Mayo people to make the case for county at prestigious forum

The ‘Why Choose Mayo’ event will take place at 7.30 p.m., on Wednesday, July 2, as part of the Dargan Forum, Dún Laoghaire.

At a time when the capital has never been more congested and expensive to live in, Mayo native Seán Tobin will host a ‘Why Choose Mayo’ event discussing with a panel of speakers why there has never been a better time to move west to Mayo.

With stunning natural scenery, highly rated for quality of life and, thanks to technology, ever increasing remote work opportunities, Mayo represents a great option for businesses considering a move.

The event will be hosted in the picturesque Royal Marine Hotel, Dún Laoghaire, and is targeted at businesses and people in the capital that are at a transition point in their lives.

That could be in their next expansion of their business, their next career move, seeking a better work/life balance, expanding families looking for a better quality of life, or even those with family connections to Mayo and are interested in returning to their hometown.

The Dargan Forum on Ireland’s Green and Digital Transition is in its third year of running and will feature 11 events over two days with 55 speakers.

It brings together experts and practitioners to share their insights on how to accelerate the benefits of Ireland’s twin transitions—green and digital—for small businesses, social enterprises, and the local communities they support through jobs and services.

Mayo’s Alan Dillon, Minister of State for Small Business, Retail and Circular Economy, will open the morning session of the Forum.

The PRO of the Mayo Association Dublin (founded in 1905 with over 650 members), Adrian Langan, will talk about the work of the Mayo Association in strengthening ties with the county.

This involves initiatives such as the Mayo Association Dublin's Business lunch each November, the Mayo person of the year award, and the Mayo Schools’ Debating Competition when students from Mayo travel to Trinity College, Dublin, each year to compete.

The message from the Connected Hubs speaker, Stephen Carolan (Belmullet), will be that there has never been more or better options for remote work in Mayo than now, with a wide range of high-quality hubs provided by Mayo's hub network, which currently has 45 hubs.

Stephen will highlight to the audience that the remote work infrastructure is strengthened by Mayo's strategic location, robust infrastructure, economic diversity, educational institutions, and vibrant community life.

Nicola Kennedy of Mayo Local Enterprise Office, will outline the comprehensive supports available for entrepreneurs and SMEs considering a move to Mayo.

She will highlight the LEO’s role in helping businesses start, grow, and scale in the region, with particular emphasis on grant support, mentoring, and networking opportunities.

Nicola will also speak to the county’s strong culture of innovation, collaborative enterprise ecosystem, and how the LEO can assist Dublin-based businesses looking to make a smooth and supported transition west.

For more information and to register you are asked to please visit https://www.darganinstitute.ie/dargan-forum-2025-programme#mayo