Cyber Ireland National Conference 2026 highlights sector trends in Kilkenny

Cyber Ireland held its fifth annual national cybersecurity conference on 22 September at the Lyrath Estate in Kilkenny, bringing together experts to discuss the sector’s most pressing trends.

The event, titled the Cyber Ireland National Conference (CINC) 2026, featured keynotes and panel discussions on the global cyber‑threat landscape, cyber innovation, building a cyber‑ready workforce and emerging security risks linked to artificial intelligence.

Attendees included representatives from SMEs, multinationals and specialist organisations, with sponsorship from the National Cyber Security Centre, KPMG, TrendAI, Integrity360, IDA Ireland, Munster Technological University, Intel and Centripetal, among others.

Loman McCaffrey of Integrity360 noted that participants arrived with specific challenges and used the conference to gather information to inform their teams and boards. The theme “Realising Ireland’s Cyber Industry Potential” focused on the country’s role in the European digital space and its ambition to scale cyber resilience globally.

In his opening keynote, NCSC director Richard Browne delivered a “Cybersecurity State of the Nation Address”, highlighting Ireland’s position as a small state on Europe’s edge that hosts vast data volumes, fibre interconnectors and critical infrastructure. KPMG managing director Ian Fahey echoed this, stressing Ireland’s responsibility in hosting an estimated 30 % of EU data and its contribution to EU digital resilience during the current EU Presidency.

Eoin Byrne, cluster manager at Cyber Ireland, said the Presidency has given Ireland a strong seat at the European table and a critical role in securing Europe’s digital economy.

Source: Silicon Republic. Photo: Michael D Beckwith / Pexels.