AXL Audiovisual produced the Connected Health Care Awards Gala 2026 at CityNorth Hotel & Conference Centre, Co. Meath, on Friday 23 October 2026. We have produced Connected Health's Belfast awards for three years, and this was our first time delivering their awards in the Republic of Ireland. We supplied a 3m by 3m LED wall, L-Acoustics sound, a follow spot and brand-matched lighting for 150 guests in the Somerville suite, run on the night by two AXL crew.
The brief
Connected Health holds the gala to recognise its carers and managers from across the Republic of Ireland: the people who go above and beyond every day for the clients they care for. This year's theme was To Infinity and Beyond, complete with a surprise appearance from Buzz Lightyear and his alien friends.
The night had two halves. First, a ceremony with speeches from CEO Ryan Williams and Managing Director Rebecca Vogel, then every nominee and winner celebrated on stage. Then a party, with a live band and a DJ. The production had to give carers a stage worthy of the work they do, then step aside and let the dance floor take over.
A stage built around one screen
The centrepiece was a 3m by 3m LED wall in 2.9mm panels, ground-stacked at the back of the stage. Black drapes either side framed it and closed off the venue's walls, so the stage read as one finished set rather than a screen in a ballroom.
The wall carried the gala branding, a name slide for each speaker, and the award presentations, all played from show laptops at the production desk. With a 3m tall image sitting behind the stage, the screen stayed visible over every table in the room.
Sound shared with the next day's show
The Somerville suite was hosting a conference the following morning, with the room turned 90 degrees overnight. We designed both events around one sound system, so the gala ran on the conference rig.
That meant L-Acoustics tops on stands either side of the stage, with SB18 subwoofers beneath, powered by an LA8 amplified controller. For a room of 150, it gave clear speech at every table during the ceremony and real weight for the band and DJ later.
Presenters used a gooseneck microphone on a clear acrylic lectern, with handheld microphones for the host and winners. Everything ran through a digital console at the production desk. The band and DJ brought their full setups, and we provided a stereo feed into the house PA, so the change from ceremony to party took minutes.
Lighting matched to the brand
Connected Health's colours are green and teal, so the whole room was lit in them. Sixteen battery uplighters washed the walls around the suite, with no cables crossing a guest route. Eight wireless LED tubes stood across the stage front, matched to the uplighters, all run from an Avolites T1 controller.
Four profiles washed the stage, so speakers' faces read properly on camera against a bright LED wall. A follow spot picked up each winner from their table and held them all the way to the stage, giving every carer their own moment in the light.
On the night
After the speeches and awards, the band took the stage and the dance floor filled. Two AXL crew ran sound, vision and lighting throughout, from the production desk at the side of the stage.
Once the last song finished, the gala was de-rigged and the room turned 90 degrees, ready for the next morning's conference on the same sound system.
Planning an awards night in Ireland?
We produce awards nights across Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland, from Belfast to Dublin and Meath. Tell us about your event and we will plan the screens, sound and lighting around your room and your running order.
Key facts
Client Connected Health (returning client: three years of their Belfast awards, first in the Republic of Ireland)
Event Connected Health Care Awards Gala 2026
Venue Somerville suite, CityNorth Hotel & Conference Centre, Co. Meath
Date Friday 23 October 2026
Guests 150
LED 3m x 3m wall, 2.9mm pitch, ground-stacked behind the stage and framed by black drapes
Visuals Gala branding, speaker name slides and award presentations from show laptops
Audio L-Acoustics tops and SB18 subwoofers on an LA8, digital console, lectern gooseneck mic, handheld microphones, stereo feed for the band and DJ
Lighting 4 profiles, follow spot, 8 wireless LED tubes, 16 battery uplighters, Avolites T1, all in Connected Health green and teal
Entertainment Live band and DJ, using their own setups into the house PA
Crew Two AXL crew running sound, vision and lighting
Build Same-day build from midday, doors 6.30pm, room turned overnight for a conference the next day
Frequently asked questions
Does AXL provide AV in the Republic of Ireland? Yes. We are based in Belfast and produce events across the whole island, including Dublin, Meath and Louth. The Connected Health Care Awards Gala at CityNorth Hotel is one recent example.
Can one sound system serve two different events in the same room? Yes. When a venue hosts back-to-back events, we can plan both around a shared rig, then reconfigure overnight. At CityNorth, the gala and the next day's conference ran on the same L-Acoustics system, with the room turned 90 degrees between them.
Why use a follow spot at an awards night? It picks each winner out from the moment they stand up and holds them all the way to the stage. Guests can see who has won, photographers get a properly lit shot, and the winner gets a moment that feels like theirs.
Can my band or DJ use your PA? Yes. Most bands and DJs bring their own setup and we take a stereo feed into the house system, as we did at CityNorth. We confirm connections with the act before the day so the change from ceremony to party is quick.
