WE HEAD TO DUBLIN for the IIA Net Visionary Awards programme today, expecting to know fewer than half of the people on the short list and no more than 20% of those in the Royal Hospital where the event kicks off tonight. Behind the scenes of our nomination in the education category sits a whole crew of people in Tipperary Institute who make my work possible. I'm on a creative multimedia faculty at Tipperary Institute whose ICT department has somehow avoided major restrictions in the way we get research funding for important initiatives. In today's fiscal climate, that may change and we will probably throttle back some of the travel we can subsidise for our students. We're already feeling a pinch in the administrative area, where I count on the thorough support of Paula Briody, Rita Clohessy and Yvonne Doyle. Every time we get an industry awards nomination, those people deserve to share the spotlight. So I'm heading to Dublin for the ceremony and that's grand. But the real mission is to find a Christmas hamper that I can give to our ICT support staff. That might not offset the effect of reduced funding for work-sharing schemes but it will be a way that I can say "thanks" for another year of exceptional support.
The short list for the 2008 Net Visionary Awards follows.The names with hyperlinks have Twitter accounts.
Best Business Blogger
-- Deborah Hadley Spicendipity
-- Karl Deeter Irish Mortgage Brokers
-- Michele Neylon Blacknight Solutions Blog
-- Pat Phelan Pat Phelan Dot Com
Best Business Podcaster
-- Alex Gibson Dublin City FM
-- Aoife Mahon RaboDirect
-- Krishna De One Ocean Group
-- Mike Kelly MikeKelly.tv
Best Online Business Use of Irish
-- Conn Ó Muineacháin Edgecast Media for AnLionra.net
-- Niall O'Driscoll vStream Digital Media for the Referendum Commission, Lisbon Treaty Website
-- Rónán Ó Caollaí Gravitate for Gaelport.com
-- Tom Fitzgerald Bárd na nGleann for Litríocht.com
Best Online Exporter
-- Caitríona Nic Giolla Mhichil Gael Linn
-- Lulu O'Sullivan 4giftsdirect.com
-- Mary Power SelfCatering.ie
-- Richard Moyles Mattress.co.uk
Best Online Financial Service
-- Brendan Hughes FBD
-- Geoff Boyle 123.ie
-- Gerry Carron Hibernian.ie
-- Martin O’Leary RaboDirect
Best Online Trader Ireland
-- Brian Fallon DAFT.ie
-- Ciaran Crean MicksGarage.ie
-- Kieron Guilfoyle 3V Transaction Services
-- Scott Tattersall Zignals
Best Use of Social Media
-- Marcus Mac Innes Pix.ie
-- Paul McAvinchey YABOYA for Diddlyi
-- Ronan Higgins Locle
-- Vincent Donelly Movies.ie
Educational Contribution
-- Bernie Goldbach Tipperary Institute
-- Ciaran McCormack FIS BookClub
-- Paul Whelan Lichens.ie
-- Siobhan O'Connor Meath County Council
e-Government Award
-- Cathy Clarke ItsYourMoney.ie
-- Dara Keogh GeoDirectory
-- Maire NiDhomhnaill South Dublin County Council for Connect iWalks
-- Siobhan O'Connor Meath County Council for Meath Care Portal
Innovation Award
-- Kieron Guilfoyle 3V Transaction Services
-- Niall Devine MyCharity.ie
-- Paul Walsh Segala.com
-- Ronan Farren Brandmail Solutions
Internet Entrepreneur
-- David Lenahan polldaddy.com
-- Derek Quinn MyAddress.ie
-- Kieron Guilfoyle 3V Transactions Services
-- Michele Neylon Blacknight Solutions
Internet Marketer
-- Andrew Jenkinson vStream Digital Media
-- Jennifer Curtin Newsweaver
-- Michele Neylon Blacknight Solutions
-- Mick Dillon CarsIreland.ie
Journalist Award
-- Deirdre McArdle ElectricNews.net
-- Emma Kennedy Sunday Business Post
-- Maire Boran Silicon Republic
-- Niall Kitson PC Live
Mobile Internet Innovation
-- Ciaran Bradley Sentry Wireless
-- David Barrett AntiDis - iPhone Train Timetable
-- Johnny Beirne Downloadmusic.ie
-- Pat Phelan Twitterfone.com
Social Contribution
-- Anthony Lindsay The Wheel
-- Eoghan Crosby Camara
-- Martin McKay Texthelp Browsealoud
-- Niall Devine MyCharity.ie
Web Designer Excellence
-- Derek Jones Flavour 9 Design
-- Karen Hanratty Pixel Design
-- Marcin Banaszek Webtrade Ltd.
-- Tony O'Donohoe Lightbox
Web Developer Excellence
-- Claude Lacey iPlanit
-- Jennifer O' Brien Webtools Software Limited
-- Karl Glennon Roomex.com
-- Tomek Kaczmarek Lightbox
Portions of the Net Visionary Awards will be upstreamed via Qik from my E90: qik.com/topgold. The event happens on Military Road, Dublin 8, Ireland.
