Young Presidents’ Organisation YPO Family University in Ireland, 2005

Type of event
“YPO Family University” is an event with multi-track educational sessions each day coupled with unique off-site activities and excursions aimed at family groups with participants ranging in age from 5 to adult

Challenge
To demonstrate convincingly that Ireland was capable of staging an 8 day educational programme for 145 high net worth families and to plan, operate and reconcile a programme with over 400 individual suppliers all of whom were on individual contracts

Solution
Pádraic Gilligan, Marketing Director at Ovation presented a rationale to Event Chair Mike Kelley based on a “spoke and hub” concept whereby the event would buy-out 4 signature period properties located on Ireland’s scenic western seaboard before converging on Four Seasons Hotel Dublin, also privatised exclusively for University participants. Thus the delegate experience reflected the intrinsic contrasts of the destination: intimate contact with heritage and landscape during the first 3 days at Ashford Castle, Adare Manor, Dromoland Castle and Sheen Falls Lodge followed by an exciting encounter with the “new” emerging Ireland during the final 4 days in cosmopolitan Dublin.

Itineraries were planned for 5 different age groups with Canadian Experiential Learning Specialists, Pinnacle Pursuits. This programme involved professional storytellers, lessons in playing Irish traditional musical instruments, access to and recording sessions at the U2 studio, and interaction with over 150 local Irish kids. Concurrent adult sessions involved world renowned dignitaries such as Irish prime minister Bertie Ahern and Sinn Fein leader Gerry Adams.

Evening social events featured “Night at the Races”,an adult only night at the prestigious Royal Hospital Kilmainham and a spectacular final event at the Royal Dublin Society (RDS) during which the song commissioned by YPO for the event was debuted in a performance featuring over 200 children on stage.

Result:
Seamless delivery of a programme with uncommonly complex logistics over 300 individual arrival transfer services over 3 days at 5 different airports to five different venues

The customer said:
In watching the DVD of the event ... I was moved to tears with the smiles that I saw across the faces of all of our children. The twinkle in everyone’s eyes, big and small, as well as the fun, laughter and adventure we shared was crystal clear in the footage. It is a cherished lifetime memory for the Kelley family. Thank you again for all that you did”
Mike Kelley, Chair, Ireland Family University and YPO International Director of Events