PRESS RELEASE: More than 350 delegates gather for AOTI Annual Conference 2026
Learning, connection and celebration in AOTI's 60th year
This year’s Annual Conference brought delegates together at the Radisson Blu Hotel & Spa, Little Island, Cork, from 1st – 2nd October for two dynamic and inspiring days of learning, discussion, celebration and connection. This year’s Conference had particular significance as AOTI celebrates its 60th anniversary throughout 2026. AOTI’s first minuted meeting was attended by just 11 Occupational Therapists. Sixty years later, more than 350 delegates attended Conference 2026, reflecting the remarkable growth of the profession and of AOTI as its national professional body. Across the two days, delegates attended keynote addresses, workshops, oral presentations, occupation stations, poster presentations and panel discussions, alongside opportunities to reconnect with colleagues, develop new professional networks and friendships and enjoy being part of the wider Occupational Therapy community.
Inspiring keynote addresses Professor Katie Robinson’s keynote on Day 1 was entitled From Everyday Practice to National Impact: Building a Research Culture for Occupational Therapy in Ireland. Drawing on examples from ageing research and integrated care, she explored how research questions that matter to clinicians, services and people who access Occupational Therapy can strengthen practice, influence policy and improve outcomes.
On Day 2, Ethan Lloyd delivered Wired for It: Rethinking ADHD from the Inside Out, sharing his journey from receiving an ADHD diagnosis at 16 towards greater self-awareness and learning to work with his brain rather than against it. He highlighted the transformative role Occupational Therapy played in that journey, the strengths associated with ADHD and the potential of AI to support executive functioning.
Celebrating innovation in Occupational Therapy Conference 2026 also celebrated outstanding Occupational Therapy projects and the contribution of AOTI members to the Association and profession. On Day 1, Ciara Langan, Senior Occupational Therapist, Primary Care Services HSE Dublin South West, presented her 2026 Ann Beckett Award-winning project Grow Your Roots – a Community Garden Project to delegates. On Day 2, delegates heard from Dearbhla O’Reilly, recipient of the 2025 Eva Duggan Award, who provided an update on the development of A Child-Directed Video Resource to Support Self-Regulation since receiving the award last year.
At the Conference Awards Ceremony, Ciara Langan was formally presented with the 2026 Ann Beckett Award, while the 2026 Eva Duggan Award was presented to Katie Stack, Senior Occupational Therapist, CDNT Donegal North, for Making Waves: Inclusive Beach and Ocean Experiences for Children with Complex Needs.
Two new AOTI awards were presented for the first time. The Rheumatic and Musculoskeletal Disorders Advisory Group received the inaugural AOTI Advisory Group of the Year Award, while Jessie Tierney received the inaugural AOTI Volunteer of the Year Award for her contribution as Public Relations Lead on the Conference Committee.
Remembering Dr Tina McGrath One of the most poignant moments of Conference 2026 came during the Awards Ceremony when a posthumous COTEC Fellowship Award was presented to Dr Tina McGrath. An Occupational Therapist, educator, researcher and professional leader, Tina made an exceptional contribution to Occupational Therapy in Ireland and internationally over almost three decades. Her career encompassed clinical practice, education, research, professional regulation and representation of the profession nationally and internationally.
From 2021 until her passing in January 2023, Tina represented AOTI within COTEC, the Council of Occupational Therapists for the European Countries. AOTI was proud to nominate Tina for the posthumous Fellowship in recognition of her outstanding contribution to the profession. Tina’s brother Johnny and her son Killian accepted the Fellowship on behalf of her family and both delivered moving speeches remembering Tina and reflecting on what the recognition meant to her family.
A community built by AOTI members Closing the Conference, AOTI CEO Odhrán Allen thanked AOTI Chairperson Genevieve O’Halloran, the Board of Directors, the Management Team, Advisory Groups, Committees, International Delegates and national representatives and the many AOTI members who volunteer their time and expertise throughout the year. He also thanked the Conference Committee and AOTI staff, as well as the Conference sponsors and exhibitors whose support helps make the event possible.
Reflecting on the Conference, Odhrán Allen said: “Conference is one of the highlights of the AOTI year because it brings our Occupational Therapy community together. But Conference is about more than CPD. It gives us the opportunity to meet people we might never otherwise encounter, build new professional relationships and friendships, exchange ideas and simply enjoy being together as Occupational Therapists.” AOTI Chairperson Genevieve O’Halloran said: “There was a wonderful energy throughout this year’s Conference. As AOTI celebrates its 60th anniversary, it was particularly fitting to see such a vibrant and engaged Occupational Therapy community come together. Thank you to everyone who attended, presented, volunteered, exhibited, sponsored or worked behind the scenes to make Conference 2026 such a success.” We look forward to bringing our Occupational Therapy community together again for AOTI Conference 2027 at the Hodson Bay Hotel in Athlone.
