Culture
27 Jul 26

Ray Goggins, Jack Wooley and Imelda May to speak at Foróige Youth Conference this week

Imelda May at Vicar Street on February 9 2026. Copyright Maizy Kharrazian/hotpress.com

The conference will see more than 300 young people from Ireland and the US.

Ray Goggins, Jack Wooley and Imelda May have been announced as guest speakers for this year’s Foróige Leadership for Life Youth Conference at Maynooth University this week.

The five-day event will see more than 300 young people from across Ireland and the US for workshops and conversations with guest speakers.

This conference is the flagship event for Foróige’s Leadership for Life Programme, which has been running for over 15 years.

Goggins, a former army ranger and bestselling author, will speak tomorrow, July 28, while Olympian and Taekwondo athlete, Jack Woolley, is set for July 29. Finally, audiences will hear from singer-songwriter and broadcaster, Imelda May, on July 30.

The program is designed to help young people build practical leadership skills and foster “honest conversations around mental health, equality, climate action, technology and belonging,” according to a press release.

“When you bring together more than 300 young people with different backgrounds, experiences and ambitions, something really special happens,” said Eric O’Brien, CEO of Foróige. “They inspire one another to think bigger, dream bigger and realise that they each have the ability to make a real difference.”