Tag: national

Record Numbers for National Womens Enterprise Day 2024

A new record attendance for National Women’s Enterprise Day was set at events that took place across the country today (October17th).  Over 2,200 female entrepreneurs and women in business attended the 14 Local Enterprise Office led events nationwide, the most that has attended the day since it’s inception in 2006.

It was also revealed that so far this year 64% of those who availed of training this year by the Local Enterprise Offices were women and that 61% of the participants in the Local Enterprise Offices Start Your Own Business programme in 2024 have been female.

Breege Cosgrave, Co-Chair of National Women’s Enterprise Day 2024, said; “It is fantastic to see a record turnout for this year’s National Women’s Enterprise Day.  Since Covid we have seen how important these events can be for helping female entrepreneurs and women in business to grow their networks and see there is support out there within their community to help get them started and to grow their businesses.  

We have 14 fantastic events across the country covering everything from getting started and funding through to digitalization and sustainability.  There’s something for everyone and some amazing businesses and female entrepreneurs telling their stories of how they got started and overcame challenges.  National Women’s Enterprise Day is vital for showcasing the very best of our female entrepreneurs and showing those who hope to take that leap in the future that the support is there.”     

This was the 18th year of National Women’s Enterprise Day (NWED) and the theme of this year’s event was, “Making it happen”.  The event aims to encourage businesswomen to take that next step whether that be to act on an idea, grow their business or take steps to change or innovate in their business.  The event also highlights the supports available to early stage small businesses from funding and grants to mentoring and training.

Some of those that took part this year included Aimee Connolly, founder and CEO of Sculpted by Aimee, Anne Heraty founder of CPL Resources, Oonagh O’Hagan of Meaghers Pharmacy, broadcaster and entrepreneur, Norah Casey, Martina Fitzgerald of Scale Ireland, entrepreneur Chupi Sweetman and broadcaster and podcaster Sile Seoige.  They were joined at the events across the country by a host of female led small businesses and start-ups are telling their story of how they began and made it happen with their ideas.

The Local Enterprise Offices also run a number of initiatives to foster entrepreneurship across the country. These include Local Enterprise Week, the National Enterprise Awards, the Student Enterprise Programme, Local Enterprise Village at the Ploughing Championships and Local Enterprise Showcase. The Local Enterprise Offices in local authorities are funded by the Government of Ireland through Enterprise Ireland.

Established in 2014, the Local Enterprise Offices are the essential resource for any entrepreneur looking to start a business or any small business that is looking for support or advice to help them grow. Since their inception eight years ago, the Local Enterprise Offices have helped create over 75,000 jobs across the country. The LEOs work with thousands of client companies across Ireland in a diverse range of sectors offering mentoring, training, expert advice and financial supports to small businesses.

For more information on National Women’s Enterprise Day go to www.LocalEnterprise.ie/NWED

Andrew Porter, re-opens Explorium, Ireland’s National Sport and Science Centre, and launches new state of the art experiences

Irish Rugby Player, Andrew Porter’, Andrew Porter, was on hand this morning to re-open Explorium, Ireland’s National Sport and Science Centre located in Sandyford, Dublin 18. Originally opened in 2019, Explorium is a world-class educational 110,000 sq ft facility offering almost 250 exhibits and immersive experiences, including a range of new and exciting exhibitions for all to enjoy this summer.

The new attractions are sure to grab the attention of sport and science fans and include “COOL IT”, an interactive 6,000 sq ft experience that gives participants the chance to track their climate impact and explore potential solutions in a fun and engaging way. The incredible robot ‘Recycleops’ was built locally from recycled parts and the F1 simulator gives guests a chance to experience real speed and pit stops!

In partnership with Verse Augmented Reality, Explorium Activities has added the ‘Unreal Gardens’ and ‘Star Walk’ immersive AR journeys that transport visitors into a magical world of nature or on an exciting journey through the solar system in a 2,500 sq ft state of the art space, the first of its kind in Europe.

Explorium is also delighted to announce the addition of a Sensory Room for families with children with additional needs to enjoy the benefits of a 1,500 sq ft sensory area to engage in developmental play in a calming environment. Access to the Sensory Room is provided free of charge upon booking the appropriate ticket online.

Welcoming guests back with an impressive lineup of innovative exhibits and experiences that aim to educate, engage, and entertain all ages, Explorium Junior serves ages 2-7, while Explorium Science and Explorium Activities serve ages 8 to adult.

Andrew Porter, Irish Rugby Player said:

“I’m delighted to reopen Explorium, Ireland’s National Sports and Science centre and launch the new and exciting exhibitions. I’ve been a big fan of Explorium for many years, so it’s brilliant to see it open again after covid! It’s a great day out for all.”

Explorium Junior re-opened in January and has already welcomed over 60,000 visitors, clearly showing the immense need and demand for informal science learning, both locally and nationally.

The rest of Explorium is now open with something for everyone from age 8 to adult and caters to individuals, families, groups, school tours, birthday parties, corporate events and other functions.

Explorium Science offers a purpose-built 110-seater cinema and auditorium plus almost 250 exhibits and immersive experiences, including its original G-Force bike, a Formula One simulator, Tesla Lightning Show, Gravity Room, Planetary Zone, and Sport Science area.

Explorium Activities offers two amazing climbing walls, with Urban Climb for beginners and Conquer your Fears for more advanced climbers, plus incredible adventures in our Virtual Reality or Augmented Reality attractions.

Charlie Kelly, co- founder of Explorium commented:

“We are very proud to have created a world-class destination for science, sport, technology and innovation, making science relevant and accessible to people of all ages. Our ambition is to be a champion of science nationally and locally, inspiring the next generation of scientists, athletes, inventors, artists, and engineers. We’re thrilled to open the new attractions – the state-of-the-art Augmented Reality experience is the first of its kind in Europe.

Parents are crying out for space for their children to learn, play, and create, in a safe, modern and accessible space, and we welcome all ages back to Explorium. There is something here for everyone. What we have managed to achieve is truly unique in Ireland.”

During the summer, Explorium Science and Explorium Activities are open from Tuesday to Sunday, from 10:00am to 6:00pm, with late hours on Fridays until 8:00pm. Junior Explorium is open daily, from Monday to Sunday, from 9:30am to 5:30pm. Tickets can be bought from www.explorium.ie and pre-booking is recommended.

DreamDev Technologies software company from KIldare win at the National Enterprise Awards

DreamDev Technologies, a software company from Kildare who have developed a new AI augmented platform helping companies to significantly increase their product’s time to market, have been named Overall Winner at this year’s National Enterprise Awards.  DreamDev Technologies, established by Eoin Barry and Douglas Augiar, are the third Kildare winner of the National Enterprise of the Year Award in the last six years following on from Terra NutriTech in 2018 and Pestle & Mortar in 2019.

The Awards, which are an initiative of the Local Enterprise Offices to celebrate the best small businesses in Ireland, were held at the Round Room in the Mansion House in Dublin in what is their 24th year.  Peter Burke, T.D., Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, announced this year’s winners in front of representatives from the Local Enterprise Offices, Enterprise Ireland and the Local Authorities and small businesses from across the country at the event.

DreamDev was set up in 2019 with the aim of utilising online tools and software to enable faster digitalisation for companies. Their flagship product, ‘the dot-star enterprise’ software platform enables software engineering teams to create their own bespoke software programmes which deliver results with significantly reduced resourcing requirements.

Announcing the award winners at the Mansion House and after earlier launching the new Local Enterprise Office Policy Statement, Minister Burke said; “The National Enterprise Awards are the highlight of the small business and enterprise calendar.  Year on year the diversity of businesses and the standard of companies that are coming through the process is getting stronger.  We should not be surprised given the innovation and endurance that businesses have shown in recent years.  We have some outstanding winners but the finalists on the whole have been excellent, and this is very much the start of their journey.  

“The new Local Enterprise Office Policy Statement I announced today sets out the vital role that LEOs have in fostering entrepreneurship and helping small businesses thrive every day across the country. The Policy Statement charts a clear roadmap of how LEOs will align their work with the priorities of the White Paper on Enterprise and ensure that their high-calibre offering continues into the future. I pay tribute to the great work of the current and former staff of the LEOs who, over the last 10 years, have helped and guided small businesses in Ireland which are at the heart of every town, village and community and are vital to our economy.”

John Magee, Chair of the network of Local Enterprise Offices, said; “The National Enterprise Awards are the standard bearer for the very best of small businesses in Ireland.  You can see from previous winners that this is the first step on a bigger journey and it opens many doors for them nationally and internationally.   Across the Finalists and winners you see a great diversity of businesses covering a range of sectors.  The entrepreneurship eco-system is extremely healthy and these businesses are a testament to that.

“These entrepreneurs are inspired to create businesses and employment in their own areas and to establish businesses that can not only compete here but globally.  It’s a honour to be able to work with these businesses on a day-to-day basis and we look forward to seeing what all the finalists do in the coming years.”

 There were several other category winners announced on the night.

Innovation Award

The winner of the Innovation Award was Cytidel.  The cybersecurity company, supported by Local Enterprise Office Mayo, has created software that helps cybersecurity teams to identify and prioritise the top cyber threats to a company.

Best Export Award 

The winner of the Best Export Award was Eskimo Software.  The company, who are supported by Local Enterprise Office Carlow, have created a CRM and lead generation software package specifically for car dealerships to improve efficiency and sales.

Best Start Up Award

The winner of the Best Start-Up Award was The Black Stuff.  The men’s care business, who are supported by Local Enterprise Office Dun Laoghaire Rathdown, are creating over 10,000 handmade soaps a week and have utilised social media to create one of the fastest growing men’s care brands in the country.

 Green / Sustainability Award 

The winner of the Green/Sustainability Award was Living Green.  The sustainable living company, supported by Local Enterprise Office Donegal, create a range of products from organic compost and worm cast to wheatgrass and frozen shots.

One To Watch Award 

The winner of the One to Watch Award was Drink Botanicals.  The drinks company, supported by Local Enterprise Office Dublin City, have created a suite of products such as natural based syrups, cocktail ancillaries and dried garnishes that are being sold directly into over 200 bars, restaurants and off licences.

This year’s winners share a €50,000 investment fund and eight regional winners were also announced on the night.

Those winners are –

 

  • PRM Assist in the Dublin Region (backed by LEO Fingal)
  • Nutshed in the South West Region (backed by LEO Tipperary)
  • Watt Footprint in the Mid East Region (backed by LEO Westmeath)
  • Expat Taxes in the South Region (backed by LEO Waterford)
  • Brady’s Coffee in the South East Region (backed by LEO Wicklow)
  • Sleater Solutions in the North West Region (backed by LEO Sligo)
  • Zoma in the North East Region (backed by LEO Louth)
  • Grá Chocolates in the West Region (backed by LEO Galway)

Also honoured on the night were Bevcraft who won the Outstanding Achievement Award.  An example of a company who began with their Local Enterprise Office and then accessed support from Enterprise Ireland to grow their business globally.

Established by friends Ciarán Gorman and Darren Fenton who wanted to create an international business with significant employment in their hometown of Mullingar.   Their independent canning business and their mobile canning function allowed any small brewer to can and brand their drinks on site.  They now have 8 locations across Europe, servicing 20 countries and handling over 100million cans per year.

Previous winners of the National Enterprise Awards include Irish Yoghurts (1998), Obelisk (2000), Simtech Aviation (2008), Digiweb (2004) and Design Pro (2013), Terra NutriTech (2018), Pestle & Mortar (2019), Bevcraft (2021) and Aqualicence in 2022.

Last year’s winners were Advanced Cosmetics, supported by Local Enterprise Office Mayo.   The Ballina based company were set up Noreen Hackett in 2018, before launching to market in 2022.  As one of the only “concept to shelves” cosmetics companies in Europe they have achieved significant success, securing contracts with some of the biggest brand names in the cosmetics industry.

The National Enterprise Awards also celebrated 10 years since the inception of the Local Enterprise Offices in 2014 with several former winners attending on the evening.

The National Enterprise Awards are one of several initiatives that the Local Enterprise Offices run, to foster entrepreneurship across the country. Others include Local Enterprise Week, the Student Enterprise Programme, National Women’s Enterprise Day and Local Enterprise Showcase. The Local Enterprise Offices in local authorities are funded by the Government of Ireland through Enterprise Ireland.

Established in 2014, the Local Enterprise Offices are the essential resource for any entrepreneur looking to start a business or any small business that is looking for support or advice to help them grow. Since their inception eight years ago, the Local Enterprise Offices have helped create over 70,000 jobs across the country. The LEOs work with thousands of client companies across Ireland in a diverse range of sectors offering mentoring, training, expert advice and financial supports to small businesses. For more information see www.LocalEnterprise.ie

Version 1 brings National Museum of Computing at Bletchley Park alive with new AI-led app

Version 1, a leading digital transformation partner and The National Museum of Computing (TNMOC), home to the world’s largest collection of working historic computers, today announced the brand new TNMOC Mate application, designed to transform the museum’s visitor experience for all age groups, cultural origins, and linguistic backgrounds.

TNMOC Mate uses generative AI to present compelling exhibit information in a way that is easily understandable, making sure that the intricate details of the history and future of computing are accessible to everyone.

Exhibitions at TNMOC can be incredibly detailed, particularly as they portray cryptographic machines and the historical development of computers. These exhibits are sometimes more challenging for certain visitors to fully appreciate, including those for whom English is not their primary language, younger visitors, or those with neurodiverse profiles.

TNMOC wanted to avoid any factors that may prevent all visitors from having the same level of participation and worked with Version 1 to create the app, specifically designed for inclusivity in a way that has not previously been explored.

 “We chose to work with Version 1 because they understood exactly what we wanted to achieve. As well as having the right advanced technical expertise, Version 1 shares the goal to leverage today’s cutting-edge technology for the benefit of absolutely everyone,” said Jacqui Garrad, Museum Director at TNMOC. “We’re proud to be able to deliver educational opportunities with this accessible tool, immersing our visitors in our exceptional collection. Thanks to Version 1 for realising our vision. This undoubtedly makes us one of the most accessible museums in the world.

“Version 1’s leading capabilities in the use of generative AI, not just for improved, but also more accessible and inclusive user experience means that we are constantly pushing the boundaries to deliver on the expectation of next generation consumer interaction,” said Brad Mallard, Chief Technology Officer at Version 1. “When we worked with TNMOC to shape the vision for the app, we were excited to imagine how we could use the most cutting-edge technology with them, especially given the historic importance of Bletchley Park and its association with Alan Turing and his ground-breaking work on AI back as early as 1935. It truly delivers the inspiration of the museum exhibits in the same degree of vivid and fascinating discovery to every visitor, regardless of who they are.”

TNMOC Mate offers clear directions for seamless museum navigation, facilitated by a persona that the visitor can choose to match their age group and language preference. All the prompts are delivered in the preferred language and enhanced with audio and animated visuals. The app helps users to navigate through the museum using an interactive floor map that highlights exhibit details with simplified text and audio.

The museum will host a relaxed opening and launch of TNMOC Mate today, Wednesday 25th October, at a unique event called “Digital Future Days: Relaxed Opening and Home Educators Day” welcoming visitors to try out the technology and explore the museum in their own way against a tranquil setting.

NSAI launches Ireland’s first ever National Timing Grid

The National Standards Authority of Ireland’s National Metrology Laboratory (NSAI NML) today announced the rollout of Ireland’s first ever National Timing Grid (NTG). As Ireland’s home of measurement, the Glasnevin-based NSAI NML is responsible for establishing, maintaining and developing the national measurement standards for physical quantities and providing these standards to Irish users.

As the country’s digital economy continues to grow and more services are moved online, the importance of accurate timing in Ireland’s networks is paramount. Time and timing distribution have become increasingly important for critical infrastructure sectors such as communications, energy, transportation, public services, financial services, and cloud data centers, which made the establishment of the NTG a key priority for the NSAI NML. Delivered with specialist partners Data Edge and Timing Solutions, there are many essential features of the new NTG. These include near real time tracking of clock stability against Coordinated Universal Time (UTC), the primary time standard by which the world regulates clocks and time, early warnings in case of timing drift, enhanced resilience in case of jamming or spoofing of GPS systems and redundancy in case of clock failure.

David Fleming, NSAI Technical Manager for Time said, “We are so excited to be launching the country’s first every National Timing Grid. Keeping Ireland’s networks on time is crucial in supporting its day-to-day operations as more and more of our services are moved online.

We are now also distributing NTP time derived from our caesium atomic clock (over the internet). We are keen to support Irish businesses in any way that we can and this time has been made freely available for use by any organisation that could benefit from utilising time directly traceable to UTC (NSAI).”

After extensive accuracy and stability analysis of the NSAI NML’s clock data by the International Bureau of Weights and Measures (BIPM) in 2020, NSAI NML was officially accepted as traceable contributors to UTC, the primary time standard by which the world regulates clocks and time, and it has regularly contributed its clock data since November 2020 for the generation of UTC. This timescale is comprised of hundreds of similar atomic clocks maintained by National Metrology Institutes globally and is the basis for civil time internationally since 1972. Ireland’s new officially recognised timescale is now known as UTC (NSAI).

The NTG currently comprises six caesium atomic clocks from large telecommunications companies based in Ireland that are linked via GPS satellites. Using a novel and proprietary technique, these clocks automatically send clock data for direct comparison against UTC (NSAI) and thus are now traceable to UTC (NSAI).

Zdenek Chaloupka, Founder, Timing Solutions said, “This was a challenging and unique project, one of the first in the world to use the ‘GNSS Satellite Common View’ technique to deliver near real time tracking of timing sources, such as caesium clock, and used to provide early warnings in case of timing source performance degradation.”

Paul Phelan, CEO, Data Edge said, “We are honoured to be working as the technology partner with the NSAI NML & Timing Solutions on such a vital national project.

NTG Ireland is now leading the way on strategies to ‘protect National Time/UTC (NSAI)’, and we are looking forward to presenting our work-to-date at the International Timing & Sync Forum (ITSF) in Antwerp in late 2023, where global experts meet annually to discuss developments in the field of Time and Sync.”

Bord Gáis Energy welcomes National Hydrogen Strategy as a keystone to Ireland becoming a green-energy powerhouse

Bord Gáis Energy today welcomed the publication of the Government’s National Hydrogen Strategy paper which sets out Government’s vision for how hydrogen will be produced and used in Ireland. The plan outlines how green hydrogen can help Ireland become a zero-carbon, secure energy system and an energy exporter. A key objective of the strategy was to provide certainty to investors and industry as to how hydrogen will be deployed in the Irish energy system. Bord Gáis Energy welcomed the signals to industry in the report.

Bord Gáis Energy, which was purchased by Centrica in 2014, strongly believes that green hydrogen is a keystone to Ireland becoming a clean, green-energy powerhouse, and is investing €300m in the construction of two hydrogen-capable power generation plants, which will be ready to support the grid at the end of 2024.

Speaking today, Emma Burrows, Legal, Regulation and Corporate Affairs Director at Bord Gáis Energy said:

“We welcome the government’s significant efforts to embrace green hydrogen as a safe and secure energy solution. Ensuring that industry is provided with the necessary certainty to inform future investment strategies is vital if Ireland is to unlock the potential that green hydrogen presents. 

“At Bord Gáis Energy we plan to deploy our significant expertise in engineering, innovation, and energy to support these plans. Centrica’s UK trials in the hydrogen sector bring significant learning opportunities and have enabled our teams to identify the areas where this technology can be effectively implemented in Ireland. 

“We are working with other like-minded investors seeking to deliver Ireland’s net zero ambitions to create an indigenous cluster that will use Ireland’s natural resources off the southwest coast to provide an abundant, flexible, and secure zero carbon energy source that can be used across Irish society and beyond. Indeed, Government’s recent Joint Declaration of Intent on cooperation in the field of green hydrogen with Germany demonstrates that green hydrogen has the potential to meet not just Ireland’s but Europe’s growing green-energy needs. 

Gillian Kinsella, Senior Policy Manager, Bord Gáis Energy and Co-Chair, Policy & Advocacy Working Group, Hydrogen Ireland said:  

“The publication of the Government’s ‘National Hydrogen Strategy’ today outlines the strategic pathway for hydrogen’s role in decarbonising our economy, enhancing our energy security and creating industrial and export market opportunities. It will enable investment, increase skills, support regionally balanced economic growth and system resource efficiencies, thus providing a crucial pathway for delivering a future that will benefit the Irish people for generations to come.” 

The Heritage Council joins the National Museum of Ireland and participating local authorities in funding the digitisation of Ireland’s community archives, through iCAN

An event is being held in Wicklow today to mark a new chapter for the award-winning Irish Community Archive Network (iCAN), the leading organisation championing and supporting community archives in Ireland.

Since 2009, iCAN has supported the creation of 33 online digital archives in Clare, Cork, Galway, Mayo and Wicklow, and there are three more currently in development. Over 180 volunteers are involved in managing and supporting the existing community archives.

iCAN was established by the National Museum of Ireland and has been developed in partnership with participating local authority Heritage Officers and with support from Creative Ireland*. Today, the Heritage Council is joining iCAN as a new funding partner, which will facilitate an expansion of the initiative and the iCAN team. Together, they have ambitions to support the development of at least 80 digital archives across Ireland by 2028.

Cork County Council is the latest local authority to partner with iCAN. Having joined the network last year and taken part in training over the last few months, a new portal for County  Cork will be unveiled today. www.heritagecork.org will be home to four digital community archives supported by iCAN – Bere Island Projects Group, Kilmurry Heritage Group, Kilshannig Heritage Society and Youghal Community Archives.

iCAN community archive websites are contributory, which means that anyone, anywhere in the world can contribute their photos, maps, letters, records, stories and documents to help build the collections. As well as documenting information about local heritage sites, traditions and well-known local people, the archives are also a valuable source for genealogy and ancestry projects.

Many of the archives also include oral histories and videos and valuable resources such as local ‘census’ documents dating from before the Famine, and visitors can access digital and searchable archives relating to specific graveyards, townlands, and even houses – which in turn gives a unique and valuable insight into family records.  One initiative, which is part of the Clarecastle & Ballyea Heritage archive, is called ‘Who’s been living in my house’ and is unique in Ireland in that it has digitised ‘cancelled books’ or valuation office records – allowing visitors to search who lived in houses throughout the 49 townlands in Clarecastle, County Clare, between 1855 and 1970.

The diaspora uses the iCAN community archives to connect with local groups, who in turn assist with their family history enquiries. These connections frequently result in visits to Ireland with the local group bringing visitors to ancestral homes and graves and re-connecting them with unknown or lost family members.

Several of the archives also have volunteers who are based abroad in countries such the US and Australia. The iCAN network has been visited 2,244,000 times by visitors from 215 countries, or 16,000 cities, across the world – more than 5,750,000 pages of Irish heritage content have been explored.

Members of the iCAN network from around the country are gathering in the Brockagh Resource Centre in Laragh, Co Wicklow today to celebrate the continued expansion of the network and the launch of Heritage Cork. They will also hear from keynote speaker, author, and oral historian Tomás Mac Conmara.

Director of the National Museum of Ireland, Lynn Scarff said; “Inclusivity and collaboration are at the core of iCAN, by recognising collective ownership and empowering local communities to document their own history, heritage, and culture on digital platforms. We are ambitious to support the growth of iCAN nationwide because every community deserves the opportunity to build their own digital archive that recognises the unique value of these resources both for the community and historians into the future. Much of this material is either in people’s homes, memories or in resources unique to their local community – so they are uniquely placed to record it and preserve if for future generations.”

Chief Executive of the Heritage Council, Virginia Teehan, said: “Volunteer archivists can so often be the unsung heroes of a community, doing incredible work to safeguard knowledge, collections, stories and local history. The information they gather and preserve is crucial in providing people with a broader sense of themselves and where they come from, and The Heritage Council is proud to be in position to contribute to this important work.”

Mayor of the County of Cork, Cllr Danny Collins said; Cork County Council is very proud to launch our new Heritage Cork portal today. This website will be home to the four digital community archives in Cork that are part of the iCAN network which not only provides a secure and permanent online presence but also gives deserved recognition to the tremendous work being done by these groups to document and preserve their local heritage. The training and support provided by iCAN is wonderful and we are delighted to partner with them on this important initiative.”

Lorna Elms, Development Officer with iCAN, said; “iCAN provides volunteers with practical and technical training to support them as they establish a digital archive for their local community. The work being carried out by volunteers around the country to create and maintain these rich repositories is so valuable. They’re documenting local history and heritage in a special way that brings people from all generations together to celebrate, record and preserve their shared history, and to enjoy a shared pride of place.”

In 2020, iCAN was awarded the ‘Best Network of Archives Award’ at the highly competitive UK and Ireland Community Archive and Heritage Group (CAHG) Annual Awards. Individual members of the iCAN network have also been the recipients of county, national and international awards for their heritage work and projects.

Members of the public are invited to visit, contribute to and to volunteer with the digital archives in the Irish Community Archive Network (iCAN). The full list of archives is available at www.ouririshheritage.org

National Broadband Ireland scoops marketing award for National Ploughing Championship presence

The National Broadband Ireland (NBI) stand at the National Ploughing Championship, produced by creative agency, CMS Marketing, has been awarded a silver medal at the Promotional Marketing Association APMC awards.

Commenting, NBI Chief Marketing Officer, Tara Collins said:

“We are delighted to see CMS receive an award for their work on our presence at the National Ploughing Championship last year. NBI is responsible for building and operating the new fibre broadband network under the National Broadband Plan (NBP). As a wholesale utility brand, we needed to provide an exceptional visitor experience on site when competing with large, commercial, consumer brands. CMS delivered for us in spades, and we were able to see this in the results, both in terms of footfall and sign-ups from visitors to receive updates about the availability of NBI fibre in their area. NBI and CMS are looking forward to hosting visitors again at the 2023 National Ploughing Championship where we’ll be aiming to stand out again so we can achieve as much engagement as possible with members of the public. In the meantime, we encourage people to visit NBI.ie, check their Eircode to see if they are part of the NBP rollout and sign up for updates.”

 

Commenting on the win, David Gee, MD at CMS said:

“We’re thrilled with the result for NBI’s integrated brand presence at the National Ploughing Championships, which was the result of a great brand-agency team collaboration. We set our bar high in terms of designing & creating a superior visitor experience at the Championships, which is a highly competitive space for any brand. The results speak for themselves, in terms of the industry accolade and the APMC win, but more importantly the form of client-set objectives – visits to the stand and sign-ups for updates from NBI.”

Esri maps ancient Irish woodlands to celebrate National Tree Week #BiodiversityBeginswithTrees

Esri Ireland, the market leader in Geographic Information Systems (GIS), has created a digital map highlighting nearly 500 ancient and long-established woodlands around Ireland this National Tree Week, which runs until Sunday 26th March.

Ancient woodlands have been continuously wooded since before planting and afforestation became common practice, some of which date back to the 1600s. These woodlands are steeped in both biological and cultural significance, and their roots may even have links to prehistoric wildwoods.

The interactive map also explores a diverse range of woodland types, including conifer plantations, mixed woodlands, and those with non-native tree species.

The theme for National Tree Week 2023, #BiodiversityBeginswithTrees, aims to inspire the public to plant and protect trees and highlight the crucial role that trees play in improving biodiversity. Since its inception in 1985, National Tree Week has been responsible for planting over half a million trees in Ireland.