Rejuvenate Ireland a huge success at the Ferrycarrig
MORE than 400 people attended the very well received ‘Rejuvenate Ireland’ Wellbeing conference, which may be repeated next year after the huge success of the inaugural event held in the Ferrycarrig Hotel.
The two-part event: ‘Yoga for All’ in the morning and the ‘Rejuvenate Ireland’ conference dinner in the evening, attracted a large following and attracted the support of leaders including the Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Higgins.
‘We are delighted with our Rejuvenate Ireland celebrations. The reaction from the attendees has been nothing short of phenomenal and we are already starting the conversation for next year,’ said event organiser Calodagh McCumiskey. The Rejuvenate Ireland conference – combined with a celebration to mark the United Nations International Day of Yoga – was attended by 420 people who heard from 14 different speakers as well as participating in yoga exercises at the morning event. Messages of support from President Michael D Higgins and the Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi, were read to the audience. Ms McCumiskey added: ‘We had a tremendous turnout, from school principals and the general public to corporates, entrepreneurs, small business owners from all around the country.’ She praised the assistance of Wexford Chamber of Commerce and Wexford County Council and sponsors such as Danone and Skillnet. And getting the letter of support from the Indian Prime Minister and the presence of the Indian Ambassador Vivjay Thankur Singh on UN International Day of Yoga set the tone for a powerful inspirational and uplifting event. Madeleine Quirke, CEO, Wexford Chamber social responsibility ‘is what is says on the tin’. ‘It is our responsibility to act in a way that sustains our environment, our community and our wellbeing. We cannot delegate this to anybody else, we have to deliver. From a business perspective, our staff are our greatest asset and if we as employers can instil an awareness of self-awareness, wellbeing and happiness, everybody will benefit,’ she said. In his message President Michael D Higgins said: ‘I am delighted to send my best wishes to all those celebrating International Yoga Day.. I wish you well in your continued work to promote the positive benefits of Yoga and encourage its practise in communities across the country.’ In his message, the Indian prime minister said he hoped the events at Wexford will help everyone to get a better understanding of the world of Yoga and realise the holistic wellness and peace offered by it.
The morning and evening events heard inspiring and often emotional contributions from a broad range of speakers, including former rugby international, Gordon D’Arcy; Irish goalkeeper David Forde, former All-Ireland hurling winning manager and hotelier, Liam Griffin; sports broadcaster Tracy Piggott; decorated army officer Lt Col Mary Carroll, journalist Lise Hand; businessman David Bloch; GAA Community & Health Manager, Colin Regan and motivational speakers Steve Black and Dennis Curran.