Irish Blog Awards Shortlist: A Commentary
Getting nominated to the longlist by yourself and your dog was kind of easier than getting the votes for the shortlist. So now we’re down to the real nominations.
Thanks to everyone who voted for Irish KC for any of its four nominations. Although Irish KC didn’t make the shortlist, half of the sites in my blogroll did. But how did my voting go?
Best Blog: My vote (Sweary) got shortlisted in what’s a very strong group.
Best Blog Post: My vote wasn’t shortlisted, but the subject matter of CJ Haughey made it onto the shortlist for Twenty. Pleased to see Annie Rhiannon and Sweary on this list.
Most Humorous Post: My vote (Twenty) got shortlisted as did Sweary. Twink provided Blogorrah and SnackBox their material, and no great surprise to see the GingerPixel’s Garda Call in there after the national attention it received.
Best Photo Blog: My vote (North Atlantic Skyline) was shortlisted, in what is probably the most even category. Wide open with a list of eight.
Best Arts & Culture Blog: May vote (Empirestate View) didn’t make the shortlist, though my number two of Sinéad did. If Damien and Jason would only implement an STV system.
Best Political Blog: My vote (IrishElection.com) was shortlisted, but I was thrilled to see Bock make this, and pleased to see Tuppenceworth and Dominic join Slugger. A great selection.
Best Group Blog: My vote (Blogorrah) was shortlisted in a strong group of great variety.
Best Personal Blog: My vote (Annie Rhiannon) was shortlisted, and I’ve discovered some new blogs I need to subscribe to.
Best Use of the Irish Language in a Blog: My vote (Blag Shomhairle didn’t make it, but my second (An Saol) and third (An Spailpín Fánach) choices did.
Best Contribution to Irish Bloggersphere: My vote (Conn Ó Muíneacháin) wasn’t shortlisted, and I’m disappointed with that. My second choice (Bernie) is in there, and I’m pleased this group isn’t 100% tech.
Best Technology Blog/Blogger: My vote Francis Shanahan didn’t make the shortlist. It’s a strong group but I feel it’s weaker for Francis’ absence.
Best Designed Blog: My vote (Nialler9) made the shortlist but there were some strong designs that didn’t. Really for templates you should be talking major modifications or else the category would be Best Design Chosen by a Blog.
Best Sports & Recreation Blog: My vote Fústar’s World of World Cup Wonders was shortlisted in a strong, even, and predictable group.
Best News/Current Affairs Blog: My vote (An Spailpín Fánach) made the shortlist in a very interesting grouping. Good to see the Limerick Blogger in there
Best Specialist Blog: I knew my vote (Cruiskeen Eile - Myers Watch) was an outsider, and sadly it didn’t make it. But my second (Beaut.ie) and third(One Breast Less) choices did.
Best Newcomer: My vote (Kav’s Blog didn’t get shortlisted but I’m pleased my vote for best blog (Sweary) did. Three of these newcomers are also nominated for overall Best Irish Blog
Best Business Blog: My vote (ImageFile Blog) did not get shortlisted, though I think the original longlist for this category was very strong - and will be much stronger next year.
Best Music Blog: My vote (Nialler9) made the shortlist and I will be shocked if it doesn’t win. I do like all the others, especially Sinéad, but I think Niall should win this hands down.
Best Podcaster: My vote (The Persuaders) didn’t make the shortlist.
Best Podcast: He only made two podcasts, both were on the longlist, and my vote Twenty Major - Scientology) made the shortlist.
Best Videocast: My vote (Aine Chambers Dooney Rock) didn’t make it, and I’m stunned. This grouping is the weakest by far.
See the Full 2007 Shortlist HERE
Big Thanks and Well done to Jason and Damien.
Results will be announced on March 3, 2007.
Eolaí gan Fhéile:
I’m a bit disappointed you didn’t make the list, Eolaí, seeing as I had you a sure thing.
The bit that’s really bugging me is how Twenty got in for Best Blog Design. Okay, he changed sites mid-voting and his new site is better(ish), but his old site, the one that was being voted on, wasn’t even fit to tie the shoelaces of yours.
Cheers Primal, but it was a great week for Irish KC because of the awards, so no complaints from me.
Yes it’s only Twenty’s old site that is to be considered and I’m sure that is what was voted on rather than the new one. Reading from various comments around I think Twenty himself knows he shouldn’t have been shortlisted for Design. It is a clean design, with nicely worked graphics, but there were about ten blogs with much stronger designs that didn’t make it.
Why? Probably block voting. A lot of people like Twenty, as do I, but if they don’t read that many sites maybe they don’t care about design and just want the blog they like to win another award.
Maybe for my own I should have reminded everybody of the little green hills of Ireland that I drew at the foot of my site - I mean does anybody ever scroll all the way to the bottom? I don’t.
It would be great fun if Jason and Damien released the figures for the votes.
Thanks very much for the World Cup Wonders nod. Much appreciated and I’m chuffed to have made it. ‘Tis a pity and a shame you’re not joining us in the “Design” group.
I like my daily dose of Twenty the same as the next man and, as he knows, I amn’t knocking his site. I just think yours is miles better. Kilometres even.
Ah sure there’s always next year.
Oh, and yeah, I’ve seen the hills. I always scroll to the bottom of a site on my first visit. It often throws up interesting stuff like which engine and tools are behind the site - just a professional interest for me. Sometimes it even lets slip the real identity of an ‘anonymous’ blogger - just me being nosy.
Thanks Fústar, and you richly deserve your sporting nomination. And yer missus has done a lovely job on the design. ‘Tis laid out nicely and very easy to find where one wants to go.
The last week really has been a blast, so no great pity or shame at not getting in there.
I can easily see people not liking this design. Being a three-column affair with images in the sidebar including rollovers, and choosing to display a hundred categories, can be considered rather cluttered.
And then there’s ads, and ad-blindness or not, despite them being text ads, they’re not exactly subtle. A lot of people in the blogosphere don’t like them, and I can’t blame them - but food on the table and all that.
Thanks again Eolai. The idea Jess and I had (and Jess executed) was to make the whole thing quite clean and user-friendly. Hopefully we (or I mean “she”!) succeeded.
I think your design is very bold and original. ‘Tis always nice to see someone offer something strikingly different and distinctive, as the vast majority of blogs are (thanks to templates) very samey.
The downside of trying something different is that there’ll always be people who don’t like it. But sure, isn’t that true of everything?
Thanks for the kind words, I appreciate the vote of confidence.
-fs
Empire State View is also one of my favourite Arts blogs and shamefully absent from the shortlist, bit like your own absence. I love the design here.
Thanks for the thumbs up!
Shucks Eolai!
Are you coming to the awards?
Thanks Sinéad.
Conn, alas no. I’d love to go and in another year would have made it so the annual trip home coincided with it, but I’m moving back to Ireland a bit later in the year and a transatlantic trip before the transatlantic trip, is just too much for me. Shame, as aside from wanting to meet up with a lot of bloggers I enjoy, the networking might not have hurt my search for employment.
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