and continues to look at the concept of Changing Charity with Contemporary Ideas, moving away from the traditional guilt and pity models to the more engaging self help and making giving fun model.

Eoin Lowry

Agrifood Analyst

As an agrifood analyst, Eoin Lowry has drawn on his commercial experience and extensive travel to provide insights into a rapidly changing global food consumer. Having grown up on a farm, Eoin began his career as an agronomy researcher and quickly got an appetite for international agribusiness. Working in the grain industry as a leading supplier to Diageo spurred his curiosity for quality food production. He honed his leadership skills as the youngest Managing Director in the European fertiliser industry. Eoin has a passion for agriculture and the development of a world class agrifood industry in Ireland. He has written extensively on this topic. As agribusiness editor with the Farmers Journal, he seeks to bring an understanding of a rapidly changing world.

Keren Jackson

Social Entrepreneur

Keren first began withdrawing from society at the age of 12, eventually leaving school at 15. She is now a Social Entrepreneur working around the clock creating social integration among ethnic and sociocultural groups in Dublin. It was her first hand experience of social exclusion and racism abroad that helped her realise her passion; ethnic and socio-cultural integration. Personal experience vividly demonstrated the negative impact social exclusion has on firstly, the level of engagement of young people in society and secondly the development rate of individuals who experience it. Keren realised that something needed to be done to ensure others in Ireland didn’t experience what she had experienced abroad and with almost 1 in 5 residents in Ireland now foreign born she knew the time to act is now. In May 2013 she founded BlueFire, a social enterprise that uses Social and Artistic events as a means to socially integrate the vast array of cultures now a part of Ireland.

Mohini Gadre

Reproductive Justice Campaigner

Mohini Gadre is an American medical student in her 4th year at the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (RCSI). In her 2nd year, she was elected as an International Regional Director of the American Medical Students Association (AMSA) national board. While there, she met many AMSA leaders who shook up her world view and inspired her passion for social justice. She takes particular interest in issues such as sexual assault and access to reproductive care. After graduation, she plans to work as an Ob/gyn or a Paediatrician in the U.S. and actively campaign for reproductive justice.

Peter Maeck

Writer, Photographer & Speaker

Peter Maeck's stage plays and dance scenarios, including for Pilobolus and MOMIX Dance Theatres, have been produced in New York City, Europe, and Africa. Peter served as a U.S. State Department Cultural Specialist in Tanzania and Morocco. He has created sales and management training programs for corporations worldwide. He is also a photographer whose award-winning pictures have been shown in galleries in New York City, Los Angeles, and other American cities, as well as internationally. Peter's previous TEDx Talk, "Remembrance Of Things Present," described his journey with his father while he had Alzheimer's Disease. Peter's TEDxTallaght Talk, "Cradle And All," treats personal and public separations such as through divorce, death, and disillusion, and suggests how we may channel our departed loved ones' creativity to achieve in our own lives Saint Thomas Aquinas's three criteria for beauty: Wholeness, Harmony, and Radiance.

Shourjya Sanyal

Entrepreneurial Scientist

Shourjya Sanyal is an Entrepreneurial Scientist interested in building and commercializing cutting edge human technology. He is one of the youngest fellows of the Lindau Nobel Laureate Students’ alumni meet held in Germany, 2009. Received the prestigious KVPY scholarship in 2007, from Government of India. His research interests are Image processing, Biomedical Engineering, Statistical Physics and Quantum-Classical Simulations. He has worked in several premiere research institutes like Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, Bielefeld University, Germany and Max Plank Institute, Germany. He is currently finishing his Doctoral Thesis at School of Physics, UCD where his work involves designing protein based nano-devices using computational simulations. He co-founded a startup Digital Self Technology Pvt. Ltd., Ireland in 2013-2014 incubated by NDRC where he implemented Image Recognition Technology for Tracking Brands and People on the Internet.

Stephen Dignam

Interior Architect, Digital Designer & 3D Modeller

Stephen is an interior architect, digital designer,and 3d modeller with a background in stage lighting design and production. A few years back he bought a 3D printer for a specific lighting project and ever since, is continuously being amazed, not only with it's capabilities, but, by how it is awakening other peoples creativity that leads them along a path of discovery that they would never have previously envisioned. Similarly, in 2014, he came across a charity in the US, e-NABLE.org, that creates prosthetic hand and arm devices for those in need, using 3D printers just like his. Despite the fact that he has no medical training or any experience in the field of prosthetics, he has been fabricating hands and arms for recipients in Ireland and Europe ever since, joining a now worldwide group of engineers, designers, and makers, who are quietly disrupting this area of the healthcare industry through their altruism.