Kate has worked at the highest level of sport for almost 20 years and has attended the London, Rio, Tokyo and Paris Olympic Games as a psychologist with Team Ireland. Through her position as a senior psychologist in the Sport Ireland Institute, she has worked directly with medal-winning athletes from Olympic rowing, Olympic sailing and Paralympic swimming. She has also supported World and European medalists from a range of sports such as athletics, women’s hockey, taekwondo, badminton and modern pentathlon. In addition, Kate works privately with athletes from individual sports such as golf and tennis and is actively supporting a number of successful touring professionals in both sports.

She also possesses considerable expertise in the area of athlete career and lifestyle management. Through her previous work as a personal development consultant for the Gaelic Players' Association and at Rugby Players Ireland, she has supported the dual careers of many high-performance athletes and helped them through their transition out of elite sport and into the next phase of their working lives. Kate also acted in the role of psychology lead on the National Sports Science Working Group for Gaelic Games for a number of years.

Alongside her work in sport, Kate has extensive experience in the corporate sector, translating lessons from elite performance environments into practical, evidence-based insights that resonate strongly with business leaders and teams. In 2021, she was recruited as a member of Google’s worldwide Speaker Bureau and partnered with the company on its global Staff Resilience Project. She regularly speaks at corporate events throughout Ireland and internationally, as well as appearing in print and broadcast media.

Dr Kate Kirby

Olympic Sport Psychologist

With decades of experience operating at the highest level of sport, Kate brings deep expertise in performance under pressure, resilience, mindset, and leadership.

Kate has worked at the highest level of sport for almost 20 years and has attended the London, Rio, Tokyo and Paris Olympic Games as a psychologist with Team Ireland. Through her position as a senior psychologist in the Sport Ireland Institute, she has worked directly with medal-winning athletes from Olympic rowing, Olympic sailing and Paralympic swimming. She has also supported World and European medalists from a range of sports such as athletics, women’s hockey, taekwondo, badminton and modern pentathlon. In addition, Kate works privately with athletes from individual sports such as golf and tennis and is actively supporting a number of successful touring professionals in both sports.

She also possesses considerable expertise in the area of athlete career and lifestyle management. Through her previous work as a personal development consultant for the Gaelic Players' Association and at Rugby Players Ireland, she has supported the dual careers of many high-performance athletes and helped them through their transition out of elite sport and into the next phase of their working lives. Kate also acted in the role of psychology lead on the National Sports Science Working Group for Gaelic Games for a number of years.

Alongside her work in sport, Kate has extensive experience in the corporate sector, translating lessons from elite performance environments into practical, evidence-based insights that resonate strongly with business leaders and teams. In 2021, she was recruited as a member of Google’s worldwide Speaker Bureau and partnered with the company on its global Staff Resilience Project. She regularly speaks at corporate events throughout Ireland and internationally, as well as appearing in print and broadcast media.

Key Speaker Topics 

  • 1. Performing Under Pressure

    How elite athletes deliver when the stakes are highest — and how leaders and teams can apply the same psychological tools to critical moments, high-impact decisions, and demanding environments.

    2. High-Performance Mindset: Lessons from Elite Sport

    What separates top performers from the rest, how mindset drives behaviour, and how organisations can embed high-performance thinking into everyday culture.

    3. Understanding the Dynamics of High Performing Teams 

    Understanding the complexity of interpersonal dynamics and how to encourage various stakeholders to align and work together in pursuit of a common goal

    4. Leading in Uncertain Times

    How leaders influence performance psychologically, manage emotional responses in challenging situations, and create clarity and confidence during uncertainty and change.

    5. Building Mental Resilience for Sustainable Performance

    Strategies for developing resilience without burnout, maintaining energy and focus over long periods, and performing consistently rather than occasionally.

    6. Managing Stress, Anxiety & Mental Load

    Understanding the impact of pressure on performance, recognising early warning signs of overload, and applying practical tools to manage stress in fast-paced workplaces.

    7. Confidence, Focus & Consistency

    Building confidence that endures beyond short-term wins, maintaining focus in complex environments, and delivering high-quality performance day after day.

    8. Change, Adaptability & Recovery

    Lessons from elite sport on managing change, bouncing back from setbacks, and the importance of recovery in sustaining long-term performance.

    9. Career Transitions & Identity Beyond Performance

    Insights from working with elite athletes on navigating career change, managing identity shifts, and successfully transitioning into the next phase of professional life.

    10. From Olympic Sport to Organisational Excellence

    Translating the principles of Olympic preparation into leadership behaviours, team dynamics, and cultures that thrive under pressure.

We reached out to Kate to run a panel session for our department with a focus on mental strength and resilience. Kate ran the session in front of a captivated audience of approx. 500 people in the Convention Centre. The topics ranged from training approach, personal challenges and ways to deal with pressure, and overall feedback from the discussion was hugely positive. The whole session resonated really well with the group and Kate did an excellent job of relating the professional sporting world to the dynamic of the workplace environment.

Deloitte

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