The IrelandQCI Quantum & Answers Trailer recent roadshow!

The IrelandQCI Quantum & Answers Trailer recent roadshow!

Have you spotted the IrelandQCI Quantum & Answers Trailer on the road?

In recent months, the IrelandQCI Quantum & Answers Trailer has hit the road, traveling to exhibitions, events and conferences across Leinster and Munster. We take a look back at some of its journeys, destinations and the audiences we engaged. . .

At each location, the IrelandQCI quantum communications experts welcomed visitors on-board to explore the trailer which was packed with interactive displays, hands-on experiments, informative posters and to hear from our research team — providing a brilliant, all-encompassing showcase of Ireland’s growing capabilities in quantum technologies and secure communications, to audiences far and wide, across the country.

The Valentia Lecture, Valentia Island, Co. Kerry

In July, the IrelandQCI Quantum & Answers Trailer landed on the beautiful Valentia Island, Co. Kerry, as part of The Valentia Lecture 2025: Ireland’s Place in the World of 2040. The event heard keynote speakers discuss a range of perspectives including developments in technology, science, media, politics, the arts, history and a deep-dive into the future. Young leaders attended from the worlds of academia, business, politics, government, arts, sport and media, who reflected on the Ireland of today and shared their vision for Ireland in 2040, as well as its place in a globally interconnected world. The IrelandQCI Quantum & Answers Trailer welcomed these visitors across a full day to explore the quantum communication technology on-board, and discuss its role in the vision of Ireland in 2040.

We were also pleased to welcome Minister Michael Healy-Rae from the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, and discuss his interest in Ireland’s quantum future.

INEX – Internet Neutral Exchange Members’ Meeting, Dublin

In September, we collaborated with the INEX team to bring the IrelandQCI Quantum & Answers Trailer to showcase at their latest INEX Members’ Meeting in Dublin city centre, where industry stakeholders came together to discuss the latest developments across an array of technological sectors.  

A particular INEX member company in attendance, doubles as an industry partner of the IrelandQCI project – ESB Telecoms is proudly part of the IrelandQCI consortium, and recognises the importance of securing our national infrastructure against cyber threats and embracing the need to be digital and data-driven now and for future generations.ESB Telecoms provides the vital fibre optic backbone for the IrelandQCI project. Senior representatives of ESB Telecoms John Reilly, Head of Infrastructure, and Paul Meagher, Business Development, attended the INEX meeting and were happy to hop on-board the IrelandQCI Quantum & Answers Trailer! Over 40 other member companies were in attendance including another IrelandQCI consortium partner HEAnet, who were on hand to support as attendees brought their quantum questions to the IrelandQCI team to be answered throughout the meeting.

European Researcher’s Night, Trinity College Dublin

Later in September,  the IrelandQCI Quantum & Answers Trailer was front and center at Trinity College Dublin Front Square for a full Friday night, where members of the public had the opportunity to hop on-board and engage our researchers in celebration of European Researchers’ Night!  

European Researchers’ Night is a Europe-wide public engagement programme, dedicated to showcasing the diversity of research and its impact on citizens’ daily lives in fun and inspiring ways.  

This was a fantastic event to showcase the IrelandQCI Quantum & Answers Trailer in conjunction with thousands of other inspirational researchers participating internationally on the same night. The general public are a key target audience for the IrelandQCI project, so our experts welcomed the opportunity to showcase our on-board demonstrations and explain the benefits of quantum communications to society, in an understandable way.

Toys4Engineers, SETU Arena, Co. Waterford

In October, the IrelandQCI Quantum & Answers Trailer left the capital once again and travelled south east, arriving at Carriganore in Co. Waterford on a rainy day for the Toys4Engineers event. This annual exhibition is a stalwart for STEM industries in the south east, and sees 100+ exhibitors come together to showcase their latest wares, technologies and products. The quantum trailer was positioned at the entrance of the SETU Arena where attendees engaged the IrelandQCI experts upon arrival to hear about the project, quantum communication technologies, and the benefits quantum communication will bring to their sectors in the future. 

This exhibition was organised and attended by Waterford Chamber with the support of Engineering the South East, ENERGIAA, Waterford Chamber SkillnetWaterford City & County Councill, Local Enterprise OfficesIDA IrelandEnterprise Ireland,  Engineers Ireland, and Business in the Community

Cyber Ireland National Conference (CINC25) Co. Kilkenny ​

In mid October, the IrelandQCI Quantum & Answers Trailer was on the road again, this time travelling to the stunning Lyrath Estate in Co. Kilkenny, where it exhibited at the brilliant Cyber Ireland National Conference #CINC 2025.  
 
It was fantastic to engage so many industry stakeholders at this terrific event and participate in the conversation about the role of quantum communications and security in the future in Ireland with stakeholders working within the cyber security space.  

CINC is Cyber Ireland’s annual flagship cyber security event bringing together 400+ representatives of the cyber security community to an event where senior leaders meet and discuss the cyber security challenges facing industry and Ireland, learn about innovative solutions and hear from national and international perspectives. IrelandQCI Project Lead and Director of Research Walton Institute SETU Dr Deirdre Kilbane participated in a panel discussion entitled: ‘Quantum Readiness: Is Ireland’s Cyber Sector Prepared?’ and led a team of IrelandQCI researchers on-board the Quantum & Answers Trailer in addressing questions from attendees about the role of quantum communications in the security space.  

The IrelandQCI Quantum & Answers Trailer provided delegates the opportunity to hop on-board between speaker sessions, discuss quantum communication technologies with our experts, and watch the demonstration of the BB84 cryptography experiment on board.  

Watch out for the IrelandQCI Quantum & Answers Trailer on the road again soon! 

The IrelandQCI Quantum & Trailer continues to travel around the country to showcase the real-world benefits of secure quantum communications for Irish society and to inspire future generations to explore careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) and to educate stakeholders on the benefits of quantum communication technologies.  

Look out for the IrelandQCI Q & A trailer on the road again soon! With thanks to our fantastic IrelandQCI Q & A Trailer researchers from Walton Institute, South East Technological University, Trinity College Dublin, and CONNECT Research Ireland Centre for Future Networks.  

About IrelandQCI 

The IrelandQCI project ‘Building a National Quantum Communication Infrastructure for Ireland’, is led by Walton Institute at South East Technological University on behalf of CONNECT Centre, co-funded by European Commission and the Irish government’s Department of Culture, Communications and Sport.  

IrelandQCI Consortium of Partners 
South East Technological University Walton Institute CONNECT Centre Research Ireland Trinity College Dublin Tyndall National Institute 

University College Dublin University College Cork Maynooth University ICHEC (Irish Centre for High-End Computing) 

University of Galway ESB Telecoms HEAnet GRNET – Greek Research & Technology Network. 

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