Creative Brainwaves Autumn 2025: Global Voices, Creative Solutions, Healthier Minds Talks & Workshops

This November, dlr Libraries will host Creative Brainwaves: Global Voices, Creative Solutions, Healthier Minds. Hosted and curated by Atlantic Fellows for Equity in Brain Health, Karen Meenan and Mike Hanrahan with support from Creative Ireland, these sessions will showcase global and local initiatives in creative arts, dementia, brain health, Parkinson’s, and extended reality (XR) with talks, workshops, and performances aimed at promoting wellbeing through creativity and innovation. 

Attendees are welcome to join the morning session, the afternoon session, or both. For more details, including bookings, please go to dlr Libraries Ticket Tailor. 

Any queries or questions can be sent to libraryculture@dlrcoco.ie

Morning Session: Talks & Presentations

11.00am - 12.45pm

Speakers include:

• Gráinne McGettrick, Director of Research and Policy in Acquired Brain Injury Ireland
• Dr Anne Marie Glynn, Chief Operations Officer at the Global Brain Health Institute at Trinity College Dublin
• Richelle Flanagan, founder of My Moves Matter and co-founder of The Women’s Parkinsons Project
• Dr Anusha Yasoda-Mohan, programme manager for EMERALD-Lewy and expert on tinnitus
• Dr Nick Johnson, Associate Professor, Head of Drama and Global Brain Health Institute faculty member at Trinity College Dublin
• Gabrielle Breathnach, actor and facilitator
• Alice Wroe, XR Lead for Atlantic Institute
• Richard Smith, XR Specialist for Atlantic Institute

Following a morning of talks and presentations, there will be an afternoon of interactive workshops.

Afternoon Session: Workshops

1.30-2.20pm: Extended Reality (XR) workshop lead by Alice Wroe and Richard Smith

All ticketholders are welcome to join Alice Wroe, XR Lead for Atlantic Institute and Richard Smith, XR Specialist for Atlantic Institute, for a session on extended reality as they create a 360 video.

2.40-3.30pm: We have a choice of four interactive workshops that attendees can join.

*Please choose ONE workshop from the list below that you wish to attend. You must book your ticket for your chosen workshop, your ticket allows you to attend this workshop only.*

• Workshop 1:  Theatre workshop facilitated by Karen Meenan, co-hosted by Gabrielle Breathnach

  Participants will join Karen Meenan, dementia communicator, playwright, radio presenter and producer for this workshop and Gabrielle Breathnach, actor and facilitator and writer of the dementia inclusive play Fragments.

• Workshop 2: Theatre workshop facilitated by Dr. Nicholas Johnson

  The session will be facilitated by Dr. Nick Johnson, Associate Professor and Head of Drama at Trinity College Dublin, where he acts as the arts and health lead for the Global Brain Health Institute and co-directs the Trinity Centre for Beckett Studies.

• Workshop 3: Dance with Dr. Anusha Yasoda-Mohan

  Dr. Anusha Yasoda - Mohan, is an Atlantic Fellow for Equity in Brain Health at the Global Brain Health Institute, and Program Manager for a National Research Programme EMERALD - Lewy. Dr Yasoda - Mohan is also a trained Indian classical and Bollywood dancer, and will lend this accessible workshop, suitable for seated participants. 

• Workshop 4: Nutrition for Optimum Brain Health led by Richelle Flanagan

  Join dietician Richelle Flanagan, co-founder of the Women’s Parkinson’s Project and My Moves Matter, as she facilitates this workshop about nutrition and the importance of diet for optimum brain health.