Castlebar Chamber’s Accelerate 2026 Brings Leading Business Voices to Mayo
More than 250 people gathered at Breaffy House Hotel on Thursday the 10th of September for Castlebar Chamber’s Accelerate 2026, featuring a high-profile line-up of Irish business voices, including Castlebar man and entrepreneur Niall McGarry, founder of JOE.ie and Fabric Social.
McGarry was joined by Cathriona Hallahan, former Managing Director of Microsoft Ireland; Ciarán Crean, co-founder of MicksGarage; and Joe Gilmore, CEO of Ireland West Airport. The evening was hosted by Richard Curran, presenter of The Business on RTÉ Radio 1.
Castlebar Chamber President Maria Staunton opened the evening, welcoming attendees and highlighting the importance of creating opportunities for the local business community to connect, learn and look ahead.
She was followed by David Mellet, Director of Services, Infrastructure and Emergency Response with Castlebar Municipal District, who provided an update on the development and future plans for Castlebar, giving attendees an insight into the opportunities and investment shaping the town.
Maria Staunton said the turnout reflected the strength of the local community:
“Accelerate is about bringing people together – to listen, to learn, to challenge ideas and, importantly, to connect with one another. To have more than 250 people in the room, from students and employees to entrepreneurs and business owners, was a fantastic reflection of the energy and ambition within our community.”
The speakers shared their experiences and perspectives on leadership, resilience, entrepreneurship, innovation and AI, with a lively audience Q&A generating strong participation and questions from the floor.
Networking was a key part of the evening, with business owners, entrepreneurs, employees, students, Chamber members and non-members from across Castlebar, Mayo and the wider region making new connections and sharing ideas.
Castlebar Chamber thanked event sponsors Atlantic Technological University (ATU), The Cashin Family, Fortwayne Metals and Breaffy House Hotel for their support.
The strong response to Accelerate 2026 further establishes the event as an important fixture in the West of Ireland business calendar, bringing people together to learn, connect and explore opportunities for future growth.
Castlebar Chamber welcomes businesses of all sizes to join and connect with the local business community, with annual membership starting at just €100.
Members can also download the new Castlebar Chamber Connect app (available on iOS and Android) to automatically match with key contacts, local events, and business opportunities.
CLICK HERE to become a member or HERE to download the app.
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