‘EUGEO’ 2019 led by Professor Frances Fahy and Dr. Kathy Reilly, hosted at the University of Galway, picks up Sustainability Award
Two honours for Galway at Fáilte Ireland Conference Ambassador Recognition Awards
Professor Peter McHugh, University of Galway, named Conference Ambassador of the Year for his role in organising ‘11th European Solid Mechanics Conference, 2022’, worth €1.8 million to local economy;
‘EUGEO 2019 (Association of Geography Societies in Europe)' led by Professor Frances Fahy and Dr. Kathy Reilly, hosted at the University of Galway, picks up Sustainability Award;
University of Galway's Professor Peter McHugh picked up the ‘Conference Ambassador of the Year’ honour at Fáilte Ireland's Conference Ambassador Recognition Awards for his exceptional efforts in going above and beyond in his role as a Conference Ambassador, bringing the 11th European Solid Mechanics Conference to Galway in 2022.
Professor McHugh has been bringing groups of researchers in his field of engineering together in Galway for 20 years but in 2022 brought over 1,000 delegates from over 40 countries to Galway for a five-day conference which contributed over €1.8 million to the Irish economy.
There was further success for the University of Galway with the ‘Sustainability’ award going to the ‘EUGEO 2019 (Association of Geography Societies in Europe)’, which took place in the university in 2019, exemplifying its commitment to environmental responsibility. Prof. Frances Fahy and Dr. Kathy Reilly, from the College of Geography and Archaeology at the University of Galway, were responsible for bidding for, and winning the conference for Ireland.
Galway was Europe’s Capital of Culture in 2020 and is famed for its cultural and arts festivals. More recently its academic core is recognised as a global hub for the Creativity and MedTech sectors and R&D. During 2018 – 2022 it was also home to association conferences across several sectors including Medical Technologies & Science, Engineering, Media and Geography. Sixteen Galway ambassadors were recognised at the event with these individuals delivering fourteen association conferences and events, welcoming over 5,400 delegates, and collectively contributing over €10.2m to the Irish economy.
The Galway Ambassadors recognised include:
Helen Boles, Our Ocean Wealth Summit, 2018
Lís Ní Dhálaigh, 38th Annual Conference of CIRCOM Regional 2022, Supported by Go West
Lucy Medlycott, FRESH STREET#3, 2019
Niall Ó Brolcháin, 11th International Conference on Theory and Practice of Electronic Governance, 2018
Professor Frances Fahy and Dr Kathy Reilly, 7th EUGEO Congress of the Geography of Europe, 2019
Professor Gerry Molloy & Professor Molly Byrne, 32nd European Health Psychology Society Conference, 2018
Professor Peter McHugh, 11th European Solid Mechanics Conference 2022
Daniel Collins, 7th International Conference on Mycobacterium Bovis, 2022
Professor David Finn, 32nd Annual International Cannabinoid Research Society's Symposium on the Cannabinoids, 2022
Dr. Gerhard Schlosser, 7th Meeting of the European Evolutionary Developmental Biology Society, 2018
Professor Sean Ryder, 1st Annual EADH Conference: “Data in Digital Humanities“, 2018
Dr. Rachel Quinlan, The 24th Conference of the International Linear Algebra Society, 2022
Professor Dimitrios Zeugolis, 26th European Orthopaedic Research Society Meeting, 2018
Carmen Taheny, 16th Congress of Business and Professional Women Europe, 2019
In total, Fáilte Ireland celebrated the outstanding contributions of 104 conference ambassadors, including renowned academics and industry leaders, at an award ceremony at the Intercontinental Hotel in Dublin.
The ambassadors were acknowledged for their expertise, industry knowledge and unwavering commitment to successfully hosting an international conference in Ireland between 2018 and 2022. Collectively these conferences have contributed €125 million to the Irish economy and have made a positive impact on our nation.
Fáilte Ireland’s Conference Ambassador Programme was developed to support individuals who want to host an international conference in Ireland. The programme provides assistance and financial support at every stage of the event, from the initial bidding, through to the marketing and promotion of the event. Ambassadors are sector leaders or influencers in their field and since the programme was established in 2009, Fáilte Ireland has supported almost 3,000 ambassadors in their bids to host conferences and events worth more than €2 billion.
The ‘Social Impact & Legacy’ award was conferred on the ‘WONCA World Rural Health Conference 2022,’ led by Professor Liam Glynn and which took place at the University of Limerick.
The award ceremony, which was attended by potential and established ambassadors, government officials, and trade stakeholders, also recognised “Regional Champions” for their exceptional dedication to promoting their regions for international conferences.
Chief Executive of Fáilte Ireland Paul Kelly said:
“The Conference Ambassador Recognition Awards showcase the wide range of talent and commitment of our network of conference ambassadors. Their expertise, industry knowledge and unwavering commitment to successfully hosting international conferences in Ireland is nothing short of exceptional. They have created value that extends way beyond the realm of tourism and have exemplified what it truly means to be a conference ambassador. At Fáilte Ireland, we are always looking to recruit new conference ambassadors to help bring future business to Ireland. I hope that those at different stages of their ambassador journey are inspired and motivated by the talented ambassadors recognised at the awards and by hearing their stories of success.”
Niamh Stack of the Galway Convention Bureau said:
“It was wonderful to see so many Galway Ambassadors recognised as part of Fáilte Ireland’s Conference Ambassador Recognition Awards. We are very proud to have two of the overall winners hail from the region. The Ambassador of the Year, awarded to Professor Peter McHugh who led the bid to bring the ‘11th European Solid Mechanics Conference’ to Galway in July 2022. This was the largest International Conference to be held on the University of Galway campus, bringing together over 1,200 delegates to Galway for a 5-day intense programme. The Spotlight Award for Sustainability, which demonstrated leadership by consciously engaging in responsible consumption in delivering a sustainable event, was deservedly given to Professor Frances Fahy and Dr Kathy Reilly, following their comprehensive submission based on the 7th Congress of the Association of Geographical Societies in Europe Conference, held at the University of Galway in May 2019. All of the Galway Awardees are fantastic ambassadors for the region, and we are extremely lucky to have such a diverse group of individuals that are passionate about Galway and hosting their international events here.”
Conference ambassadors come from diverse backgrounds and industries and have been instrumental in helping to bring 810 conferences to Ireland between 2018 and 2022, which were attended by 270,000 international delegates across Ireland’s major business hubs - Dublin, Cork, Kerry, The Shannon Region and Galway. These events were worth €443 million to the Irish economy and are often held during off-peak seasons. They have not only augmented hotel and industry supplier revenues but have also contributed to positive social and environmental impacts.
Each international delegate is valued at more than three times the average leisure tourist, underlining the importance of this sector.