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Nominations for Irish Blog Awards announced
11-02-2008
by Emmet Ryan

The shortlist for the third annual Irish Blog Awards has been announced with bloggers from across the island battling it out in 22 categories.

The shortlist was chosen after the judges sifted through entries from nearly 600 blogs. "There was definitely a rise in the number of entries submitted this year," Damien Mulley, organiser of the Irish Blog Awards, told ENN. "What I'm really surprised at is the number of blogs that I was previously unaware of that have entered. It's great to see them participating and getting shortlisted for the awards."

Mulley said that the past year had seen blogs become more accepted by the mainstream media. "Blogging is slipping into the mainstream. The Irish Times has a blog, as do several financial companies. It's starting to be used as a proper communications tool," he said.

There are four new categories in the awards this year: Best Blog by a Journalist, Best Crafts, Best Food and Drink, and Best Popculture. Mulley said the inclusion of new categories reflected a growing interest in these areas amongst bloggers.

"We have seen this before with other categories. There was no specific award for Best Business Blog in the first year of the awards but last year there were 40 entries and this year there were 60," he said.

Twenty Major will be hoping to make it a hat trick of titles in the Best Blog category but he'll have to play 'The Waiting Game' to see if he can overcome the challenge of Fiona McPhillips -- who won the Best in Blogging category at the Digital Media Awards -- as well as the 24 other shortlisted entries. Best Blog is one of four categories that will require a further round to whittle down the entries before the grand final takes place on 1 March.

The shortlists for Best Blog Post, Most Humourous Blog Post and Best Photo Blog will, along with Best Blog, be slimmed down to 10 entries, each of which will battle it out on a special finals list.

Three former categories will not be up for grabs this year. In previous years awards were presented for Best Podcast, Best Podcaster and Best Video Blog. Mulley said achievements in these categories will now probably be recognised at a separate internet awards event, run by the organisers of the Irish Blog Awards, which will be held in October.

The 2008 Irish Blog Awards take place on 1 March at the Alexander Hotel in Dublin. Tickets are EUR10 each with proceeds from the night going towards the Irish Epilepsy Association, St Francis Hospice and The Multiple Sclerosis Society.