The Irish Tourism Industry Confederation (ITIC) has announced 1980s UK kids television personality Timmy Mallett as its latest guest speaker at its 2025 annual conference, which takes place on October 1 at Lyrath Estate in Kilkenny.
Mr Mallett – famous for his 1980s ITV shows Wacaday and Wide Awake Club, and for a string of novelty hit singles in the early 1990s – has, over the course, of the last year or so cycled around the entire coastline of the island of Ireland to raise awareness of what people can achieve and in memory of his late brother Martin, who had learning difficulties.
ITIC chief executive Eoghan O’Mara Walsh posted on X: “Oooh, this should be fun. As a child of the ’80s, I remember Timmy Mallett from the telly. He’s still going strong and has just finished a cycling tour of the island of Ireland, so can give his unique perspective on our visitor experience.”
Moderated, once again, by award-winning broadcaster Dearbhail McDonald, ITIC’s 2025 conference speakers include Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment Peter Burke TD, tech entrepreneur Mark Little, AIB CEO Colin Hunt, Tourism Ireland’s Alice Mansergh, ITIC Chair Niall MacCarthy, hotelier and hospitality expert Francis Brennan, AVEA CEO Catherine Flanagan, economist Jim Power, former US Ambassador Dan Mulhall, and Fáilte Ireland’s Chair Ruth Andrews.
