From rural reinvention to digital transformation, the Dargan Forum 2025 brought Ireland’s green and digital future to life.
The Dargan Forum 2025 concluded recently with resounding success, delivering an ambitious, multi-location programme that convened business leaders, policymakers, innovators and communities from across Ireland to explore how to accelerate the country’s Green and Digital Transition.
Hosted by the Dargan Institute, this year’s Forum featured 12 events across 2 and 3 July and featured 65 speakers in total. The Forum featured a number of high-impact keynote sessions, parallel afternoon tracks and culminated with a celebratory Garden Party. Now in its third year the Dargan Forum 2025 built on its mission to convene, connect and catalyse new thinking on Ireland’s future economy.
“We’ve seen over the two days of the Dargan Forum that Ireland’s future will be built not only in boardrooms and labs, but in co-working hubs, town councils and small businesses at the level of the high street”
“This year’s Dargan Forum was about action. Across every session, we saw a deep appetite for making the Twin Transition real—not just talking about innovation, but showing what is needed for the benefits to reach localities, businesses and social enterprises,” said Eoin Costello, director of the Dargan Institute.
“Our goal is to shine a light on a path to navigating the tumultuous change ahead with confidence, and this year we saw that collaborative ambition clearly on display.”
A national dialogue rooted in grass roots innovation
This year’s Forum kicked off with a fringe event entitled ‘Smarter Business – Lessons from Experience’ panel taking place in Bank Of Ireland, Dun Laoghaire. The event brought together a formidable mix of business veterans and digital experts. Moderated by Eoin Costello, the session featured insights from Dave Feenan, Director, Technology Ireland ICT Skillnet Network, Tony Dignam of Agile Executives, cybersecurity specialist Paul Gibbons, Catriona Maye and Bobby McDonnell from Bank Of Ireland as well as representatives from Bank of Ireland’s fraud awareness team.
Key takeaways included the importance of building resilience in uncertain times, embracing digital risk management, and learning from lived experience rather than chasing trends.
The Forum’s early fringe events showcased the potential of regional innovation and the attractions to returning talent. At the ‘Why Choose Mayo’ and ‘Why Choose Donegal’ sessions, attendees heard firsthand from local leaders and entrepreneurs on how remote work, quality of life, and community infrastructure are redefining what it means to live and work in rural Ireland.
Moderated by Sean Tobin (.ie) the panel discussion included Nicola Kennedy (Mayo LEO), Stephen Carolan (Connected Hubs), Kevin Sexton (Alpha Innovation), Anne Marie McLaughlin (ii inishowen innovation) and Terence O’Donnell (Auxilion).
Speaking after the event CEO of .ie David Curtin said: “The Dargan Forum highlighted how critical it is to put people at the centre of Ireland’s twin transition. When we invest in skills, supports, and inclusive design, we empower businesses and communities to succeed in a more sustainable, connected future.”
The twin transition
Held at the Dún Laoghaire’s County Hall on July 3rd, the Main Forum was the centrepiece of the Dargan Forum 2025. The day began with a warm welcome from Cathaoirleach Jim Gildea and Dargan Institute Director Eoin Costello, who introduced the Forum’s opening headline speaker Dr. Adam Dorr from think tank RethinkX. His presentation challenged attendees to reimagine the transition not just as incremental change, but as a systemic shift in how society approaches energy, food and transport.
The momentum continued with the first of three themed sessions.
Session 1 on business was opened by Minister of State Alan Dillon, TD, it focused on enabling the twin transition for small business, with insights from Joanne Mangan (Enterprise Nation), David Curtin (.ie) and Sean Buckley (Bank of Ireland). The discussion centred on the tools and supports needed to empower SMEs to thrive in a greener, more digital economy.
Headline speaker Jennifer Carroll MacNeill, TD, Minister for Health, then gave a keynote on how technology is helping Ireland’s health sector. Session 2 on the built environment, renewable energy and transport featured a keynote from Frank Curran, Chief Executive of Dún Laoghaire–Rathdown County Council, followed by an address by Vanessa O’Connell of RWE Dublin Array. An in-depth panel discussion followed with Jim Scheer, Head of Data and Insights, SEAI, Michael Power of Director of Business Transformation, Iarnród Eireann, James Phelan, Director of Infrastructure and Climate Change DLR CoCo and Paul Higgins of Renewable Energy Ireland. The conversation included perspectives from officials and advisors actively delivering energy and climate projects on the ground.
Session 3 on Skills and the future of work, was opened with a keynote by Stephen Carolan (Connected Hubs). The panel comprised John O’Toole, DLR CoCo Head of Economic Development, Paul Mortby, Head of EMEA Policy Square, Stephen Lyons, head of Strategic Partnerships at Skillnet Ireland, Carmel Somers, Human Capital Strategist, Technology Ireland ICT Skillnet Network, Colm MacCarvill, Country Manager Squarespace and Laura Redmond, Director Technology Risk Consulting, KPMG. The panel examined how digital platforms, co-working spaces and upskilling supports can enable people to adapt to new career models and unlock innovation.
Parallel Sessions & Garden Party: Building Community, Driving Momentum
On the afternoon of July 3rd, the Forum branched into four parallel sessions focused on real-world applications:Joanne Mangan (Enterprise Nation Ireland) led a panel on the topic ‘Digital meets Local – Empowering small retailers in a connected world. ‘ Seán Tobin’s (.ie) session looked at the topic of ‘Putting people at the heart of the Green and Digital Transition’. Stephen Carolan’s (Connected Hubs) parallel session looked at empowering Ireland’s Green & Digital transition through the national hub network. The final parallel session was led by Ronan Herron (DLR CoCo) and examined the key role of data in decision making during the twin transition. Each session was designed to give participants concrete ideas and tools to take home to their regions and sectors.
The Forum concluded with a Garden Party on the grounds of the Eblana Club, where delegates, speakers and local business owners gathered informally with Dun Laoghaire Tidy Town Volunteers to reflect on the conversations of the day and forge new relationships.
Key partner to the Dargan Forum, Enterprise Nation Ireland, newly appointed CEO Aaron Asadi said: “The Dargan Forum brings together key decision makers and experts to deliver an important reality – that a tech-enabled local small business community is what creates good jobs, better and more sustainable businesses, and more innovation.
“And this is how local economies will grow. Our initiative Tech Hub Ireland is backed by experts and global tech partners who are all making a huge contribution towards tech-enablement for all Irish firms, regardless of size or sector.
“Together we must work towards this end – so that Irish firms don’t get left behind in the global digital transformation race.”
Looking ahead
As the curtain closes on the Dargan Forum 2025, plans are already in motion to scale its impact with the 2026 Forum planned for the 1st and 2nd July next year. The Forum reaffirmed its role as a national platform for collective insight, but also as a catalyst for local action.
“We’ve seen over the two days of the Dargan Forum that Ireland’s future will be built not only in boardrooms and labs, but in co-working hubs, town councils and small businesses at the level of the high street.” said Eoin Costello.
“The Dargan Forum is about bringing those voices together and shaping a future that is both smart and inclusive.”
Main image: Adam Dorr, futurist; Joanne Mangan, Enterprise Nation; David Curtin, .ie; and Eoin Costello, Dargan Institute
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