TEDx is coming to Athlone for first time ever

For the first time ever, TEDx is coming to the Midlands.

The popular grassroots initiative, created in the spirit of TED's overall mission to research and discover “ideas worth spreading", will take place at the Dean Crowe Theatre on Thursday, February 12.

TEDxAthlone will bring together speakers from across the region and beyond to share fresh perspectives on creativity, innovation, community and resilience. Each talk is designed to inform, inspire and challenge how we see the world.

The theme for 2026 is “The Ripple Effect”, which aims to explore how change moves through our world from personal transformation and creative innovation to cultural evolution and regional renewal.

From the heart of the Midlands, speakers will share stories of how their ideas and actions have created ripples of impact across industries, communities, and within themselves. The audience will discover that even the smallest spark of change can grow into something far greater than we ever imagined.

The inaugural TEDxAthlone event brings together nine influential speakers spanning politics, academia, sport, media, medicine, fashion, culture and technology.

Speakers include Ashley McDonnell, founder of Ireland’s Fashion Week, Athlone native Dr Niamh Hynes, Vascular & Endovascular Surgeon, Clinical Lecturer & Principal Investigator, and Ciaran Mullooly, MEP for Midlands–North-West and a former RTÉ journalist.

Tickets for the events are priced at €28 + €2 booking fee. A student discount is available.

To purchase tickets, go to: https://www.deancrowetheatre.com/dean_event/tedx/