Conference breaks all rules!

It’s so unlike any other conference that an event being staged in the surrounds of Ashford Castle in November is officially known as an ‘un-conference’ – because it’s free to the point where they’ll even look after your kids!

The third annual CongRegation Digital Technology Un-conference takes place in Cong on Saturday, November 28 – and such is its unique nature that speakers have to actually audition to earn their ticket!

The event, which began in 2013, has attracted over 100 Irish and international speakers to discuss, debate and share insights into how work and personal life and society is being impacted by digital technology.

But it has also broken the traditional conference format, which sees speakers earning their ticket with a published submission on www.congregation.ie and presentations taking place in huddles of ten people in social venues throughout Cong village.

And this year the organisers have pushed the boundaries further by providing childcare for participating speakers to make the event family friendly.

The conference has also grown to include an evening of Augmented and Virtual Reality demonstrations and talks in Ashford Castle on Friday, November 27, and sporting activities in Cong Woods on Sunday, November 29.

The event will use a variety of venues in the village including coffee shops, exhibition spaces, restaurants and bars.

The range of topics to date from over 70 speakers ranges from how wearable technology impacts on health, the potential and issues surrounding drones, the future of content, cybercrime, power of data to how social media can be used for social good. Submissions will be accepted until the end of October.

Organiser Eoin Kennedy said that the aim of CongRegation was to revolutionise the way people communicate, connect and share information at events.

“But it is also to show that a small West of Ireland village can host a sustainable international technology event in the winter without the need for big infrastructure,” he said.

“We are delighted that Mayo.ie has come on board, which helps us to expand the event and the offering.  We are very conscious that weekends are precious times for families and organizing childcare can be difficult so this year we have supervised workshop activities for families so speakers are free to take their minds for guilt free gallop.

“We have also expanded to a weekend of activities including a Friday evening display of innovative technology in Ashford Castle to social events on Sunday,” he added.

There is no charge to attend Congregation.  Instead attendees produce a 600 written blog post, a three-minute video post or five-minute audio post which is posted in advance on www.congregation.ie.

The submissions are then presented in groups of ten people called Huddles will gather at each of seven venues, with two to three people speaking at each until everyone has presented their thoughts and ideas.

These groups rotate four times during the day to different venues to ensure attendees all connect with each other.

Any interested in participating is encouraged to send in a one liner on their suggested topic area to Eoin@congregation.ie