The Main Forum

The Dargan Forum Main Event brings together over 150 practitioners, policymakers, and business leaders for three plenary sessions on technology driving sustainability, resilience, and prosperity across Ireland's regions. Headline speaker Annalise Murphy — Head of Operations, SportsKey and Triple Olympian — joins a programme featuring voices from government, enterprise, healthcare, clean energy, and regional development. Hosted by Eoin Costello, CEO, Dargan Institute.
The Dargan Forum Main Event takes place on 25th June in the Carlisle Room of the Royal Marine Hotel, bringing together speakers from government, business, health, transport, and renewable energy to explore how technology is driving Ireland's twin green and digital transition.

Official Opening
Cathaoirleach Barry Saul — An Cathaoirleach, DLR County Council
Eoin Costello (Host) — CEO, Dargan Institute

Headline Speaker
Annalise Murphy — Head of Operations, SportsKey | Triple Olympian

Session 1 — Sustainability: Driving the Future of Irish Economic Development
This opening session explores how technology is actively empowering Ireland's economic development and the future of work — from green finance and digital infrastructure to regional enterprise policy.

Speakers
Frank Curran — Chief Executive, DLR County Council
June Butler — Director, Bank of Ireland
David Curtin — CEO, .ie
Louise Glennon — Head of Public Affairs and Community, Tesco Ireland
Horacio González-Vélez — General Project Coordinator, GreenShift

Headline Speaker
Lorraine Heskin — Owner, EY

Session 2 — Resilience: Engineering the Future-Proof Region
This session explores how technology is being harnessed to build systemic resilience across our built environment, healthcare systems, and industrial sectors.

Speakers
Professor Martin Curley — Professor of Innovation, Maynooth University
James Phelan — Director of Infrastructure & Climate Change, DLR County Council
Maurice Murphy — Executive Director, Amgen
Vanessa O'Connell — Project Director, RWE Dublin Array

Session 3 — Prosperity: Powering the Next Wave of Innovation
This final session explores how green and digital strategies translate into tangible economic growth and regional wealth — from offshore wind to AI-enabled public services.

Speakers
Paul Kennedy — Director, DLR County Council
Robert Burns — Chief Executive, Dublin Array (RWE)
Theresa Cloonan — Head of Information Systems, DLR County Council

Dargan Forum 2026 in association with DLR County Council. The Forum takes place at the Royal Marine Hotel on the 24th and 25th of June and is supported by Bank of Ireland · Connected Hubs - .ie · RWE Dublin Array · Iarnród Éireann Irish Rail · Dún Laoghaire Business Association · Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Chamber of Commerce · Whelehan Wines
Ideal for: Business leaders, local authority officers, entrepreneurs, innovation managers, healthcare and transport professionals, renewable energy developers, and anyone interested in how technology is driving sustainable regional development across Ireland.
Sponsors: Dargan Forum 2026 in association with DLR County Council. The Forum takes place at the Royal Marine on the 24th and 25th of June and is supported by Bank of Ireland · Connected Hubs - .ie · RWE Dublin Array · Iarnód Éireann Irish Rail · Dún Laoghaire Business Association · Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Chamber of Commerce · Whelehan Wines
About this Event

Accelerate your impact on the Green and Digital Transition. The Dargan Forum brings together the key stakeholders from local authorities, state agencies, and the private sector needed to turn high-level goals into on-the-ground reality—empowering Small Businesses, Social Enterprises, and communities to harness technology for sustainable growth and future-proofed local services.

Moving beyond theory, our annual Forum prioritises expert insights and practical case studies proven to drive the twin transition, ensuring these vital sectors remain the economic backbone of our localities.