Leadership development organisation Common Purpose Ireland marks three decades in Ireland with renewed focus on collaboration, AI, sustainability and social impact.
Common Purpose Ireland has set an ambitious target to support the development of a further 1,000 leaders and emerging leaders across the island of Ireland by the end of 2030 as it marks 30 years of leadership development.
The social enterprise, which established its Irish presence in 1996, has worked with more than 6,000 leaders through its experiential programmes over the past three decades. Participation has grown significantly, rising from 28 participants in 1996/97 to 303 in 2025/26. To date, 1,252 CEOs and senior leaders have completed its senior leadership programmes.
“Our mission is to create good leaders, people who keep a focus on their communities while building their organisations, who can cross boundaries, understand perspectives beyond their own, and turn shared purpose into action”
Common Purpose Ireland brings together people from business, government, public service and civil society, helping them develop leadership skills while building understanding across sectors and communities.
Real world environments for learning
Its alumni network reflects that broad cross-sector approach and includes leaders from business, science, sport, technology, community development and the not-for-profit sector. Alumni include IMAGE PwC Social Entrepreneur of the Year 2025 Eileen McHugh, engineer and science communicator Dr Niamh Shaw, eight-time All-Ireland-winning Dublin footballer Michael Darragh MacAuley, former Minister for Finance Paschal Donohoe, disability advocate and coach Jack Kavanagh, and Speire Nua founder Damien Quinn.
Over the years, the organisation has partnered with organisations including Google, IDA Ireland, AsIAm, Rethink Ireland and the Irish Prison Service.
A distinctive feature of its programmes is the use of real-world environments as learning spaces. Participants engage with diverse settings ranging from prisons and mosques to technology companies and Leinster House, gaining insights from different perspectives and lived experiences.
The organisation will mark its 30th anniversary at Smock Alley Theatre in Dublin on 30 September, where alumni, partners and stakeholders will explore the theme, The Spark – The Ripple – The Wave. Discussions will focus on the leadership challenges and opportunities shaping Ireland’s future, including the relationship between artificial and emotional intelligence, the green transition, biodiversity loss and social cohesion.
Common Purpose Ireland also plans to use its alumni network to strengthen cross-sector collaboration around disability supports, mental health, housing and the role of sport in building stronger communities.
Ahead of the anniversary event, Common Purpose Ireland CEO Dara Connolly reflected on the organisation’s journey and future ambitions.
“Ireland in 2026 is almost unrecognisable from the country Common Purpose was born into 30 years ago. We believe our work convening leaders from all parts of Irish society and using place and environment as stimuli for real-life learning, has supported Ireland’s growth while keeping societal well-being to the fore.
“Our mission is to create good leaders, people who keep a focus on their communities while building their organisations, who can cross boundaries, understand perspectives beyond their own, and turn shared purpose into action. This anniversary recognises the impact of over 6,000 alumni, but it’s also a commitment to the future: 1,000 more empowered leaders by 2030, and the practical collaboration, shared expertise, new partnerships, that no single organisation or sector can achieve alone.”
Image at top: Dara Connolly, CEO of Common Purpose Ireland; Loisa Wakasa of Common Purpose Ireland; with alumni Nicole Daujotas, People Experience Specialist at PTSB; Jack Kavanagh, Director of Move the Needle; Miriam Spollen, Founder and CEO of Connection Arts Centre; Dr Ebun Joseph, Founder and CEO of the Institute of Antiracism and Black Studies (IABS); and Michael Darragh MacAuley, Founder and Director of MD Impact
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| Key Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Organisation | Common Purpose Ireland |
| Milestone | Celebrating 30 years of leadership development in Ireland |
| Founded in Ireland | 1996 |
| New Target | Develop and support 1,000 additional leaders and emerging leaders across Ireland by 2030 |
| Alumni Network | More than 6,000 programme participants since 1996 |
| Annual Participation Growth | Increased from 28 participants in 1996/97 to 303 participants in 2025/26 |
| Senior Leaders Trained | 1,252 CEOs and senior leader equivalents have completed senior programmes |
| Mission | To equip people to practice good leadership across organisational, sectoral and community boundaries |
| Leadership Approach | Real-life, experiential learning focused on cross-sector collaboration and understanding |
| Learning Environments | Programmes take place in settings including prisons, mosques, technology companies and Leinster House |
| Alumni Examples | Paschal Donohoe, Dr Niamh Shaw, Michael Darragh MacAuley, Jack Kavanagh, Damien Quinn and Eileen McHugh |
| Partner Organisations | Google, IDA Ireland, AsIAm, Rethink Ireland and the Irish Prison Service |
| Anniversary Event | 30th anniversary celebration and leadership discussion |
| Event Date | 30 September 2026 |
| Event Venue | Smock Alley Theatre, Dublin |
| Event Theme | The Spark – The Ripple – The Wave |
| Key Discussion Topics | Leadership, AI and emotional intelligence, green transition, biodiversity loss and social cohesion |
| Future Collaboration Areas | Disability supports, mental health, housing and the role of sport in communities |
| CEO | Dara Connolly |
| Financial Accessibility | Approximately 40% of participants attend through bursaries or subsidised fees |
| Global Reach | Common Purpose delivers leadership programmes in more than 100 locations worldwide |
| Core Programmes | Lighthouse (senior leaders), Beacon (high-potential leaders), Legacy (under-25s) |
| Long-Term Objective | Build stronger cross-sector collaboration and develop leaders who can create positive organisational and societal impact |
