Over the next three days over 700 of our members will gather to debate the future direction of our union. Each day we’ll send you this conference bulletin to share highlights and key information.

Conference opens at 5.30pm. We are delighted to welcome singer Tolü Makay, whose cover version of the N17 anthem during lockdown took Ireland by storm. Born in Nigeria, Tolü moved to Ireland when she was 5 years old, living first in Wexford and then moving to Tullamore. Her beautiful rendition of classic Irish songs are both moving and beautiful. Learn more about Tolü here.

As the country prepares to vote in local and European elections, our conference theme is ‘Your Union, Your Power’ - a demonstration that it is our members who chart our course, choosing the direction and activities of their union. Democracy in action defines us. 

As ever at conference there is serious business to attend to. Motions on the agenda tonight will cover housing, disability, and climate change. All of which present issues for workers that can only be effectively addressed by collective action. 

The President's address to conference will be at 5.50pm.

The full timetable is here.

Keynote speeches will be given by a range of leading trade unionists and guests including Esther Lynch, General Secretary of the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC), Phil Ni Sheaghdha, Vice President, Irish Congress of Trade Unions (ICTU) Owen Reidy, General Secretary of ICTU and Dr Jilan Wahba Abdalmajid, Palestinian Ambassador to Ireland. 

Delegates will be invited to attend a diverse range of fringe meetings across Thursday and Friday. Among the fringe meetings taking place, there will be sessions on:

• Have you joined your union yet? Key recruitment lessons
• High Density - High participation organising
• Justice for Colombia and the fight for trade union freedom
• Countering extremism
• The Skills Academy mentoring programme launch
• Irish Beekeepers Association: responding to the infestation of the Asian hornet. 

All fringe meetings will take place in The Brehon Hotel. 

The Fórsa Skills Academy will also launch their training calendar for September 2024 - August 2025 at Conference, copies will be available at their stand so be sure to pick one up.

We will also celebrate our members' achievements by presenting Distinguished Service Awards, a Lifetime Achievement award, and for the first time ever, National Members’ Awards.

You’ll find exhibitor stands in the Mangerton Suite, right next to where you register. Over the course of conference, be sure to call in over the next three days, to visit a wide range of exhibitors both from the union and companies we work with, as well as local community charities, and businesses.

There is a map of the conference venue available here.

All conference documents can be viewed on our website hub here.

This morning at 8.30am, the Fórsa Conference charity cyclists departed from the South Court Hotel, Limerick. The intrepid group braved the wet and wind of a west coast spring to arrive in Killarney at 3.30pm. 

Their cycle took them from Limerick on the old road and onto the N21. They took in much of the Southwest as they passed Adare, Croagh, Newcastle West, and Castleisland, before taking the N22 in their final approach of Killarney.

This year’s team consisted of Michael Barry, formerly of the Cork Branch, now retired members branch, and Fórsa staff members Michael Kerrigan, Eamonn Donnelly, Paul McSweeney, and Diarmaid Mac a Bhaird.

This year's event was organised by Michael Kerrigan, Donna Mooney, and Diarmaid Mac a Bhaird.

With the help of branches, collections at conference and contributions from our National Executive Committee, the conference charity cycle has raised just under €260,000 since the tradition began in 2008. 

Donations are still open and can be made by branches. 

There's entertainment for delegates tonight and tomorrow night right here in the Gleneagle Hotel.

Tonight, Wednesday 15th May, local band the Juke Box will be on from 10pm to 1am.
 
Tomorrow, Thursday 16th May, singer Gearoid McCarthy will perform 11pm to 1am, followed by DJ Donal til late.

All entertainment takes place in the Ballroom.