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).

The Venue Theatre, Ratoath
Main Street
Ratoath, Meath, A85 VF77
Ireland

Bee Flanagan

Bee Flanagan lives in Ratoath Village with her two - now adult- children and has been a familiar face over many years through her involvement in the local community. As a Community Activist Bee has been part of local events, fundraisers, committees and organisations for over 15 years and has delivered her PALS™️ Programme workshops to local primary, secondary and third-level students since 2013. Bee is an Accredited Master Coach, Teen Coach, Peace Commissioner and Motivational Speaker. In February 2022 Bee launched her own Podcast - TLC WITH BEE a podcast for exam students, their teachers and parents with lots of emotional fitness tips to help with exam preparation. As a professional MC Bee is no stranger to The Venue stage but this is TEDx after all so she is very excited to be part of this inaugural event in Ratoath and to share the stage with the fantastic line up of speakers.

Biola Wyrwas

Biola Wyrwas is a global marketing professional and a passionate writer while raising her two beautiful children with her husband. Biola has a BA in Economics, Politics, and Law, and a MA in International Relations from DCU. She was born in Poland to a Nigerian father and a Polish Mother and emigrated to Ireland in 2003, overcoming significant challenges of Direct Provision, embarking on an eventful journey to full integration, and regaining her sense of belonging. Biola believes “if she can do it, we can all do it!”

Cillian O'Connor

Cillian is the teenager from Donacarney near Mornington, Co Meathwho who won the admiration, as well as the hearts and minds, of Ireland and the United Kingdom during his recent appearances on the hugely popular Britain's Got Talent TV Show with Simon Cowell, among others. He is a pupil at Drogheda Grammar School. Being autistic, when Cillian was first introduced to a magic trick at a young age, he became fascinated. “Someone showed him a simple trick with his thumb and it just blew his mind!” his dad told the Drogheda Independent in 2018, when Cillian was just eight years old.

Claire Walsh

Claire Walsh is bestselling author, national champion freediver, breathwork instructor and tell-it-like-it-is speaker. In 2015 Claire set out on a series of solo travels that would introduce her to the world of freediving; the sport of holding your breath underwater. A hobby she thought would fall away upon her return to Ireland, she soon learned it taught her just as much about life on land as it did underwater. In 2019 she became the first person to represent Ireland in the freediving world championships. In addition to her success as a freediver, Claire is also a certified breathwork instructor. Coupled with a background in theatre, puppetry, voice and singing, Claire has helped countless individuals to achieve greater clarity, focus and wellbeing as well as explore the possibilities and potential of breath in its many creative forms. Claire’s debut, bestselling book Under Water, How holding my breath taught me to live, published in March 2023, is a captivating, honest and emotional account of how holding her breath transformed her life and helped her find freedom. Claire is animated, dynamic and relatable. She inspires by being candid about her achievements; the obstacles she faces, the gauntlet of emotions she runs… and how she finds a way to do it anyway. Claire strives to lift and offer a peek behind the curtain at the many, messy ups and downs it takes to make our ordinary lives extraordinary. Her passion, honesty and expertise make her a truly unique and inspiring figure in the world of freediving, breathwork, and personal growth.

Clare O'Connor

Clare O Connor is the founder of Invictess, an organisation working to build stronger global foundations for female leadership development in STEM and other non-traditional roles. Through leadership development programmes, mentoring, community and networks, Invictess develops modern leadership capability in individuals and organisations.

Elsa Jane Johnson

16 year old Elsa Jane has just completed her 5th year in Ratoath College. She has been in the performing arts since the age of 5 and has played many roles in a number of productions with Stage Performers Ratoath, and most recently played a major role in the Ratoath College Sister Act Musical last November, appearing as Sister Mary Roberts. Elsa has completed her Grade 6 in Musical Theatre and Popular Singing with the Royal Irish Academy of Music.

Enda O'Doherty

Enda O'Doherty is an inspirational speaker,Author and mental health activist. He is an endurance athlete who has completed some of the world's toughest challenges, including Iron Man Sweden and Iron Man UK. He has completed nine marathons in eight days while carrying a washing machine on his back, and has even attempted to climb Mount Kilimanjaro with the same washing machine. His passion is to inspire individuals, teams, and businesses to achieve their full potential by sharing stories of his own physical and mental challenges. Enda's energy, drive, and passion have made him a highly sought-after speaker who can inspire audiences to achieve their goals..

Fiona Buckley

Fiona is a Work Behaviourist, Keynote Speaker, Leadership Facilitator and Executive and Empowerment Coach.

Greg Marks

Greg Marks has been a resident of Ratoath Village, with Sharon and his kids Gillian and Robbie, since 2001 and, in that time, has seen the Village expand, grow and prosper. Originally from a Northside Inter City Dublin Flat Complex , Greg worked hard to become the first qualified accountant to come from the Complex, culminating in him becoming one of the youngest ever Board member of an Eircom Board at the tender age of 29. But he is no ordinary accountant, Greg is also a Stand UpComedian, Playwright, Actor and Poet. While juggling his career as a Finance Director in several different industries over the past 15 years, he has also performed Stand Up Comedy all across Ireland and the UK and has brought his one-man play “Bullied into Stand Up” to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. He is a member of the Dunshaughlin Players Drama Group and has just finished a four-night run as “Frank” in “The Memory of Water” in the Venue Theatre in Ratoath. He has also just finished writing his new play “Commit” which he plans to stage in Smock Alley Theatre before the end of the year. Greg also has a passion for all Sports, in particular, Soccer, Snooker and Pool which he attempts to participate in as often as he can even with his aging knees, limbs and eyesight.

Helena Whitston

Helena originally hails from Dublin, but has lived in Ratoath for over 21 years, almost as long as her time in the big smoke! She lives with her husband Tim, 3 kids, Harry, Noah & Robyn and 4 Scottie Dogs, Radley, Rosie, Ria & Ziggy. An Organisational Psychologist with a lifelong passion for learning, Helena is currently undertaking her Doctorate Degree in Education whilst working full-time as a Learning & Development Manager. Helena's story is one that she feels passionate about and in the words of TedX, it is an "idea worth sharing".

Kevin Hartnett

Kevin is a Ratoath local who has performed on the Venue Theatre stage many times, in musical productions with the Ratoath Musical Society, as well as performing in, writing and directing their very successful pantomime on several occasions. He has a passion for musical theatre and for various other performances. He has been nominated for Best Actor (2017), Best Comedian (2018), Best Male Singer (Winner - 2019 and Best Supporting Actor (2020) at the Annual AIMS Awards, recognising musical theatre in Ireland. In 2021, Kevin was the runner-up in Virgin Media and FOX Entertainment’s new show ‘The Big Deal’, following which he had his solo concert debut concert, ‘The Fifty Shades of Beige’ concert, in the Venue Theatre.

Lhara Mullins

Lhara Mullins is a lecturer in health promoti on at the University of Galway and author of: It takes a village.Navigati ng the journey of parenti ng your auti sti c child. Lhara is a passionate advocate for auti sti c children andtheir families and the proud parent of three auti sti c children herself. Lhara’s research interests vary from ageingand older people, to peer support for parents of auti sti c children. She is acti vely involved in multi ple equality,diversity and inclusion projects both on campus and within the wider community, pertaining to neurodiversityawareness and creati ng truly inclusive environments.

Matt English

Matt English is a native of Co. Wexford in Ireland, He is a Chartered Global Management Accountant by profession, graduating from Waterford Institute of Technology (SETU) and London Business College of Accountancy. In November 2008, Matt was appointed CEO of Special Olympics Ireland, a role which he continues to hold. He has held a range of senior financial positions in several US Multinational Companies, including Comdisco,EDS and Modus Link. Before this, he was MD of Christies Estates, an overseas property investment company and also held the position of CFO of the Digicel Group based in the Caribbean. Matt was Chief Financial Officer for the 2003 Special Olympics World Summer Games in Dublin. These Global Games were held outside the USA for the first time in Ireland. 177 countries participated in the games which were supported by 30,000 volunteers.

Micheline Clancy

This Is Me, as the song says in The Greatest Showman. I am Micheline Clancy, and I was born with the disability Spina Bifida Hydrocephalus. I am a Wheelchair user from Dublin, now living independently in Ratoath. I love being part of this community. It has given me opportunities on so many levels. I see myself with many abilities. I am not my disability, my wheels are just a part of what empowers me to live my life to its fullest potential. The people of Ratoath, see me as a person, encourage me to follow my dreams, and have helped make me the proud person I am today. Becoming a qualified Life Coach has been one of my many achievements. It is my passion in life to support people to live their best life and let their abilities shine because no matter what, nothing is impossible.

Ray Hoare

Ray is a seasoned Human Resources practitioner. His areas of HR expertise include Employee Relations and engagement, Staffing, Performance Management, Change Management and Workplace Wellbeing. His HR career spans multiple industries across North America, Europe, and Asia. He also produces a HR Podcast – The HR Hour which discusses challenging workplace topics with industry leaders and content experts. A native of Dublin, Ireland, Ray lives in Ratoath with his wife and family. He has an honours degree in Business and Human Resource Management as well as a Fellowship with the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development. He is a qualified Mediator and holds a Post Graduate Diploma in Employment Law, He lives in Ratoath, with his wife and family. Ray has spoken at several HR Conferences and is passionate about helping companies to engage with and develop their best assets – their people. Outside of his day job, Ray is involved in many other aspects within his community. He has completed several volunteer assignments with Special Olympics Ireland, he sings with the Ratoath Folk Group and can be seen treading the boards on the stage with the Venue Players drama group

Siobhan Keenan Fitzgerald

Mother of four, Dr. Siobhán Keenan Fitzgerald has been working in the field of education for 32 years. She has taught in Japan, Switzerland, France, Saudi Arabi and most recently, served as Teaching Principal of DCU Changemaker School, Eglish Primary School in Galway, Ireland. 2016 and 2014, Irish National ‘EU Direct’ Soapbox champion, Siobhán has won many awards for public speaking. In February 2020, she spoke at the Roundglass ‘Learning to Live for Holistic Wellbeing’ Learning Festival in Jaisalmer, India on the topic “Speak! No one else can tell your story”. As a Toastmaster, Siobhán progressed to the World Quarter Finals of Public Speaking in 2022. Passionate about helping all young people develop their communication and public speaking skills, Siobhán is the Creator of the ‘LET’s Stand’ Oral Language, Public Speaking Programme for young people (aged 5-18). Siobhán completed her Doctoral Thesis in 2022 with the University of Lincoln, UK, on the topic of ‘Public Speaking in Primary Schools’. Through enabling students to find and use their own voice, Siobhán’s vision is to empower students from all backgrounds to share their stories, become ‘Changemakers’ and the best version of themselves. Siobhán is the recipient of the 2017 IPPN Leadership award.

Siobhan Mungovan

Siobhán was born with spina bifida, and although living with this condition has brought her to some lows, it has also helped her soar to new heights. She knows her limits, but throughout her life, she has tried to break free of the limitations that come with spina bifida at every turn, determined not to let the condition define her as a person. Known as Báns or Shiv to her friends, Siobhán grew up in a small village in the rural and scenic setting of West Clare. Siobhán is a Mind Coach, Hypnotherapist and 2-time Published Author. Me and My Backbone in 2014, and I Smiled Back The Story nobody knows in 2023. Siobhan Believes ‘True Beauty Consists Not In Beautiful Appearance But In Inner Beauty Of Character.’ Natural beauty is an integral trait of one’s nature and temperament. True beauty does not mean only physical appearance; it is also the beauty that lies inside a human being. I help and support women to turn inward and see the true beauty that lies within.

Susann Sullivan

Susann Sullivan from Drogheda, Co Louth Ireland has overcome overwhelming anxiety to become an entrepreneur and CEO of her own company. This a company which she scaled from ideation stage through to nationwide distribution on her own before exiting the company after creating the product for her own 6-stone weight loss journey which saw huge success and recognition in the two years in business. An aspiring author and mental health advocate, having worked volunteering with Pieta House. Her passion lies in empowering others and coaching/ mentoring others to become the best version of themselves.