A keynote speaker who has filmed Ireland from bog to Belfast
Ireland is not a stamp in a passport for Paris Norriss. It is a country he has explored on camera for Guy in the Sky, the adventure series from Blazing Sand Studios that discovers the essence of a place through a run of real experiences. He is a keynote speaker on grit and mindset and CEO of Blazing Sand Studios, and when Irish organisers book The Grit Code they get a speaker who already knows the island's landscapes, sporting culture and stories — from bog diving and the Irish National Stud to the Guinness Storehouse, the Irish Derby, hovercraft racing, horse riding in Northern Ireland, the Dark Hedges, Titanic Belfast and fishing in Portrush.
Guy in the Sky: Ireland on the ground
Each Guy in the Sky episode is a series of adventures designed to uncover what makes a country itself. In Ireland that meant getting wet, saddle-sore and curious:
- Bog diving and the landscapes that shape Irish outdoor life
- Visiting the Irish National Stud and the world of Irish thoroughbreds
- The Guinness Storehouse in Dublin
- The Irish Derby
- Hovercraft racing
- Horse riding in Northern Ireland
- The Dark Hedges
- Titanic Belfast
- Fishing in Portrush
Those experiences sit alongside Paris's wider adventure CV — the 2023 Pacific row with Brothers N Oars and the World Marathon Challenge completed in 5 days, 21 hours and 51 minutes — so an Irish keynote can move from local colour to universal grit without feeling imported.
The Grit Code for Irish organisations
Irish businesses, universities, sports clubs and tourism bodies face the same pressure every ambitious market does: change, talent retention and teams that need more than another strategy offsite. The Grit Code offers a practical method — purpose, vision, limiting beliefs, adapting plans, clear heads under pressure — illustrated with stories that respect an audience which already values toughness and humour. Paris can lean on sporting parallels from the Irish National Stud and Irish Derby days on camera, or on confined-team lessons from the Pacific crew that raised more than £150,000 for marine conservation.
Tourism, sport and corporate rooms
Paris has spoken at the Sharjah International Travel and Tourism Forum (SITTF), the UN Tourism General Assembly Opening Ceremony in Riyadh, IHG Ignite and Soneva resorts — useful context for Irish tourism and hospitality events. Corporate and leadership rooms at Kraft Heinz, Nokia, Stanton Chase and XCEL Talks show the same talk lands with operators. University audiences at Edinburgh University and Sorbonne University Abu Dhabi demonstrate fit for Irish higher education and student leadership programmes.
Booking for Ireland
Paris is based in the UAE and travels for engagements. For Ireland dates, combining with UK travel is often efficient; a virtual keynote of 30–45 minutes is available when travel is not. A pre-event briefing shapes which Ireland filming stories and which expedition lessons take centre stage for your room.
Formats
- Keynote (45–60 minutes) for conferences, corporate offsites and tourism forums in Ireland.
- Grit Deconstruction workshop (90 minutes to half a day)
- Host or MC for awards and openings, alongside keynote work
- Virtual keynote (30–45 minutes)
British-Irish itineraries and practical booking
Paris is British-born and British-educated, with West Country roots, Millfield, Edinburgh University and active membership of the British Chamber of Commerce Dubai. Ireland engagements often sit naturally alongside UK travel. Organisers in Dublin, Belfast, Cork or Galway get a speaker who can reference Guy in the Sky Ireland filming with accurate place names and who can still deliver the full Grit Code method used for Nokia, Kraft Heinz, UN Tourism and IHG. The briefing call decides how much airtime the Ireland stories receive versus the Pacific and marathon pillars.
FAQ
Has Paris spent time filming in Ireland?
Yes. Guy in the Sky's Ireland adventures include bog diving, the Irish National Stud, the Guinness Storehouse, the Irish Derby, hovercraft racing, horse riding in Northern Ireland, the Dark Hedges, Titanic Belfast and fishing in Portrush.
What keynote does he deliver in Ireland?
The Grit Code, tailored with Ireland filming stories and expedition lessons from the Pacific row and World Marathon Challenge.
Does he speak on tourism themes?
Yes. He has spoken at UN Tourism, SITTF, IHG Ignite and Soneva events, which pairs well with Irish tourism and hospitality audiences.
Can he cover Northern Ireland as well as the Republic?
Yes. The Ireland filming included horse riding in Northern Ireland, the Dark Hedges, Titanic Belfast and fishing in Portrush.
Is a virtual option available for Irish teams?
Yes. A 30–45 minute virtual keynote can be delivered live in your time zone.
Bring grit to your next event
Tell us the date, the city, the audience and what you want them to walk out with. You will get a straight answer on availability and fit. Prefer to talk first? Book a call.
More about Paris: About · The Grit Code · Contact