Lets create the Ireland Inc. brand and stop talking about it
December 24, 2007 //
I’d like to call a meeting to discuss the building of a networking ecosystem in Ireland to help increase awareness of events around the country.
One of my previous posts attracted much needed attention to this topic, as passionate people with great intentions (me included) agree to agree, without actually agreeing on an action plan.
I’d like to call this Ireland Inc. Until we decide otherwise, it refers to both Web and Mobile based networking events.
(On a separate note, I’m hosting a meeting in January to discuss the creation of a new Industry Association. This has previously been referred to as Ireland Inc. also. So, for the sake of keeping things simple, I’d like to call the new yet-to-be-created association, IIMA (Irish Interactive Media Association). This is a working name only. Rather than discuss potential names here, I’d like to propose waiting until the meeting.)
Agenda
- Type of events covered by Ireland Inc.
- Should we create some kind of committee to help structure the build of an ecosystem?
- Should we choose one central hub for most events? Where should it be?
- How do we raise awareness for the central hub of communication to people outside of Ireland?
- Action plan
- Anything else?
Where Jaipur
When 12th February 2007 at 7pm
Cost €30
I’d like to propose keeping the number of people to say, 15? It’s very likely that we’ll get more than 15 people interested in this conversation, so please let me know how you think we should choose who comes to the first meeting.
If you’re interested in helping to create the ecosystem for better networking in Ireland, please register your interest now.









Helene Haughney says
Paul G says
Ted says
Ross Tweedie says 
As someone who has run grass roots networking events in the past, I would like to participate in such an event. Paul, thanks for suggesting and hosting this event but (and please don’t take this personally) I don’t believe proposing or hosting the event should give anyone license for automatic inclusion if number are to be limited. You should be subject to the same rules for inclusion as anyone else and I would go as far as to say that perhaps people who work and live in Ireland should take priority over those that don’t… IMO this is about getting networking in Ireland going first and foremost and internationally second.
December 24th, 2007
@Marcus - I think you’re right. I should be up for inclusion just like everyone else. In fact, if you read my blog post about the formation of a new industry association, I declared that I wouldn’t assume a position on the board. I do however, have more experience than most, when it comes to creating, hosting and chairing networking events of all sizes. Many event organisers in London ask to use my name (and the name of BIMA) just to add credibility. Did I just pitch?
I don’t think it should matter if I live in Ireland or not though. I can give just as much commitment as anyone else. Fergus lives in Scotland and I’m pretty sure he isn’t prohibited any more than someone living in Cork and traveling to Dublin.
December 24th, 2007
@Paul - Merry Christmas!
December 24th, 2007
Sounds good. There is a lot of knowledge out there about what works and what doesn’t and it would be fantastic to share. I’d like to be involved in the meetup if possible.
If you are limiting to 15 then perhaps the criteria should be that attendees have organised some sort of event before or at the very least have one coming up?
December 24th, 2007
@Conoro - we could increase the number to 30. Anything more and it would become unmanageable.
December 24th, 2007
@Conoro: Experience running events is well and good, but for anything like this to succeed you need to have as good a cross-section present / involved as possible.
December 24th, 2007
Interesting and no better man to organise it, if a succesful online business based in Ireland with Irish employee’s is part of the criteria then maybe I could get an invite.
December 24th, 2007
I agree.
I think Paul has the most experience and connections and he should head up the initiative.
Sorry but Techludd seems to be yet another half baked “wordpress” initiative.
December 25th, 2007
I would like to play but do not want to be invited to the Jaipur discussion meeting.
December 27th, 2007
@Bernie is there any particular reason why you don’t want to take part in the discussion?
December 27th, 2007
I do best when making lagging contributions and have issues when boxing out time away from home at the moment. I can give Dublin four days a month and already have committed three days to the Big Smoke by the 11th of January. We’re looking at ways to juggle a weekend calendar at the moment and haven’t ruled out an Indian on the Saturday but I’m not going to jostle for a seat when I know I have a diary conflict at the start.
December 28th, 2007
More people might be interested if it weren’t for the awful error in the title.
Ireland Inc. needs a copywriter. Fast.
December 30th, 2007
@appleton - I’ve never claimed to be a good writer, let alone a copywriter. That said, perhaps you could be more helpful by suggesting an alternative rather than highlighting an error?
December 30th, 2007
[...] Walsh talks about Ireland Inc. over on the Segala blog as a follow up to a previous post. So here is my two cents about what I would [...]
January 3rd, 2008
Count me in, if posting here counts for anything. I founded an Irish Startup called putplace.com and I had a goodly hand in organising Barcamp Dublin in 2007, FWIW. I have more to suggest on my own blog (http://joedrumgoole.com/blog), but trackbacks seem to be turned off on this blog.
January 3rd, 2008
Joe - trackbacks are working. The blog picked it up as a ‘first time commentator’ so it was held for moderation. Only the first comment and first trackback are moderated.
January 3rd, 2008
Christ does nobody sleep in this sector!
January 3rd, 2008
Sleep is for civil servants!
/me wanders back to testing stuff
January 3rd, 2008
@Michele - love it! I had a go at the Office of Fair Trading recently when they handed me an 80 page report after 12 months research. All of it amounted to a 1 page 3 point conclusion - which I gave them in 10 minutes 12 months ago. You can only imagine what I said to them - ‘civil servants’ came into the equation.
January 3rd, 2008
This one close to my heart - if relevant please count me in here :-). Have blocked out in my calendar.
Enjoying the discussion on this on Joe’s blog.
keith
January 4th, 2008
I’d like to get involved in some way. I’ve some experience in running voluntary events, although not in the technology sector…
If there’s space on Saturday I’d love to come.
Daniel
January 10th, 2008
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January 11th, 2008