Thursday, 27 May 2021
Today, Donegal is celebrating that two of the 31 finalists across 15 counties for 2021 Digital Towns awards are based here in Donegal! An enormous achievement that showcases the strides Donegal has made in regards to digitalization and innovation.
The .IE Digital Town is a new initiative, launched in 2021 aimed at encouraging communities across the country to enhance their digital capabilities in order to support remote working, tackle the digital divide, rural development and regeneration, and to encourage long-term sustainability through an enhanced digital economy and ecosystem to enable Irish communities to thrive online. This award gives recognition to communities such as Arranmore who have put not only set up Irelands first off-shore digital hub, but have put a huge amount of work into ensuring that the future of Arranmore island is sustainable for future generations.
The “Digital Hero” award, which Helen Nolan, who is an award winning social entrepreneur, CEO and Founder of Spraoi agus Spórt in Carndonagh, is in the running for, is awarded to an individual in the community, who works tirelessly on various initiatives and projects to promote the digital enhancement and potential of their local town. There is €3,000 prize money for this award.
The awards ceremony will take place virtually on Thursday, 10th June, 2021 at 4:00pm. You can sign up to register to support our very own Donegal Digital Natives at the link below.
Shortlist of 2021 Digital Town Finalists
|
CATEGORY |
FINALISTS |
|
Small town – (up to 2,500) |
· Dingle Penisula · Killorglin / Reeks District · Arranmore Island · Ballyvaughan |
|
Medium town – (2,500 – 5,000) |
· Skibbereen · Edgeworthstown · Listowel · Ballybough |
|
Large town – (5,000 – 10,000) |
· Ballinasloe · Youghal · Fermoy · Westport |
|
Large town – (10,000+) |
· Drogheda · Tralee · Sligo (St Patrick’s Day Festival) · Sligo (e-Health Initiative) |
|
Urban town – (10,000 – 20,000) |
· Balbriggan · Blackrock (Dublin) · Dun Laoghaire |
|
Digital Rising Star |
· Edenderry · Borris · Cootehill · Tubbercurry |
|
Digital Changemaker |
· Ballyvaughan · Portumna · Kinsale · Skibbereen (Ludgate Hub) |
|
Digital Hero |
· Laura Williams – Ballybough · Helen Nolan – Carndonagh · Robbie Quinn – Abbeyleix · Oliver Nad – Bunclody |
