Second 'Ireland's Edge' Conference to Focus on Creativity and Identity

Second 'Ireland's Edge' Conference to Focus on Creativity and Identity

Multi-disciplinary conference takes place as part of Other Voices in December.

The line-up for the 2016 Ireland’s Edge conference, which takes place as part of the eir Other Voices Festival in Dingle on December 3rd and 4th, has been announced.

This will be the second Ireland’s Edge multi-disciplinary conference, an annual event that explores the intersection of the worlds of science, technology, engineering and mathematics with the world of the arts (STEAM), and how this could  impact on Ireland’s cultural identity at home and abroad.

Day one of the conference will begin with a keynote address by Intel Fellow and Director of User Interaction and Experience and former lecturer in Anthropology and Native American Studies at Stanford University, Dr Genevieve Bell. This will be followed by a discussion on how the creativity of the Irish provides a competitive advantage internationally, and how Ireland can harness this energy into the future.

Speakers will include Director of the Other Voices Festivals, Philip King; musicians Caoimhín Ó Raghallaigh and Seán Mac Erlaine; Vice President and General Manager at Intel Ireland, Eamonn Sinnott; the Editor of The Observer, John Mulholland; Martin Shanahan, CEO of IDA Ireland; and Ann O’Dea, CEO and co-founder of Silicon Republic. A discussion of ‘How Technology Influences the Creative Process’, with Ó Raghallaigh and Mac Erlaine, will be moderated by Editor of The Journal of Music, Toner Quinn. Day one will also play host to a performance from Collapsing Horse Theatre Company and an interactive storytelling performance of Zoe Philpott’s show Ada.Ada.Ada.

Day two will develop the discourse around the twenty-first century experience of emigration, the Irish diaspora and the emerging drivers of cultural identity for the Irish overseas. This discussion will involve prominent Irish emigrants such as broadcaster and DJ Annie Mac, and Senior Editor, News at CNN Digital International, Blathnaid Healy. The conference will also review 2016 and the evolution in Ireland’s understanding of the Rising, the impact of the public, private, state and ceremonial celebrations; and it will look to the future of the 2016 Legacy Projects planned through 2017–2021. Speakers will include Professor of Modern Irish History UCD, author and broadcaster, Diarmaid Ferriter; Director of Ireland 2016, John Concannon; and journalist, author and broadcaster, Una Mullally.  

Philip King, Founder of Other Voices and the conference organiser, explained the origins of the conference.

In recent years, we have widened the programme [of Other Voices] to include thinkers, creators and leaders from across the worlds of culture, politics and enterprise and Ireland’s Edge is the culmination of many of these conversations. In partnership with returning sponsors Intel, Ireland’s Edge will again play host to a stellar lineup of speakers from right across the spectrum of politics, media, business and art.

For more, visit https://goo.gl/ky23Mz or follow Ireland’s Edge on Twitter.

Published on 11 November 2016

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