Galway #3 - Wild Atlantic Impact

The West of Ireland is where soil meets salt, where ancient ways meet new ambition, and where Europe faces America across the wildest ocean on earth. Wild Atlantic Impact is a gathering for the people turning this edge into an engine of opportunities - ocean regeneration, renewable energy, living culture, resilient future-fit business and entrepreneurial fire that is truly wild - and impactful.

Partnering with Galway City and Councils as part of the Climate Inspirations Festival 2026, Wild Atlantic Impact is a bold gathering at the edge of Europe - bringing together the regenerators, scientists, creatives, leaders, entrepreneurs, pioneers and culture-keepers who are turning the West of Ireland's greatest assets into its greatest opportunity. From offshore energy and ocean regeneration to rewilded land, living culture and Atlantic entrepreneurship, we'll explore what's already working - not in theory, but on the ground and in the water.

FULL DAY OF ACTIVITIES - Field trip + CCC

Part 1 - Field trip to Ahascragh Distillery (1330-1730) @ €65

Part 2 - Climate Cocktail Club (1730-2200) @ €20

PART 1 - FIELD TRIP

GET IN THE SPIRIT. Join us for a tour of Ireland's first eco-distillery. Discover how Ahascragh team rejuvenated an abandoned mill into a state of the art distillery. Learn about the world leading sustainability innovations as you tour the production process, meet the team and most importantly sample the spirits! You will get to taste their Xin Gin (the winner of Irelands best gin for the last three years), the UAIS Irish whiskey and their 7 year old Clan Colla from the premium range. Full return bus ticket included. Pick up from Eyre Square at 1315 and get back for CCC at 1730.

PART 2 - CCC

Doors, music and bar from 1730. Join us for a taste of salt and soil with fresh Kelly's Oysters, vegetarian food truck and wild cocktails, beers and more thanks to our Cocktail partners Ahascragh, Living Things, Solaris Tea, Kinnegar and Air Plants Ireland - the bar is complimentary by the way! Then from 1815 for an impact journey like no other, hearing from panel of wild leaders and some very special guests. The night goes on with more live music and a Climate Céili (then after party at Róisín Dubh)... Tickets are limited!

INTERACTIONS + ACTIVITIES + STALLS

• Marine Institute - exploring our oceans (free)

• Cuan Beo - oyster rehabilitation masterclass (free)

• Kelly's Oysters - pop up stall with fresh oysters

• Solaris Tea - hand blended teas available for tasting (free)

• Kinnegar's Brewing - farmhouse beers from Donegal (free)

• Ahascragh Distillery - sustainable gin and whiskey cocktails (free)

• Living Things - all natural, belly-loving sparkling soft drinks (free)

• Bean Tree - food truck with veg menu

• Climate Céili - delivered and led by the Galway Céili Club (free)

SPEAKERS & PERFORMERS

• Melanie Lynch, Founder and Director, Our Story and HerStory (CO-HOST)

• Finn Delaney, Business Development Manager, XOCEAN (CO-HOST)

• Casey Camp Horinek, Mother, Actress, Activist, Environmental Ambassador for the Ponca Tribe of what is now Oklahoma

• Eoin Warner, Wildlife Documentary Presenter

• Alice Ward, Creative Director, Sea Pea Films

• Sinéad Grimes, Program Manager, FORUM Commemara CLG, Dúlra

• Luana Jungmann, Climate Action Officer for Galway/Midlands, An Taisce

• Gareth McAllister, Founder-CEO, Ahascragh Distillery

• Dr Gesche Kindermann, Lecturer Environmental Science, Ryan Institute, University of Galway

• Louise French, Development Lead, Climate Cocktail Club

• Craig Ferguson, Musician

• Tadgh Murphy, Musician

• Galway Céili Club, Music and dance

FULL SCHEDULE

1315 - Pick up for Field trip to Ahascragh Distillery

1730 - Return from Field trip

1730 - Doors open (cocktails, networking and live music from Craig Ferguson and Tadgh Murphy)

1815 - Kick off and welcome (Louise French and Melanie Lynch)

1820 - Keynote: Indigenous solutions to climate chaos (Casey Camp Horinek)

1835 - Special announcement from Ryan Institute (Dr Gesche Kindermann)

1840 - Fireside: Wild stories with Eoin Warner (hosted by Melanie Lynch)

1910 - Creative keynote + Q&A: Through her lens, wonder and storytelling with Alice Ward (hosted by Melanie Lynch)

1930 - Impact that's rooted in the community: Dúlra Project (Sinéad Grimes)

1945 - Wild leaders roundtable with Luana Jungmann, Gareth McAllister, Cuan Beo, Marine Institute (co-hosted by Finn Delaney and Melanie Lynch)

2015 - Closing remarks

2020 - Networking, cocktails and live music from Craig Ferguson and Tadhg Murphy

2050 - Climate Céili with Galway Céili Club

2150 - Close (then after party at Róisín Dubh)

GET IN THE CCC MOOD... Check out our last Galway event from 2025

VISION

• Soil - the land is the foundation. From regenerative farming to rewilded forests, the West's landscapes are being reimagined as living assets. The people working the land are not obstacles to progress - they are its architects.

• Salt - the ocean is the opportunity. Ireland has one of the largest maritime territories in Europe and is only beginning to understand its potential. Ocean regeneration, offshore energy, aquaculture and blue entrepreneurship are converging on the Atlantic coast right now.

• Saol - life is the measure. Growth that hollows out culture, community or nature is not growth at all. The West has a living language, a mythological landscape and a way of being in the world that is not a heritage project - it's a competitive advantage.

• Slí - the path forward is here. The West sits at the crossroads of Europe and America, of wildness and development, of tradition and innovation. The question is not whether the opportunity exists - it's whether we have the courage and collaboration to walk the path together.

WHY ATTEND

• The edge is where the opportunity is. The West of Ireland is being reimagined in real time. Come see who's doing it and how.

• Resilience isn't a virtue here. It's a business model. The people building on this coast have always turned constraint into advantage. Learn from them.

• Regeneration with returns. Real projects. Real land. Real ocean. Impact that pays for itself and then some.

• Nature meets technology meets ambition. From offshore energy to rewilded forests to blue entrepreneurship - the tools are here and they work.

• Capital is moving west. Literally. What the investors backing Atlantic innovation are looking for - and how to be ready for them.

• No lanyards. No lectures. Just the right people in the right place. Sharp conversation, good company, and the Atlantic as your backdrop.

• Wild enough to inspire. Grounded enough to matter. The West doesn't do performative. Neither do we.

• Less conference. More céilí. Where big ideas meet living culture - and both leave better for it.

PARTNERS

We are proud to be supported by our event partners. Contact us to support the mission and become a partner to the Climate Cocktail Club. We need your sponsorship to ensure our events are successful. We have a limited number of event partner and sponsor opportunities - please get in touch (info@climatecocktailclub.org).

HOST PARTNER

GALWAY CLIMATE INSPIRATIONS FESTIVAL 2026, GALWAY CITY AND COUNTY COUNCILS

Galway's award-winning Climate Inspirations Festival returns 24–28 June 2026. Five days of over thirty events across the city — art installations, live music, keynote talks, sustainability workshops and community action. Where creativity, science and culture converge to accelerate climate solutions.

KNOWLEDGE PARTNER

BE IMPACTFUL

INDEPENDENT ADVISORY FOR CLIMATE, NATURE AND COMMUNITY IMPACT. We unleash changemakers with the insights, solutions and partnerships they need to reach set goals. We supercharge purpose-driven brands, organisations and social enterprises across the world. We are honest, transparent and fiercely independent. We strive for a just, equitable and thriving planet.

LEAD PARTNER

WESTERN DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION

The Western Development Commission (WDC) is a statutory body in Ireland promoting economic and social development in the Western Region. It supports regional enterprise, investment, and policy initiatives, manages the Western Investment Fund, and champions balanced regional growth to enhance living standards and opportunities across the Western Region.

BRAND PARTNER

THINKHOUSE

THINKHOUSE is one of the world’s leading independent agencies. Powered by youth culture, its digital-first, future-fit marketing is for progressive brands that care about people and planet. The company transforms and empowers organisations and teams by helping shift mindsets and adopt new ways of looking at the world - through the lens of the next generation. THINKHOUSE’s innovative, creative work is a vehicle for change, born out of its mission to have a positive impact on the lives of younger generations, now and into the future. www.thinkhousehq.com

COCKTAIL PARTNERS

AHASCRAGH DISTILLERY

Founded by Gareth and Michelle McAllister, Ahascragh Distillery is Ireland’s first Eco-Distillery and winner of the “Innovative deployment of renewable energy” SEAI energy award in 2023. Located in County Galway, Ahascragh Distillery operates from a restored 19th century mill, producing zero energy emissions whiskey and gin through renewable energy (wind, solar) and high temperature heat pumps with advanced thermal storage. Ahascragh Distillery produces environmentally responsible whiskey and gin with dedication to quality, sustainability and authenticity. Ahascragh Distillery’s range of products include award winning Clan Colla, UAIS and Xin Gin.

LIVING THINGS SODA

Living Things is the UK’s fastest-growing prebiotic soda brand, designed to be a guilt‑free refreshment for everyone to enjoy. Their range of lightly sparkling, and all-natural sodas are high in fibre, low in sugar, and packed with billions of live cultures to support gut health.

SOLARIS TEA

Founded in 2008 by Medical Herbalists BSc (Hons),  Jörg & Karin Müller, we specialise in blending organic teas and herbal infusions. Solaris Tea is a family-run, award-winning tea company based in Galway, on the Wild Atlantic Way in Ireland. Solaris curates first-flush, spring harvest whole-leaf teas & botanical infusions. We are Organic &  B Corp ™ Certified and use 100% sustainably sourced raw materials. Solaris Tea is the proud recipient of 20 Great Taste Awards, certified Origin Green, a member of the Organic Trust and Blás na Gaillimhe.

KINNEGAR BREWING

AIR PLANTS IRELAND

Our Galway based business Air Plants Ireland has grown over the last 10 years and we are so grateful for all your custom! We sell Air Plants via our online shop and at our regular St Nichols Market Stall in Galway City. Our venture DRIED was born from a passion for gardening and we are delighted to be able to offer a wide variety of dried flowers and dried edible petals, all organically grown on our flower farm at the edge of Galway City.

SUPPORTING PARTNER

KPMG IRELAND

KPMG Sustainable Futures is a dedicated cross-functional team of experts who help corporates and public sector clients plan and execute programmes addressing ESG topics, decarbonisation, and long-term value creation. At KPMG, we believe that organisations that rise to these challenges and show leadership will be rewarded by their stakeholders and gain access to new opportunities. Those businesses that fail to act may put their margins and even business models at risk. Whether your organisation is just beginning its sustainability journey, reporting on its progress, or financing new initiatives, we have the knowledge and the people to support you.

COLLABORATORS

OUR STORY

Our Story is a visionary communications consultancy and production company in service to people and planet.

We know the science, and we have all the solutions to solve this polycrisis. Now we need compelling storytelling that sparks awe and transforms climate anxiety into inspired action towards a regenerative future.

SUSTAINABILITYEXAMPLES.COM

We help small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) driving climate action (Doers) gain more visibility, greater recognition, and a faster ROI for their sustainability initiatives by providing a dedicated platform where they can launch, share, and compete for prominence through community engagement with climate-conscious supporters (Champions).

B LAB IRELAND

B Lab Ireland is part of a global nonprofit network that creates economic systems change through standards, policies, tools, and programs for business, and certifies companies—known as B Corps™—who are leading the way. B Corps are companies verified by B Lab to meet high standards of social and environmental performance, transparency, and accountability. Globally there are now over 9,600 B Corps in 100+ countries, across 160 industries, employing over 960,000 people.

NATURAL CAPITAL IRELAND

We are a not-for-profit organisation advocating for the natural capital approach. This concept frames the values nature provides and our dependence on it in a similar way to other forms of capital – like financial. It provides tools to integrate environmental data into accounting systems, thereby making nature more visible in decision-making. Our mission is to have Ireland's natural capital and nature's contributions to people valued, protected and restored.