Every year we look forward to supporting one of Ireland’s most unusual, creative, and genuinely enjoyable events — CongRegation. If you’ve never been, imagine an unconference tucked into the cosy village of Cong, filled with curious people, good conversations, and ideas bouncing around like popcorn. It’s friendly, informal, and wonderfully unpredictable… in all the right ways.
This Year’s Theme: Chaos
CongRegation picks a new theme every year, and for 2025 they’ve chosen something we all know a little too well: Chaos.
Not the stressful kind rather the more interesting, creative, “what-if-we-try-this?” type. It’s an invitation to explore how disorder and uncertainty can spark new thinking, shift perspectives, and maybe even make life a bit more exciting.
What’s Happening This Weekend?
CongRegation runs from November 28–30, and as always, the format is delightfully different:
Friday: A lively evening of talks at Ashford Castle with a mix of science, art, music, and unexpected angles on chaos. It sets the tone for the weekend perfectly.
Saturday: The heart of the unconference. Attendees break into small groups called huddles scattered around the village, cafés, bookshops, galleries and other local spots. Everyone shares their take on the theme, everyone listens, and everyone gets involved. It’s relaxed, social, and surprisingly energising. Later on, there’s an art crawl, board games, open mic sessions, and lots of time to chat and connect.
Sunday: A gentle walk in nature to unwind, reflect, and turn that creative chaos into something a bit more ordered before heading home.
Why We Love Supporting CongRegation
CongRegation has this rare mix of friendliness, creativity, and community spirit. There’s no hierarchy, no sales pitches, no stiff conference vibe. Just people coming together to share ideas and enjoy the experience.
And since your “ticket” is simply a short reflection on the theme, the event attracts a beautifully diverse crowd of technologists, artists, educators, business owners, musicians, thinkers, and people who just love a good chat.
In a World Full of Noise… Chaos Might Be Exactly What We Need
This year’s theme feels especially timely. Life rarely goes according to plan, but chaos is often where the magic happens with new opportunities, new perspectives, new connections. CongRegation invites us to lean into that, learn from it, and maybe even appreciate it.
If you’re heading to Cong this weekend, enjoy every minute. And if you’ve never been… maybe next year is your year. You’ll be welcomed with open arms, and maybe a pint!
About the Author: Alicia Stumke
