17 October 2026
The 2026 CranioSacral Ireland AGM and Annual Conference brought our community together once again at the beautiful Solas Bhríde Centre & Hermitages in Kildare for a day of learning, shared experience, connection and reflection.
Members, students, practitioners and guests travelled from across Ireland to reconnect with colleagues, hear from highly experienced international teachers and enjoy the opportunity simply to spend time together as a community.
The day opened with a warm welcome and gentle settling led by Event Officer Lenka Valhinas, before moving into the AGM, presentations and experiential sessions.
AGM – Reflecting on the year
The AGM provided an opportunity to reflect on the work of the Association over the previous twelve months, with reports from the Secretary Helen Carberry Treasurer Mairéad Feeney and Chairperson Mairéad Lavan together with an update from Deborah Mullan on Measure Well.
One of the highlights of the year was our first nationwide Experience CranioSacral Therapy Day. Thirty-two therapists took part across four venues, giving more than 100 members of the public an opportunity to experience CranioSacral Therapy, many for the first time. The initiative marked an important step in raising awareness of Craniosacral Therapy within local communities.
Another important development was the Measure Well pilot programme, introduced with the support of Dr Nicola Brough and administered for CranioSacral Ireland by Deborah Mullan, helping to build meaningful outcome data around Craniosacral Therapy.
Chairperson Handover
The AGM also marked an important moment for CranioSacral Ireland, as Mairéad Lavan stepped down as Chairperson.
Reflecting on the Association’s journey over the past three years, Mairéad spoke of a period of reviewing and rebuilding, transforming and growing, and more recently embedding, sustaining and beginning to look outward.
Mairéad thanked the voluntary committee, members, schools, volunteers and supporters who had contributed to that journey.
Orla Cunningham has now taken on the role of Chairperson, bringing her own strengths, ideas and energy to the Association, supported by the continuing committee.
On behalf of the committee Orla thanked Mairéad for her enormous contribution, enthusiasm and commitment to the development of CranioSacral Ireland over the past three years.
At the close of the AGM, Mairéad received a heartfelt and rousing standing ovation.
Shared Wisdom Across the CranioSacral Field
Following the AGM and a teabreak, Mairéad Lavan introduced the new Chairperson, Orla Cunningham, and handed over to her to welcome the wider group to the conference. Helen Carberry then led a beautiful midline meditation, offering a gentle and grounded transition into the day’s programme.
Throughout the day, other members of the CranioSacral Ireland committee helped guide the programme, introduce speakers and support the flow of the day, including Louise Kane Buckley, Mairéad Feeney, Ciara Griffin, Raymond Kelly, Deirdre Mooney and George Rickard.
The conference brought together three highly experienced international Craniosacral teachers, representing different traditions within the wider field.
Maggie Gill CST-D brought her extensive experience of Upledger CranioSacral Therapy to an exploration of Lightness. Moving through body, mind, emotion and spirit, Maggie explored how the body carries a record of our lived experience, how perception can act as a changing lens, how lightness can sometimes open what cannot be forced, and how integration, rather than correction, is the aim. Her session invited therapists to consider these ideas from a place of humility, neutrality and curiosity.
Amber Kelly RCST shared perspectives from Visionary Craniosacral Work®, weaving its history and philosophy with practical experience. Amber guided the group through the seven preparations for Visionary work and led a beautiful Four-Chamber Heart meditation, exploring the qualities of the heart as full, open, clear and strong. Her presentation also reflected on the many ways in which we perceive and meet another person, through seeing, hearing, saying, feeling and touching.
Katherine Ukleja DO FCSTA BCST, an internationally respected teacher of Biodynamic Craniosacral Therapy, skilfully guided the group through a range of Biodynamic concepts, including the physical, fluid and radiant bodies; relational, diagnostic and therapeutic touch; potency; and states of balance. She also led the group in a beautiful meditation exploring the experience of the three bodies, physical, fluid and radiant. Her presentation drew on the qualities of Biodynamic Touch.
Although rooted in different CranioSacral traditions, the three presentations wove together beautifully, with shared threads of presence, relationship, listening, touch and respect for the inherent wisdom of the body.
L-R Amber Kelly Visionary Craniosacral Work®, Maggie Gill Upledger CranioSacral Therapy, Kathereine Ukleja Biodynamic Craniosacral Therapy.
Being in Rhythm
The conference also included a very different and highly experiential contribution from Fergal O’Connor, Somatic Practitioner, Facilitator and musician.
His session, Being in Rhythm – From inner rhythm to shared field, invited participants to explore nervous system regulation through rhythm, movement, voice and shared experience.
Fergal brought the group on an experiential journey, encouraging participants to move freely and use their voices authentically, gradually deepening their connection with themselves, with one another and with the wider group. Through movement, sound and rhythm, the room came together in a lively and deeply connective shared experience.
Fergal O’Connor, Somatic Practioner and Facilitator.
From Small Seeds…
At the centre of this year’s Sacred Space was a beautiful seed bouquet, created by Orla Cunningham and Lenka Valhinas from the seed heads of healing plants. Bringing together so many elements of nature, the space reflected our connection with the natural world and the quiet potential for growth, renewal and change that sits at the heart of CranioSacral work.
That theme was carried through in a small gift for each delegate, a packet of seeds from Irish Seed Savers, accompanied by reflections on the qualities we hope to continue nurturing and sharing within our community: love, care, presence, touch, compassion, kindness, stillness, safety and joy.
It felt particularly fitting for Craniosacral Ireland at this point in its development — a reminder that the seeds we plant through our work, our relationships and our community can continue to grow, spread and nourish others in ways we may not always see.
Community and Connection
There was plenty of time throughout the day to reconnect with old friends, welcome new faces, share experiences and simply enjoy being together.
The photographs perhaps capture this best, the conversations, laughter, shared learning and warmth that make gatherings like this so valuable.
By the close of the conference there was a strong sense of connection, continuity and possibility.
We extend our sincere thanks to Maggie Gill, Amber Kelly and Katherine Ukleja for sharing their considerable experience and wisdom, and to Fergal O’Connor for bringing rhythm, movement and shared experience so memorably into the day.
Thank you also to outgoing Chairperson Mairéad Lavan, new Chairperson Orla Cunningham, our voluntary committee and everyone who contributed throughout the year.
Most importantly, thank you to our members and everyone who joined us on the day and helped create such a warm and welcoming gathering.
Special thanks once again to the team at Solas Bhríde Centre & Hermitages for providing such a beautiful setting for our Annual Conference.
We look forward to seeing how the seeds planted within our community continue to grow.
CranioSacral Ireland Team: Louise Kane Buckley, Helen Carberry, Orla Cunningham, Mairéad Feeney, Ciara Griffin, Raymond Kelly, Mairéad Lavan, Deirdre Mooney, George Rickard, Lenka Valinhas