The Mary Robinson Climate Conference 2024 is taking place 5-7 June in Ballina, Co Mayo, delivered by The Mary Robinson Centre in partnership with the University of Galway and our national and local stakeholders.
plenary Speaker biographies*
*Our speakers are listed in alphabetical order for easy navigation and access.
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Maura Farrell
Associate Professor 
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Maura Farrell is an Associate Professor in the School of Geography, Archaeology, and Irish Studies at the University of Galway, where her teaching and research focus on Rural and Agricultural Geography. With a keen interest in the social, cultural, and economic dynamics of rural communities, she explores the intricate processes of change affecting rural inhabitants. Dr Farrell's expertise extends to both national and EU-funded projects, where she has taken on key roles. She serves as the Lead Coordinator for the Horizon Europe FLIARA project (Female Led Innovation in Agriculture and Rural Areas) and as the Principal Investigator for the Horizon Europe PREMIERE project.
Additionally, she contributes significantly to initiatives such as the Irish National Rural Network and the Horizon 2020 RURALIZATION Project. As an accomplished academic, Maura has made substantial contributions to scholarly literature, with her research findings widely published. Beyond her academic endeavours, she is deeply committed to community engagement, actively participating in initiatives outside the university to promote rural development and sustainability. |
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Dr Kathy Reilly
Geography Lecturer |
Dr Kathy Reilly is a lecturer in Geography at the University of Galway; her central research interests straddle a number of arenas within critical geographic inquiry including: geographies of children, young people and families; geographies of social justice; and participative, co-produced and field-based research methodologies. Most recently Dr Reilly’s work on the CCC-CATAPULT project (examining young people’s experiences of climate change and climate crisis) has been nominated for an ENLIGHT Research Impact Award. Dr Reilly has published an edited collection entitled ‘Narrative Research with Children and Young People: Diverse Contexts, Methods and Stories of Everyday Life’ (published by Palgrave, UK 2021), in addition to articles in internationally peer reviewed journals such as Environmental Education Research, Third World Quarterly, Geography Compass, Journal of Geography and Higher Education and Population, Space, and Place.
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Louisburgh Voices
Directed by Dr Pauline Graham 
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Louisburgh Voices is a mixed-voice adult choir, founded in 2018 by Dr Pauline Graham and
Michael Quinn. Pauline is a music graduate of the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland and the Royal Conservatory, The Hague; she completed a doctorate in musicology at UCD, focusing on the sacred music of William Byrd. The choir performs a diverse range of repertoire, from medieval to contemporary, and presented Louisburgh’s first opera – Purcell’s Dido and Aeneas – in 2019. Louisburgh Voices collaborated with Cór Mhaigh Eo and the ConTempo Quartet for a performance of Fauré’s Requiem at Ballintubber Abbey last November, and is planning a medieval Christmas Concert in Westport later this year. The choir has raised funds for several charities, including Ballintubber Abbey Trust, Daisy Lodge, Cong, and Mayo-Roscommon Hospice. |
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Mary Robinson
Former President, Chair of The Elders, Dandelion 
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Mary Robinson, Chair of The Elders, former President of Ireland and UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, is a life-long advocate for equal rights for all, gender equality, women’s leadership and climate justice.
As a member of the Elders, Mary and her fellow Elders use their independence, collective experience and influence for peace, justice and human rights worldwide. Mary's work with the United Nations, Oxfam International, the Mo Ibrahim Foundation, the GAVI Alliance, The Mary Robinson Foundation - Climate Justice, and others, has advocated for good governance and a voice for the vulnerable in our world. In partnership with One Young World, the Mary Robinson Climate Justice Award recognises extraordinary youth leadership in challenging the climate crisis. Mary is a proud Ballina and Mayo woman. She credits her interest in human rights and equality to her childhood experience of growing up as the middle child between four brothers. |
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