TEDx Carlow College

Carlow College will host Carlow’s first-ever TEDx event on Wednesday, 25 February, taking place at the GB Shaw Theatre in VISUAL. Under the theme “Rewriting the Narrative”, TEDxCarlow College will feature fourteen inspiring speakers, each bringing bold ideas and fresh perspectives to the stage.

Across the day, audiences will hear insights spanning psychology, cultural heritage, poetry and literature, biodiversity and sustainable agriculture, consciousness and science, career pathways, and the growing influence—and value—of Irish identity in digital culture.

This landmark event represents a major cultural moment for Carlow, highlighting local voices alongside nationally recognised speakers who are challenging assumptions, reframing stories, and sparking meaningful conversations.

Event Details

Date: Wednesday, 25th February

Time: 9.30am – 1.30pm

Location: GB Shaw Theatre, VISUAL Carlow

List of Talks:

Killian Mc Grath – Consciousness: Have We Been Asking the Wrong Question?
Dr Dylan Colbert – Shackleton at 150: Polar Psychologist
Aoden Ó Faoláin – Everything is terrible and it’s only going to get worse: A forecast from the IT department.
Dr Judy Bolger – Breastfeeding has always been a social issue – a historical view
Dr Derek Coyle – No Wandering Lonely: Journeying Toward Poetry with Others’
Dr James Heaney – W.B. Yeats and the Pursuit of Ignorance
Allison Stephens – What’s missing from science? The rest of us
Adam Clarke – Influencers and the Irish Identity
Donnchadh O Mahony – Most students don’t lack ambition, they lack permission.
Regina Dunne – TBC
Alibhe Gerrard – TBC

About the Speakers

Dr Judy Bolger

Dr Judy Bolger is Writing Development Tutor and a lecturer in Academic & Digital Skills and Irish History at Carlow College, St Patrick’s. She also works as an Educational Technologist, supporting staff and students in making the most of digital tools and learning approaches across the College. Judy completed her PhD in History at Trinity College Dublin, where she examined motherhood and institutional life in nineteenth- and early twentieth‑century Ireland. Her earlier M.Phil. and B.A. work focused on nineteenth‑century Irish social history, including topics such as breastfeeding and reproductive insanity.

Adam Clarke

Pending

Dr Dylan Colbert

Dylan is an experimental psychologist whose research at Maynooth University challenged long-held beliefs about intelligence, showing that cognitive performance can be improved through targeted training. His work has attracted wide interest and led to speaking engagements across Ireland and Europe.

He has over ten years of lecturing experience in Psychology and Data Analysis at Maynooth University, Dublin Business School, and Carlow College.

Beyond academia, Dylan runs a successful performance and sports psychology practice, supporting clients from students and musicians to CEOs and Olympic‑calibre athletes.

Dr Derek Coyle

Dr Derek Coyle is a poet and academic whose work has appeared widely across Ireland, Britain and the United States. A former Poetry Ireland ‘Introductions’ poet and multiple-time finalist for both the Patrick Kavanagh Award and the Bradshaw Prize, he has read his work in venues from Ireland and Scotland to Sweden and the U.S. Derek’s research focuses on Irish and international poetry, especially questions of place and the intersections of poetry, theology and philosophy. His publications include numerous journal poems, essays, and two poetry collections, including Reading John Ashbery at Costa Coffee, Carlow, which was shortlisted for the Shine Strong Award. He holds degrees from the Pontifical University, Maynooth, Maynooth University, and a PhD from the University of Glasgow.

Regina Dunne

Regina Dunne is a public historian and heritage specialist from County Laois whose work focuses on local history, women’s history, genealogy and digital engagement with the past. A graduate of Carlow College’s BA (Hons) in English & History and its MA in Irish Regional History, she has built a career connecting communities with their heritage through research, storytelling and public history projects. Regina is the author of Opening a Window on the Past, exploring the lives of pioneering Laois women.

Patryk Hadrys

Patryk Hadrys is a post-primary English and History teacher. Patryk completed his PME in Trinity College Dublin, where he specialised in analysing how English as an Additional Language education is structured in post-primary schools in Ireland. He completed his BA English & History in Carlow College, St. Patrick’s, for which he received the Constance Markievicz 2022 Award. His thesis examined the life of young insurgents in Poland during World War II.

Dr James Heaney

Dr James Heaney is a lecturer in English and Irish Studies at Carlow College, St Patrick’s, where he has taught since 2003. He specialises in European and world drama, modern Irish writing, and creative writing. His research focuses on the Irish Revival, modern Irish women’s writing, and comparative literary studies between Ireland and Spain. James has published widely on figures such as Mary Lavin, Kate O’Brien, W.B. Yeats, Antonio Machado and Rafael Alberti, and is completing a book on republicanism in early twentieth‑century Irish and Spanish literature. Alongside his academic work, he is also an award‑winning short story writer and playwright, with fiction recognised by the Fish Prize and work staged at the Project Arts Centre.

Killian McGrath

Killian McGrath is a philosopher and lecturer whose work spans political philosophy, metaphysics and the role of philosophy in understanding the human condition. Currently teaching at Ludwig‑Maximilians‑Universität München, he also lectures in Political Philosophy at Carlow College, St Patrick’s. Killian holds advanced degrees in philosophy and music, and his academic career includes research fellowships and public lectures exploring philosophy’s place in contemporary life.

Aoden O'Fáolain

Pending

Donnchadh O'Mahony

Donnchadh O’Mahony is a guidance counsellor, educator and media contributor best known as the host of the hugely popular Leaving Cert Guidance podcast. A Carlow College graduate, he has worked in education since 2008 and is a regular voice in national media, contributing to outlets such as The Irish Independent, The Irish Times, RTÉ Radio 1, RTÉ 2FM and Today FM. Donnchadh is also the founder of FindMyCollegeCourse.ie, an EdTech platform designed to help students navigate college choices with clarity and confidence. An experienced speaker, he delivers talks nationwide on the CAO, progression routes and student wellbeing, and has become a leading figure in supporting students and families through the transition to third‑level education.

Alison Stephens

Allison Stephens is a healthcare strategy and policy expert with a strong track record in health equity, behavioral science, population health, and implementation science. She has held leadership and academic roles at Tufts University School of Medicine and Tufts Medical Center, where she advanced initiatives integrating child development and behavioral science into community and clinical systems. Allison has also led value‑based care strategy for underserved populations at DaVita Integrated Care and managed national health programs at UnitedHealth Networks focused on improving care delivery and reducing costs. A former elected member of the Nevada System of Higher Education Board of Regents, she helped shape statewide higher‑education policy through her committee leadership. Allison holds a PhD in Biomedical Informatics, along with graduate training in health promotion and healthcare administration, and is currently pursuing a Master’s in Industrial & Systems Engineering.