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A number of national and international speakers will be sharing their expertise at a major conference, May 17th & 18th at the Clifden Station House, Connemara. Speakers will present their experiences on how we can use outdoor resources to create jobs, improve our health, and sustain a quality of life for our ageing population. They will provide real examples of initiatives that have been implemented in their areas.

Line Up of Event Speakers

• Mícheál Ó Muircheartaigh- The voice of Gaelic Games

• DR. Caro-Lynne Ferris- Executive Director, CAAN

• Cormac MacDonnell- Manager, National Sports Council, Trails Office

• Ethna Murphy- Manager, Countryside & Marine Tourism Fáilte Ireland

• Fraser Coupland- Director, Fort William ‘Outdoor Capital of the UK’

• Chris Whyte- Director, Snowdonia Active

• Nathan Kingerlee- Director, Outdoors Ireland

• Jim Kennedy- Director, Atlantic Sea Kayaking

• Ted Vickey- PhD Researcher DERI NUI Galway

• Kevin Heanue- Chairman, Connemara Run

• Aiden Larkin- CEO MS Ireland

• Stephen Hannon- Lecturer ‘BA Outdoor Education’ GMIT Castlebar

• Martina Moloney- Galway County Manager

• John Gavin- Director Galway12; Traveldirect Ireland

• Joe McDonagh- CEO County Galway VEC

• Cllr. Michael Maher-Galway County Mayor To register or for more details: Phone 091 476400 Visit www.galway.ie/livinglandscape Email livinglandscape@galwaycoco.ie or www.facebook.com/livinglandscape

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Day 1 Thursday 17thMay 2012

10:30 Registration & Coffee Welcome addresses Michael Maher, Galway County Mayor Joe McDonagh CEO County Galway VEC

Chris Whyte- Director of Snowdonia Active Presentation of Snowdonia-the Active Economy, a case study, creating 1,000 jobs in 5 years. Ted Vickey – PhD Researcher DERI NUI,Galway Social Media and the Great Outdoors Q & A

1:00- 2:00 Lunch

Afternoon Session 1- Galway Great Outdoors Stephen Hannon- Lecturer GMIT BA in Outdoor Education Highlighting the holistic educational benefits of recreation out of doors Kevin Heanue Chairman- Connemara Run- Galway The experience Q & A Short break

Afternoon Session 2 - Wellbeing & the Great Outdoors Aidan Larkin National Services Development Manager MS Ireland Presents the ‘Getting the Balance Right’ programme, designed to evaluate the effect of a range of physiotherapy and exercise based interventions for people with MS with varying mobility levels. The results demonstrated a number of optimal interventions which are now being adopted across the public and private sectors in Ireland as best practice. Panel Discussion

7pm Cocktail Reception followed by Mayoral Conference Dinner

Keynote Speaker Mícheál Ó Muircheartaigh

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Day 2 Friday 18thMay 2012

Morning Session 1: Our Living Landscape-Our Inspiration- Inspiring Outdoor Recreation Martina Moloney- County Manager Galway County Council Dr Caro-lynne Ferris- Executive Director (CAAN) The Countryside Access and Activities Network

Coffee

Morning Session 2: Growing a Business in the Outdoor Sports and Recreation Frazer Coupland- Director Fort William Visit Scotland Presentation on Fort William ‘Outdoor Capital of the UK’

Cormac MacDonnell- Manager, National Trails Office/Irish Sports Council

1:00-2:00 Lunch

Afternoon Session: Practical business case studies Nathan Kingerlee (Kerry)- Director, Outdoors Ireland Jim Kennedy (Cork)- Director, Atlantic Sea Kayaking John Gavin- Director, Travel Direct Ireland and Organiser of Galway12 Ethna Murphy- Manager Countryside & Marine Tourism, Fáilte Ireland Marketing the Great Outdoors

Conference Close By Joe McDonagh, CEO of County Galway VEC

4.00pm Conference Close

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Profiles of speakers

Growing up on the isle of Anglesey at his parents’ outdoor centre, Chris spent his formative years working alongside some of the UK's leading outdoor activity practitioners and developed a passion for the outdoors. Specialising in kayaking, Chris went on to qualify as a BCU Level 5 Coach and has travelled extensively with his kayak, exploring many of the worlds’ finest rivers, including a first descent of the Karun River in the Islamic Republic of Iran. As a founder member of Snowdonia-Active (www.snowdonia-active.org) and now its chief executive, Chris has spent the last 10 years managing the team on a wide portfolio of projects, from community led mountain bike trail construction, specialist outdoor activity information provision, through to research and consultancy and the development and promotion of the Snowdonia-Active website.

Ted Vickey is a PhD researcher from the Digital Enterprise Research Institute at the National University of Ireland at Galway. His area of research is multi-discipline in exercise and technology to determine how the use of technology and mobile phones can influence exercise habits. He holds a bachelor’s degree in Exercise and Sport Science from Penn State and a Masters of International Business from the University of Limerick. In addition to his academic work, Ted is President of FitWell LLC, a global fitness and wellness consulting company. He served as the Executive Director of the White House Athletic Centre, serving the staff of the Executive Office of the President for 11 years under the Bush, Clinton and Bush administrations, is on the Board of Directors for the American Council on Exercise and has worked at the past three British Open golf tournaments for ESPN/ABC.

Chris Wright- Director Snowdonia Active

Ted Vickey- PhD Researcher DERI

National University of Ireland Galway

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Aidan Larkin- National Services Development Manager MS Ireland

Aidan has worked with MS Ireland for the past 17 years and is based in Galway. He was National Co-ordinator of ‘Getting the Balance Right’ a national exercise and health promotion programme. This has been one of MS Ireland’s most successful programmes with over 2,000 people with MS having participated to date. MS Ireland has a practical and research interest in how exercise can; alleviate some of the symptoms associated with a condition like Multiple Sclerosis; promote increased community participation; and where fitness and risk reduction of lifestyle relates conditions is not necessarily the primary goal but a secondary benefit.

A native of Dingle, County Kerry, Mícheál Ó Muircheartaigh succeeded Mícheál Ó Hehir as the quintessential voice of the G.A.A. This much loved former teacher, broadcaster, author and raconteur first came to prominence following the famed, Polo Grounds All Ireland Final of 1947 and for many years afterwards the instantly recognisable voice could be heard commentating on minor matches, as Gaeilge. Mícheál has his own original style of commentating and it is this remarkable talent which allowed him to turn every match into an epic tale which endears him to all. Whether he is reminiscing, explaining or talking the game, his humour, his passion and his love for sport always shine through. His excited tones have conveyed the pitch action into homes the length and breadth of Ireland and across the globe and it is well known that when Mícheál is commentating many people prefer to watch the game on T.V. while listening to his radio commentary. Mícheál has recently retired as GAA commentator for RTÉ but remains very much involved. Mícheál published ‘From Borroloola to Mangerton Mountain’, the follow-up to his bestselling memoir ‘From Dun Sion to Croke Park. In ‘From Borroloola to Mangerton Mountain’ he recounts stories from his travels around the world, and to the villages, town lands and sporting fields of the four provinces of Ireland.

Mícheál Ó Muircheartaigh - ‘The Voice of Gaelic Games’ Conference Dinner Keynote Speaker

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Dr Caro-lynne Ferris has worked as the Executive Director for the Northern Ireland Countryside Access and Activities Network (CAAN) since it was established in 1999. CAAN is a unique body which brings together representatives from a wide range of groups across Northern Ireland which has an interest in, or involvement with, outdoor recreation. Prior to working for CAAN, Caro-lynne worked for Mourne Heritage Trust where she was responsible for delivering a rural regeneration programme within the Mourne AONB for the Department of Agriculture. Her professional background in outdoor recreation stemmed from her primary degree in Sports Science and Geography from Chester College, Liverpool University and her PhD completed at Queen’s University Belfast on ‘the management of recreation induced erosion in granite uplands’. Caro-lynne is also a qualified geography and PE teacher and holds an MBA in public management from the University of Ulster.

Born in Dumfries in 1964, Family relocated to Fort William in 1969. “The common thread through my working career is people. Having spent my first six years after leaving the comforts of the family home living and working on warships with crew of 1500 to 26 I realised I could get on with folk. Since then it’s been fun teaching Skiing in the French and Swiss Alps for eight winters, windsurfing and water skiing in Greece, mountain biking and water-sports in Scotland. Leisure centre manager, ROV Pilot, Prison Officer, Social Worker and currently Partner in No Fuss Events and project Director of the Outdoor Capital of the UK. Fort William and Lochaber-The Outdoor Capital of the UK is recognised as Scotland’s’ leading tourism destination.

Frazer Coupland- Director Fort William

‘Outdoor Capital of the UK’

Dr Caro-lynne Ferris

Executive Director

(CAAN)

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Quickly established as one of Ireland's leading outdoor adventure and training companies, Outdoors Ireland, guided by Nathan Kingerleetraining courses and unique adventure breaks. Nathan's experience throughout Ireland and Scotland allows him to successfully design and develop programs of all types. Nathan is an adventure tourism ambassador for industry and is currently working to expand Nathan can be found in a sail boat or a vintage caravan somewhere along the Irish coastline!

Cormac has been working with the Irish Sports Council on trails and outdoor recreation for the past ten years. Over this period Cormac has coordinated the development of the Irish Trails Strategy and establishment of the National Trails Office. Cormac has work of Comhairle Na Tuaithe on the development of the National Countryside Recreation Strategy, worked closely with agencies like Coillte and Waterways Ireland on the development of recreation policy and is a board member of Leave is also a keen outdoor enthusiast and has competed in events like Gael force West, Connemara Rough Diamond, Connemara Marathon and the Achill Roar in recent years

Cormac

C l i f d e n M a y 1 7

Quickly established as one of Ireland's leading outdoor adventure and training companies, Outdoors Ireland, guided by Nathan Kingerlee, has moved to the forefront of innovative training courses and unique adventure breaks. Nathan's experience throughout Ireland and Scotland allows him to successfully design and develop programs of all types. Nathan is an adventure tourism ambassador for business development and web 2.0 in the Irish outdoor industry and is currently working to expand ‘Outdoors Ireland’ to Galway. When not working Nathan can be found in a sail boat or a vintage caravan somewhere along the Irish coastline!

Cormac has been working with the Irish Sports Council on trails and outdoor recreation for the past ten years. Over this period Cormac has coordinated the development of the Irish Trails Strategy and establishment of the National Trails Office. Cormac has also contributed to the work of Comhairle Na Tuaithe on the development of the National Countryside Recreation Strategy, worked closely with agencies like Coillte and Waterways Ireland on the development of recreation policy and is a board member of Leave No Trace Ireland. Cormac, from Co. Mayo is also a keen outdoor enthusiast and has competed in events like Gael force West, Connemara Rough Diamond, Connemara Marathon and the Achill Roar in recent years

Nathan Kingerlee- Director Outdoors Ireland

Cormac MacDonnell, Manager National Trails Office Irish Sports Council

M a y 1 7 t h & 1 8 t h

Quickly established as one of Ireland's leading outdoor adventure and training companies, , has moved to the forefront of innovative

training courses and unique adventure breaks. Nathan's experience throughout Ireland and Scotland allows him to successfully design and develop programs of all types. Nathan is an

business development and web 2.0 in the Irish outdoor to Galway. When not working

Nathan can be found in a sail boat or a vintage caravan somewhere along the Irish coastline!

Cormac has been working with the Irish Sports Council on trails and outdoor recreation for the past ten years. Over this period Cormac has coordinated the development of the Irish Trails

also contributed to the work of Comhairle Na Tuaithe on the development of the National Countryside Recreation Strategy, worked closely with agencies like Coillte and Waterways Ireland on the development

No Trace Ireland. Cormac, from Co. Mayo is also a keen outdoor enthusiast and has competed in events like Gael force West, Connemara Rough Diamond, Connemara Marathon and the Achill Roar in recent years

Outdoors Ireland

anager National Trails Office Irish Sports Council

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Martina Moloney is currently County Manager with Galway County Council. Prior to joining Galway County Council, she worked with six other local authorities including her native Clare. She also held the position of Louth County Manager. She holds a BA in Public Administration and an MA in Public Management and is a member of the Institute of Accounting Technicians. She served on the boards of the Heritage Council, Irish Water Safety and Local Government Management Services Board and is currently a member of the Fáilte Ireland West Tourism Forum.

Also presenting:

• Jim Kennedy- Director of Atlantic Sea Kayaking

• Ethna Murphy- Manager Countryside & Marine Tourism, Fáilte Ireland

• Joe McDonagh- CEO Galway VEC

• Kevin Heanue- Connemara Run, Galway the Experience

• Stephen Hannon- Lecturer BA in Outdoor Education, GMIT • John Gavin- Director Galway12; Traveldirect Ireland

The event will be held on the 17th and 18th of May 2012 at the Clifden Stationhouse, Galway Rd, Clifden, Connemara, Co. Galway

To register or for more details phone 091 476400, visit www.galway.ie/livinglandscape Email livinglandscape@galwaycoco.ie or www.facebook.com/livinglandscape

Martina Moloney Galway County Manager

Galway County Council