Celebrate Ireland’s seabed mapping impact and shape the future of marine science, innovation and ocean policy.

Join us at the University of Galway (in the Quadrangle - Ground Floor Aula Maxima Michael D. Higgins Auditorium) on October 6th and 7th as we dive into Ireland's leadership in ocean mapping and chart a course for the next generation of marine science, innovation, and policy.

This 2-Day conference will bring together leaders from government, academia, industry, and the international marine community to celebrate the impact of Ireland's national seabed mapping programme and explore future evidence needs for sustainable ocean management. The conference, hosted at the University of Galway, will precede the EU Presidency “Atlantic Summit”.

The conference is structured around two complementary themes:

Day One – Science, Research, and Innovation: Showcasing the latest advances in seabed mapping, marine geoscience, coastal research, underwater cultural heritage, technology development, and the scientific impact of INFOMAR-supported research.

Day Two – Policy, Partnership and Future Priorities: Exploring how marine mapping and ocean knowledge inform national, European & International policy, support marine spatial planning and offshore renewable energy, strengthen international collaboration, and shape future investment, data infrastructure, and strategic priorities.

INFOMAR (https://www.infomar.ie) is funded by the Department Climate, Energy and the Environment (https://www.gov.ie/en/department-of-climate-energy-and-the-environment/organisation-information/career-opportunities/) and jointly managed by Geological Survey Ireland (https://www.gsi.ie/en-ie/Pages/default.aspx) and the Marine Institute (https://www.marine.ie/). Through the acquisition, interpretation and release of seabed data, the programme supports marine research, spatial planning, environmental understanding and the sustainable development of Ireland’s marine resource.

International Travel

The most convenient airports for Galway are:

Shannon Airport: Direct coach services to Galway; journey time is approximately two hours.

Ireland West Airport Knock: Direct bus connections are available, with a journey time of approximately two hours.

Dublin Airport: Regular direct coaches operate to Galway Coach Station, generally taking approximately 2.5–3 hours, depending on traffic.

Dublin city centre: Direct trains depart from Dublin Heuston and take approximately 2 hours 10 minutes. Dublin Airport does not have a railway station, so passengers must first travel into the city or take a direct airport coach to Galway.

Travelling within Ireland

Galway is well connected by rail and coach. Direct trains operate from Dublin Heuston to Galway Ceannt Station, with connections available from other parts of Ireland. National coach services, including Citylink and Bus Éireann/Expressway, serve Galway from Dublin, Cork, Limerick and other major towns and cities.

Galway Ceannt railway station and Galway Coach Station are located beside Eyre Square, approximately a 20-minute walk from the venue. Taxis are available in the city centre, or attendees can take the 402 bus towards Newcastle from Eyre Square and alight near the University’s main entrance.

Those travelling by car from Dublin should follow the M6/N6 to Galway and allow additional time for city-centre traffic.

Parking

On-campus parking is limited and subject to University parking regulations. Visitors should contact the conference organiser in advance regarding permits or designated conference parking. Pay-and-display tickets are valid only in spaces marked in blue.

Additional paid parking is available near the University at Galway Cathedral and Dyke Road. As spaces can fill quickly, attendees are encouraged to use public transport, walk from the city centre or allow extra time when arriving by car.

Further information is available from the University of Galway’s travel (https://www.universityofgalway.ie/about-us/contact-us/how-to-find-us.html) and parking (https://www.universityofgalway.ie/buildings/service-helpdesk/parking-get-to-around/) pages.

We look forward to seeing you there! Stay tuned to our LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/company/infomar-seabed-mapping/?viewAsMember=true), Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/followtheboats) and Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/followtheboats/) for more.

Description supplied by the event organiser.