Mullingar woman spearheads Midlands TEDx Event
A Mullingar native has led the delivery of the Midlands’ first-ever TEDx event, bringing a full house to the Dean Crowe Theatre in Athlone last Thursday evening.
Orla Thornton, Director of Marketing & Communications at Technological University of the Shannon (TUS), secured the TEDx licence and led a volunteer team in delivering TEDxAthlone under the theme The Ripple Effect.
The event gathered speakers and audiences from across the region for an evening of thought-provoking talks exploring innovation, identity, medicine, technology and public life.
Born and raised in Mullingar, Orla has more than 20 years’ senior experience in strategic marketing, communications and event delivery, including almost a decade in higher education leadership.
She has long been committed to strengthening connections between the university and communities across the Midlands, with TEDxAthlone forming part of a broader vision to position the region as a confident hub for ideas and creativity.
The evening featured contributions from leaders across multiple disciplines, including leading vascular surgeon and medical innovator Dr Niamh Hynes, iRadio presenter Dave Duke, and Midlands–North-West MEP and former RTÉ correspondent Ciarán Mullooly, alongside voices from STEM education, elite sport, fashion and industry.
Speaking following the event, Orla said: “Bringing TEDx to the Midlands was about more than staging an event — it was about connecting our campus in Athlone with the wider region and creating a space for ambitious ideas.
“The response on the night demonstrated that there is strong appetite in the Midlands for innovation and creativity, and that this region is ready to shape its own narrative with confidence.”
Co-organiser MaryJo Neilan added: “Curating the speaker line-up was about ensuring real breadth and depth, from advances in vascular medicine and STEM education to conversations around identity, accessibility and resilience in sport. We were proud to bring together speakers of such calibre, each offering ideas that resonated far beyond the theatre.”
The audience included students, business leaders and community representatives from across Westmeath and the wider Midlands, reflecting the growing cultural and creative confidence of the region.
Organisers have indicated that discussions are already underway about building on the momentum of this inaugural event in the years ahead.
For further information, visit @TEDxAthlone on Instagram.