The Real Deal 2026: Real Stories, Real Insights, Real Impact
As proud sponsors of The Real Deal 2026, we were delighted to be part of a standout gathering of Ireland’s founders, operators and business leaders at Goffs, where honest stories of growth, resilience and value creation took centre stage.
The Real Deal 2026 delivered exactly what its name promises: open, unfiltered conversations about the realities of building, scaling, and exiting businesses. With more than 1,000 attendees coming together at Goffs, the atmosphere throughout the day was defined by generosity, straight talk, and a shared respect for the journey behind success.
The event opened on a powerful and moving note with a standing ovation in honour of Real Deal alumni Keith Ryan and John Purdy, two exceptional business leaders taken far too soon. Their legacy, impact, and example set a meaningful tone for the conversations that followed. The opening address from Mark Flood and Stuart Fitzgerald reinforced why The Real Deal has become such an important fixture in Ireland’s business calendar, while Matt Cooper expertly moderated the day, creating space for depth, honesty, and insight from each speaker.
The Legend of Business speaker, Tommy Kelly (ESW), delivered a compelling and candid reflection on a twenty‑year journey that began on the family farm and grew into a global e‑commerce leader. He spoke openly about discipline, crisis management and the importance of knowing when to step away, sharing memorable lines such as “It’s all about surrounding yourself with great people” and “You have two choices: fold up the tent or fix it.” His session offered a masterclass in resilience, humility and determination at scale.
Áine Denn, co‑founder of Altify, brought sharp, practical insight from her experience building and exiting a global SaaS business, and returning to the table with a new AI‑focused venture. Her perspective on sales leadership, branding and technology adoption resonated strongly, with advice grounded in today’s realities: stay true to your vision and values, simplify your message, and ensure SaaS businesses are fully embracing AI to remain competitive.
The sport and entrepreneurship sessions provided a fascinating shift in focus, with Sean O’Connor (STATSports) and Mickey O’Rourke (Setanta) sharing their journeys through growth, near‑failure moments, pivots and eventual exits. Their discussion highlighted the increasing crossover between sport, technology, business and global capital, offering rare insight into M&A from the perspective of seasoned operators who have lived through the highs and lows.
As sponsors, we were delighted to welcome so many attendees to our stand throughout the day. It was a genuine pleasure to reconnect with existing contacts, meet new founders and operators, and have thoughtful conversations around growth, exits and long‑term value creation. Thank you to everyone who entered our Aer Lingus travel voucher giveaway and picked up a copy of our brochure, produced in collaboration with The Currency, which explored many of the same themes discussed on stage.
The setting itself added to the experience. With the sun shining over Goffs and the now highly anticipated ice‑cream van appearing at lunchtime, the informal moments of networking were just as impactful as the sessions, reinforcing the sense of openness and community that defines The Real Deal.
A special thanks to our team on the ground: Paul McArdle, Fergal Keys, Alan Bluett, Sarah Kelly, Andrew Ganly, Mal Convery, and Deborah Bradshaw, for representing us so positively and for making the day such a success from our side.
Once again, congratulations to all involved. The Real Deal continues to raise the bar, not by celebrating easy wins, but by creating space for the real stories that matter.
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