Category: Tech News
Tech Innovations to Elevate Fan Experience at Amgen Irish Open
The Amgen Irish Open 2025 returns to The K Club’s Palmer North Course from September 3rd to 7th, bringing with it not only world-class golf but also a cutting-edge line-up of technology and innovation experiences designed to engage fans of all ages.
Leading the way is The Academy, where visitors can step into an interactive coaching environment led by PGA professionals. Fans will be able to receive expert tips, analyse their swing, and learn from some of the game’s most respected coaches, making it the perfect stop for those looking to sharpen their skills or pick up a club for the first time.
Fans can also get into the swing of things at The Arcade which turns golf into an immersive digital experience. Visitors are offered a mix of virtual reality and golf gaming, delivering a next level experience ideal for young adults and anyone who wants to combine golf with cutting-edge entertainment.
Celebrity Pro Am
The technology attractions are just part of a wider programme at The K Club. The week begins with the Celebrity Pro-Am on Wednesday, September 3rd, featuring a line-up that includes rugby star Josh van der Flier, former Irish rugby internationals Johnny Sexton and Tommy Bowe, All-Ireland winners, Tipperary’s Ronan Maher and Kerry’s David and Paudie Clifford and lifestyle influencer Dearbhla Silke.
World-Class Golfers
Fans can watch Rory McIlroy fresh from his Grand Slam season and Masters victory, alongside Shane Lowry, Pádraig Harrington, Séamus Power, Ryder Cup Captain Luke Donald, defending champion Rasmus Højgaard, 2016 Masters champion Danny Willett, 2018 Open winner Francesco Molinari, Venezuelan Jhonattan Vegas and American Ryan Gerard, will compete for the title, as they battle for one of European golf’s most prestigious titles.
Paul Gillmon, Tournament Director of the Amgen Irish Open, said:
“Fans can expect a lot more at this year’s Amgen Irish Open. We’re embracing innovation in a big way. From interactive coaching at The Academy to immersive experiences in The Arcade, we’re creating spaces where fans of all ages can engage with the game in exciting new ways. It’s all about enhancing the fan experience and making golf more accessible, interactive, and fun, whether you’re a lifelong player or just discovering the sport.”
Music
Off the course, the Village will keep the festival vibe going with live music headlined by The Stunning on Saturday night and Simple Things on Sunday evening, plus premium food and drink, family fun, and activations from top brands.
A limited number of General Admission and select Premium Experience options are available. To purchase tickets see tickets.europeantour.com.
Power Up Your College Year With Tech from eBay Ireland
30% of office workers have tried to gain unauthorised access to a colleague’s device
IT.ie, a leading Irish IT managed services company, today announces new survey results which reveal the prevalence of insider-threats within Irish businesses with 30% of office workers admitting that they have tried to gain access to a colleague’s device without their permission in the last 12 months.
The research also found that 35% of employees have actively sought out private information about a colleague, client, or customer such as their age, salary, CV or home address, from a work computer system.
The research of 1,000 office workers based in Ireland was carried out by Censuswide on behalf of IT.ie and SonicWall, a global leader in cybersecurity innovation. It forms part of IT.ie and SonicWall’s ‘Cyberpulse Ireland 2025’ report, which explores the cyberthreat landscape in Ireland, according to the sentiment and behaviours of employees.
Alongside the above high-risk behaviours, the survey also showed that a cohort of office workers may see themselves as internet sleuths, possibly influenced by viral online videos featuring content creators who try to outsmart online scammers. Almost two-in-five (38%) have engaged with a scammer – intentionally or unintentionally at work in the last 12 months, while one in four have sent an angry response to someone who they presumed to be a scammer. Furthermore, 17% say they have either duped, or attempted to dupe, an online scammer.
Concerningly, 17% have engaged with a scammer to try to convince them not to target the business – an approach that still carries significant risk.
Eamon Gallagher, Founder and Managing Director, IT.ie, said: “The report highlights some troubling behaviours among office workers that has the potential to expose businesses to considerable risk. While some employees, particularly from the younger cohort, attempt to challenge, outsmart, or reason with scammers, cybercriminals will often capitalise on their efforts, using manipulation tactics that leave the organisation more vulnerable to compromise.
“This behaviour is similar to that of those who attempt to gain access to their colleague’s device or are seeking out their personal information. While their actions may not always stem from malicious intent, it does represent a breakdown in boundaries and data responsibility.
“While these findings may raise concerns, they ultimately represent a valuable opportunity for businesses. By investing in employee training and onboarding, strengthening internal policies, implementing more robust access controls, and creating better cybersecurity awareness, organisations can address these vulnerabilities head-on. At the end of the day, a company’s cybersecurity is only as strong as its least prepared employee.”
Stuart Taylor, Senior Director of Regional Sales for Northern Europe, SonicWall said: “These findings are a stark reminder that the greatest risks often come from within the organisation, not intentionally, but through curiosity, complacency, or even misplaced confidence.
“Every click and every login matters. That’s why businesses need layered security that combines zero-trust principles, strong access controls, and continuous user education. Technology alone isn’t enough; it has to work hand-in-hand with clear policies and a culture of accountability. When employees understand the ‘why’ behind security and organisations enforce the ‘how’ through smart solutions, you close the gaps that attackers are so quick to exploit.”
Summer in the Office: Inside a Teen-Turn Placement at Hostelworld
“If you had told me a few weeks ago that I’d be seriously considering a future in tech, I probably would have laughed, flipped my short hair, and gone back to minding my own creative business. But here we are,” says Fortunate, one of five teenage girls who recently completed a two-week placement at Hostelworld through the Teen-Turn programme.
Teen-Turn, an Irish charity, works to increase female participation in STEM by giving teenage girls from underserved communities practical, hands-on industry experience. Known as “Teenturnships,” these short placements pair participants directly with professionals in the field.
“The Teen-Turn and Hostelworld collaboration is seeing young women from underserved communities gaining the confidence, career insights, and skills needed to participate in the knowledge economy. The experience for the girls is particularly impactful because, as an Irish-founded company changing its industry through technology, they learn first-hand the potential of homegrown innovation in global business,” explains Joanne Dolan, Co-Founder of Teen-Turn.
While many of their peers were binge-watching the new Wednesday season or planning summer festivals, Fortunate, Lanyan, Sabah, Sania, and Janice spent their days in Hostelworld’s sunlit Dublin office. Their schedule was packed: machine-learning workshops, analytics sessions, meetings with just about every department — from finance to the data science team — and even a company-wide meeting with 200 employees joining from around the world.
“Standing in front of the entire company, even virtually, was definitely nerve-wracking,” says Sania. “My heart was racing, but as soon as I started speaking, I realised it was an incredible opportunity to put myself out there. This moment reminded me how important it is to project confidence even when you’re feeling nervous.”
Between training, there were also glimpses of office life — coffee runs, the unspoken competition for the best desk, and lunches by the Grand Canal. By the final afternoon, the five teenagers were presenting their projects, reflecting on the skills they had learned and the confidence they had gained.
“Hostelworld wasn’t just a workplace these past two weeks — it was a place where I laughed, learned, drank far too many lattes, and met people who genuinely cared about what I had to say,” says Fortunate.
Barry McCabe, Hostelworld’s Chief People Officer, says the benefits flow both ways:
“This is our third year partnering with Teen-Turn, and the benefits to both Hostelworld and the students continue to grow. Over two weeks, they explored roles across the business, building confidence and discovering new career paths. Their questions encouraged us to reflect on how we work and communicate. The programme is a great reminder of the value in opening up our workplaces and learning from the diverse perspectives of those just starting out.”
For Ireland, still grappling with a shortage of women in STEM despite tech’s explosive growth, Teenturnships offer more than skills. They chip away at systemic barriers, giving participants the confidence and experience to pursue careers that will shape the country’s future workforce.
TCL Five EISA Wins: TCL Redefines Home Entertainment in 2025
Esri Ireland and Murphy Geospatial to accelerate rollout of vital infrastructure projects
Esri Ireland, the market leader in Geographic Information Systems (GIS) has announced a new partnership with surveying and data acquisition specialist, Murphy Geospatial (a Woolpert Company).
This strategic collaboration will combine advanced location intelligence and geospatial data capabilities to accelerate the delivery of large-scale infrastructure, urban planning, and environmental projects across the island of Ireland.
The announcement comes as the Government recently pledged an overall investment of more than €100 billion in Ireland’s infrastructure over the next five years as part of the National Development Plan (NDP).
As vital infrastructure projects grow ever more complex, organisations increasingly require data that is highly accurate and detailed. The demand for real-time mapping capabilities, spatial analytics, 3D modelling, building information modelling (BIM) integration and digital twin representation is rising across sectors such as architecture, engineering, construction, manufacturing, utilities, and energy.
This new partnership will combine Esri’s cutting-edge ArcGIS System with real-time data acquisition and integration services from Murphy Geospatial, driving actionable insights across the entire lifecycle of critical infrastructure projects. Both public and private sector organisations will benefit from powerful digital mapping and precise data capture, enabling faster, more informed decision-making. Streamlined processes and increased automation will transform raw data into interactive maps and valuable analytics, supporting project implementation and enhancing the delivery of essential services.
Esri Ireland and Murphy Geospatial customers will benefit from enhanced data acquisition and analysis capabilities, particularly in field-collected data and on large-scale data projects. Murphy Geospatial deploys aerial, vehicle-mounted, and terrestrial scanners to gather data, ensuring access to even hard-to-reach locations. All data is subjected to rigorous quality control and assurance, reducing the risk of data loss or misinterpretation.
More efficient workflows will drive productivity and collaboration for organisations, while easing the burden on internal teams. Additionally, customers will gain access to increased resources from both Murphy Geospatial and Esri Ireland, supporting project success at every stage.
Paul Synnott, Managing Director of Esri Ireland, commented:
“The Government’s recent funding boost for the NDP marks the largest infrastructure investment in Irish history. Now, more than ever, our customers will rely on high-quality, accurate, and precise data to help them better understand the influence of location, place, and geography on their decisions. Our partnership with the team at Murphy Geospatial enables us to bring their market-leading data acquisition expertise directly to our customers. It’s a partnership that simply makes sense, combining the power of Esri’s ArcGIS system with Murphy Geospatial’s advanced data acquisition solutions to deliver value far greater than the sum of its parts.”
Niall Murphy, CEO of Murphy Geospatial, added:
“Data accuracy demands are rising, and customers need confidence in their data in order to drive today’s increasingly complex projects. Data and GIS systems often live in silos, but this partnership will combine these advanced capabilities to deliver solutions to key industry challenges. From building bridges and developing transport lines to implementing flood relief measures, the potential of geospatial data is huge, and we look forward to leveraging location intelligence to drive further actionable insights. This partnership will accelerate project successes, add increased value, and fuel growth for both customer bases.”
Finalists Announced for 2025 Diversity in Tech Awards
- EPAM Systems
- Fiserv
- Integral Ad Science
- LearnUpon
- MEG
- Rewriting the Code
- SHEIN
- Access Avenue
- Datapac
- JP Morgan
- TiLT Role-Play Limited
- Yahoo International Limited
- BearingPoint
- EPAM Systems
- ESB
- Limit Break
- Logitech
- Datapac
- Indeed
- JP Morgan
- Yahoo International Limited
- Access Avenue
- EPAM Systems
- ESB
- Nexus Inclusion
- BearingPoint
- Cognizant
- Datapac
- Fastrack into Information Technology (FIT)
- Oracle EMEA Ltd.
- Uisce Éireann
- Yahoo International Limited
- Accenture
- BNY
- Greenhouse Software
- Microsoft
- Optum
- Uisce Éireann
- Gas Networks Ireland
- Greenhouse Software
- myGwork
- Shane Collective
- auticon
- BearingPoint
- EPAM Systems
- ESB
- Fastrack into Information Technology (FIT)
- Laois County Council
- Dr. Sheetal Dash of Barclays
- Israel Ngombo of BNY
- Apurva Kiran Vangujar of Jaguar Land Rover
- Lynsey Byrne of Bord Gáis Energy
- Faith Omotayo of Rewriting The Code
- Aisling Kearney of Squarespace Ireland Limited
- Naa Korkoi Addo of Taighde Éireann Research Ireland Centre for Research Training in Artificial Intelligence
- Datapac
- JLR (Jaguar Land Rover)
- Logitech
- Oracle
- PayGap.ie
- Therapix
- Women in Technology & Science Ireland
- Deirdre McCarthy – AllSkills Tech
- Rena Maycock – Chirp
- Cuty Gupta – Cozmotec
- Emer Mugisha – Cyberminds
- Corina Popov – Digitax
- Hannah Wrixon – KELLA
- Victoria Finlay – The MenoPal
- Sara Grimaldi -Amazon Web Services
- Amy Everson – Baker Hughes
- Elfreeda Sunny – EY
- Catherine Casey – Fiserv
- Faith Omotayo – Rewriting The Code
- Svitlana Samko – Verizon Connect
- Lidia Maria Muñoz – Vodafone Business
- Karen Morton – Ekco
- Rebecca Keenan of Expleo
- Marisa O’Shea – North (NAB_IRE Ventures Limited)
- Marie O’Connor – Sogeti Ireland
- Dorothy Zbikowski – Squarespace Ireland Limited
- Svitlana Samko – Verizon Connect, W2business
- Orlagh Lynch – Workhuman
- Lisa Devery – Fiserv
- Aanchal Mittal – Integral Ad Science
- Lee Pegas – JP Morgan
- Daria Vasileva – North
- Megan O’Brien – Optum
- Katarina Antill – Bonafi
- Melissa Proxenos – Debtrak
- Rebecca Keenan – Expleo
- Veronica Rahneberg – EY
- Joanna Haslam – Snap Finger Click
- Máirín Murray – TechFoundHer
- Mithra Ravichandran of Trane Technologies, Women in AI
- Chirawan Phongkasettrakam of Vodafone Business
CHERRY shortlisted at PCR Awards 2025
CHERRY has been shortlisted for Gaming Peripherals Vendor of the Year at the PCR Awards 2025 for its XTRFY range of performance-focused keyboards, mice and headsets.
The Gaming Peripherals Vendor of the Year category honours brands that have had a significant impact on gaming through innovation, performance and market presence.
The ceremony will take place on 24th September at The Brewery in London, bringing together leading names within the tech industry.
The CHERRY XTRFY line combines CHERRY’s expertise in mechanical switch engineering with XTRFY’s esports-driven innovation. The brand continues to redefine what gaming gear can be, from collaborating with professional players to co-developing enthusiast-grade technology.
In the past year, CHERRY has launched a range of products, including the MX Northern Lights Switch, the IK Magnetic Switch, the H3 Wireless Headset, the MX 8.3 TKL Wireless Keyboard and the KW 300 and 300W MX keyboards, which are CHERRY’s first hot-swappable models designed for productivity users.
CHERRY XTRFY products are now available both online and in Curry’s stores across the UK.
Recent collaborations with gaming enthusiasts have reinforced CHERRY XTRFY’s presence within competitive gaming. The brand’s first wireless gaming headset was recently endorsed by Counter-Strike legend Emil “HeatoN” Christensen, who praised it as “perfect for FPS games” with standout directional audio.
As the brand expands its presence across retail and esports, the PCR Awards recognition highlights CHERRY XTRFY’s role in shaping the future of gaming peripherals.
Robin Bithrey, Channel Marketing Manager at CHERRY Europe said: “We’re proud to be shortlisted for this award. At CHERRY, we’re gamers ourselves, and that passion fuels everything we create. From working closely with eSports pros to obsessing over the tiniest design details, our mission is to help every player get the most out of their game. Recognition like this tells us we’re on the right path.”
