Cork Olympian to feature at tech showcase

Cork’s Phil Healy will be among several Olympians and STEM graduates to lead an extraordinary line-up of speakers at the 11th annual I Wish Showcase next month.

The event, taking place on February 6 at the RDS in Dublin, will be the largest ever and features sprint star Ms Healy, rower Zoe Hyde, who also competed in the 2024 Paris Olympics, and Claire Dunne, a member of the 4x400m relay squad at the London 2012 Olympic Games and now head of social impact at Deloitte.

This year, the showcase will feature a new Sport Innovation Hub where attendees can explore how advancements in technology are revolutionising performance, training and competition.

Additionally, the event will debut a Food Science Hub, offering a glimpse into how STEM is reshaping what we eat and how it’s made, as well as other innovative hubs dedicated to construction, entrepreneurship and emerging STEM fields.

“STEM drives innovation on and off the track — from the engineering of high-performance running shoes and the physics behind optimal sprinting techniques to the data analytics fine-tuning training plans, STEM is a part of my daily life as an athlete,” said Phil.

“I’m thrilled to share my journey and show how women in STEM are revolutionising every facet of sports. The I Wish Showcase is an incredible opportunity for young girls to see the endless possibilities available to them.”

TV host Sinead Kennedy, returning MC, will guide the event’s programme, with more speakers to be announced in the coming weeks.

There will be more than 30 exhibitors, including key partners Deloitte, Dell Technologies, Merck, Virgin Media, Sport Ireland Her Moves Campaign, Johnson & Johnson, Regeneron, Qualcomm and more.

I Wish co-founder Caroline O’Driscoll said: “The findings from our most recent annual survey report make it clear that while progress has been made, systemic barriers persist, preventing too many young girls from seeing STEM as a viable career path.

“Role models like Phil, Claire, and Zoe are crucial in shifting this narrative. Showcasing women who have broken through these barriers.”

Registration for this year’s event remains open at www.iwish.ie/register/