posted Aug 30, 2010 7:11 AM by Steve Daley
After its unmissable debut in Westport, the next Ignite kicks off at 8pm on Friday 10 September at Galway's newest community space 091 Labs (beside the Radisson Blu Hotel). Ignite is the social event in the West's calendar for the crowd who want to shoot the breeze about locally-inspired ideas over a beer in the hackerspace's warehouse ambience. 091 Labs will be renovated for one night only to include a relaxing beanbag lounge and other fantastic surprises.
The range of speakers at the first Ignite The West gig is guaranteed to fire your imagination. Here's just a few of our intrepid speakers confirmed for the opening night:
Naoise Nunn, organiser of Leviathan – Ireland's successful political cabaret event – and his new thinkfest, Mindfield, will be exposing all. Returned emigré Ina O'Murchu will be weaving together a barmy mix of campness and fashion. Gavin Duffy will be modelling Galway's curves in beautiful 3D Jack Kinsella will be breaking news from the streets of Bolivia. Mark Conguista from Cisco's R&D labs will be showing the West why some say he's the Tommy Tiernan of stand-up brain blasting. Acting trainer, Sarah O'Toole, will be unveiling some dirty secrets from behind the scenes. NUIG's Maria Gallo will be explaining why graduates should not sever ties with the alumni. Fellow NUIG scholar Michael Hogan will be exploring his spiritual journey into the science of systems.
Ignite the West is for anyone who wants to laugh, talk and be inspired. Whether you want to start your own business, discover local iconoclasts, have a wild and wonderful sense of curiosity, or simply fancy a stimulating Friday night out; these talks are designed for you. Come along and enjoy the buzz! Admission is a nominal €5 - and the enlightenment is free! |
posted Aug 20, 2010 6:01 AM by Steve Daley
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updated Aug 20, 2010 6:44 AM
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Are you coming to Ignite The West at 091Labs in Galway on Friday 10 September? Well, for those of you who have the gem of an idea and want to or are busy working on a new business idea, you should not miss BizCamp which is taking place at NUIG on the following day, Saturday 11 September.
What is BizCamp?
BizCamp is an opportunity for entrepreneurs and innovators to come together, share experiences, and possibly create new value out of the day. It’ll be a chance to meet up with people who’ve been there, done that and bought the t-shirt – members of the business community, VCs and investors, and representatives from the relevant state agencies.
BizCamp aims to embrace as much of the Irish business community as possible. We want to see people from all areas – finance, operations, HR, legal, delivery specialists, R&D, marketing and technology. Ireland Inc. has a wealth of knowledge and acumen, more than enough to help us out of these troubled times. By attending (and more importantly contributing!) you can help make BizCamp a new good news story coming out of the recession.
How is BizCamp different from IgniteTheWest?
Ignite is designed to be a blend of innovation and irreverence for those who crave a night fuelled by shots of intellectual liquor and iconoclastic technology, design and business ideas. BizCamp is aimed squarely at gathering like-minded entrepeneurs and pioneering startups who wish to share insights for commercial success.
Register for BizCamp here |
posted Aug 5, 2010 4:08 AM by Steve Daley
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updated Aug 5, 2010 4:46 AM
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Put your sandals on and put away the suntan cream, IgniteTheWest is coming to Galway to add a new twist to the early nights after the Summer break.
I am delighted to announce that 091Labs, Galway's new collaborative community space, will be the venue for the next IgniteTheWest night on Friday 10 September. The venue and date have been especially chosen to create a fun night on the eve of Galway , a free conference/ gathering for entrepeneurs which is happening at NUIG on Saturday 11 September 2010.
IgniteTheWest will be an opportunity for BizCamp attendees, 091Labs members and Galway-based geeks to share exciting ideas and quirky stories with a hometown crowd. We are currently looking for sponsors, so please get in touch if your business wishes to be associated with social networking for new thinking.
IgniteTheWest needs YOU!
If you have a quirky idea or a fascinating story that you wish to share with the Tribes of Galway, please fill in the brief form here and we'll be back in touch with you. *NO SALES PITCHES*
It will take place on Friday 10 September at 091Labs Exchange House on Fairgreen Road (between Galway bus/rail station and Galway Radisson Hotel) NB Start time to be confirmed closer to date.
091 Labs is a shared physical space for any and all creative projects: art, woodwork, software, photography and electronics – to name but a few. Its aim is to provide Galway with a place for people to work and collaborate on creative projects, to learn and to share their knowledge.
That’s pretty much it.
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posted May 4, 2010 5:18 AM by Steve Daley
MAyo News: TUESDAY, 04 MAY 2010 10:09
In the seanchaí tradition, tales were never written down. They were passed on by word of mouth by a seanchaí through storytelling conventions peculiar to the Irish folk tradition, fusing all the imaginative skills and lyrical power to keep the audience engaged. For the seanchaí, storytelling was a business. He used his skills to earn his living.
A new series of talks called Ignite the West is promising to reimagine the old seanchaí ways while helping entrepreneurs based in the west to showcase their ideas. The first session kicks off at 8pm on Friday, May 7, at the The Mill Times Hotel in Westport. Admission is a recession-busting €5.
The ‘Ignite’ formula has spread like wildfire across over 200 cities across the world. Ignite the West promoters Steve Daley and Dermot McCabe explain that attendees can expect a cabaret event that ‘harnesses the imagination and champions new business opportunities, inspiring lessons and ambitious social projects – as well as some hilarious gibberish to make everyone laugh – at breakneck speed’. They are hoping that it becomes the social event in the West’s calendar for anyone who wants to share new ideas over a beer.
Ignite’s motto is ‘Enlighten us, but make it quick’. Accordingly, each of the speakers have just five minutes to get their idea across – using 20 slides that revolve every 15 seconds on the screen. There’s no time for waffle.
The range of speakers at the first Ignite The West gig is guaranteed to fire the imagination. Brave speakers lined up for the opening night include Saw Doctors ex-drummer Johnny Donnelly, who will fly through his experience of managing the entertainment and celebrations laid on in Galway to mark the Volvo Ocean Race stopover in 2009.
Padraig McKeown, who is steering the national ideas competition Your Country Your Call, will be explaining what makes a PR man tick, as will inimitable brand guru Mark Conguista, Head of Interactive at Irish International BBDO and Proximity in Dublin. Web technologist Alastair McDermott - a native of Newport - will be enlightening the audience about his own journey from programming geek to Internet entrepeneur.
Mayo woman Clare Carroll will be sharing her vision for oddjobgiant, a new website that helps you find local tradesmen for odd-jobs at home and in the office. Furniture designers Alan Flannery and Colin Gannon will showcase ideas behind their new start-up Groove Furniture. Then Travis Zeray, founder of ClewBayOutdoors.ie, will whizz through his vision for outdoor tourism in Mayo.
Achill artist and surfer Shane Cannon, will talk about the zen of creativity, before local optician Clodagh McGovern makes a spectacle of herself. Other Mayo speakers will include Fintan Conlan (One Man and His Van), smart-energy pioneer Colm Rochford of Powersavvy, and author and weight-loss guru Fiona Hoban.
Justin Knecht, a self-described design evangelist and entrepreneur, born in the US but brewed in Ireland since 2006, is based at the Centre for Design Innovation in Sligo. He will be revealing how good design can help you find the perfect pint. Other confirmed speakers from the North West include creativity trainer, Heather James; serial entrepreneur and social media trainer, Johnny Beirne of downloadmusic.ie; and telecoms and broadband evangelist, David Mullins.
For anyone interested in a searingly stimulating night out populated by upbeat people who see the current economic predicament as an opportunity rather than a disincentive, Ignite the West sounds like just the ticket.
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posted May 4, 2010 4:17 AM by Steve Daley
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updated May 4, 2010 4:25 AM
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Johnny DonnellyRita Mylett
Clodagh McGovern
David Mullins
Clare Carroll
Alan Flannery and Colin Cannon
Fiona Hoban
John Mulloy
Padraig McKeon
Fintan Conlon
Justin Knecht
Shane Cannon
Hilda Carroll
Mark Congiusta
Alastair McDermott
Heather James
Fiona Keane
Travis Zeray
Colm Rochford
Fin Keegan
Ciaran Duignan
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posted Apr 29, 2010 7:27 AM by Steve Daley
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updated Apr 29, 2010 7:34 AM
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posted Apr 24, 2010 7:35 AM by Steve Daley
1. It's a Rollercoaster of Imagination, Inspiration and Irreverence With each talk being just 5 minutes, you won't have time to get bored. Our presenters range the gamut from an entrepeneurial surfer on Achill Island to a pint-sized design evangelist from the Northwest and an advertising guru from a Dublin brand agency. Rapid fire talks will only pause to allow you to refill your pint and put your thinking caps on. 2. It's For Everyone!
Unlike most networking events and innovation showcases, Ignite The West is specially designed to appeal to the broadest audience. Our presenters, organizers, and sponsors have all donated their time and effort to bring you an exciting event that is open to anyone who is interested in sharing new ideas. We have limited seating, so register online for your ticket today.
3. No Keynote Speakers
Instead of putting just a few VIP guests up on a pedestal for a keynote speech or panel, we give each of our speakers, from all walks of life, five minutes to enlighten you. All of our speakers at Ignite The West are created equal: they are each allotted the same amount of time and play by the same set of rules.
4. Whaffle-free Talks that are Easy on the Eye
To add to the excitement, Ignite presenters are only allowed to use 20 slides. The catch is that each slide auto-advances after 15 seconds, regardless of whether or not the presenter is ready or not. The Ignite format provides an intense atmosphere and forces presenters to stay on topic and get their points across quickly and succinctly (or be left behind by their own slides).
5. Fresh, Fresh Ideas
We're constantly barraged with analysis from the media, public bodies and incumbent businessmen - but the "Authoritative Opinions" get old quickly. Our speakers are not the usual talking heads you'll hear on TV and radio, but are drawn from our own ranks to talk about real ideas and passions that can change our lives.
The concept behind Ignite The West is to expose the Western region to out of the box thinkers with disruptive ideas. Change is in the air in the Irish economy and Ignite The West is the best place to catch that new headwind. |
posted Apr 22, 2010 4:49 AM by Steve Daley
Well, it's been busy here. So I just thought I'd post a few details on some of the speakers we will have lined up for the opening night of Ignite The West:
All the way from Dublin, the man steering the national ideas competition Your Country Your Call – PR man Padraig Mc Keown of Drury Communications – will share his personal story; as will brand guru Mark Conguista, Head of Interactive at Irish International BBDO and Proximity in Dublin.
Mayowoman Clare Carroll will be sharing her vision for oddjobgiant, a new website to easily find local tradesmen for odd-jobs at home and in the office. Furniture designers Alan Flannery and Colin Gannon - who don’t take either the world or themselves too seriously - will showcase ideas behind their new start-up Groove Furniture. Then Travis Zeray, founder of Clew Bay Outdoors, will whizz through his vision of the new opportunities for outdoor tourism in Mayo. |
posted Mar 28, 2010 3:54 AM by Steve Daley
Ignite The West is delighted to announce the following will share an idea @IgniteTheWest on May 7
Justin Knecht - perfectpints.com (@verticalbones) Padraig McKeown - YourCountryYourCall (@PadraigMcKeon) Julian Ellison - InTime Media Travis Zeray - Clew Bay Bike Hire Heather James (@hjames) |
posted Mar 25, 2010 3:58 PM by Steve Daley
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updated Mar 25, 2010 4:32 PM
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Westport optimists, Steve Daley and Dermot McCabe, sense the rise of a "can do" attitude across the country. Rejecting the fatalism of the recession, we are proud to announce a new regular event in the West to inspire ambition and innovation starting Friday 7 May 2010. IgniteTheWest #1 will take place at the Mill Times Hotel at 8pm on Friday 7 May 2010.
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