.ie Digital Town Awards 2024 Finalists:

Future Mobility Campus Ireland is an automotive test facility located in the real-world setting of the Shannon Free Zone, providing customers with the ability to test, validate and demonstrate their technologies.

Customers have access to a road network that is retrofitted with interconnected state of the art sensing and telecommunication technologies or a “Smart City Infrastructure,” which is controlled via a dedicated control centre.

Facilities include the fibre connected ‘Smart City’ as well as a fleet of test vehicles, low-speed manoeuvring test track and a large-volume data centre for storage and high-speed data processing.

The new Discoverable.app has combined data from various providers into a single digital platform. Explore the rich depths of Ireland’s built heritage from the year 1200 to the present day.

This historical narrative serves as a hook to bring visitors to the site to allow them actively discover hidden treasures.

The platform enables businesses to create events, add custom tags to become easier to find, and escape the noise and algorithms of social media.

The Engine Collaboration Centre and Engine Hubs are unique projects which have been created by Innovate Limerick in consultation with industry partners and entrepreneurs.

These initiatives have been inspired as a result of extensive collaboration and engagement with SME’s, multinationals, third level institutions and other members of the business and tech community across the Mid-West Region.

The Engine Collaboration Centre has been developed as a driver of collaboration between multi-national companies (MNC’s), small-medium enterprises (SME’s) and Start-Ups to co-work on shared problems, to explore, investigate, develop solutions and innovate together.

Midlands Ireland is a digital roadmap to raise awareness and change perceptions at regional, national and international level, promoting the region as a vibrant destination for investing, living, working, learning and visiting.

The project is an initiative of the local authorities of Laois, Longford, Offaly and Westmeath under the Midlands Regional Enterprise Plan and National Just Transition Fund.

Key undertakings include the development of a new brand and website, and the implementation of a performance marketing plan across digital platforms, with content reach of over 23 million across social channels to date.

Trinity Tuam Creative Digital Technology Node (Trinity Tuam) is a strategic initiative to support the development and transformation of Tuam and the greater area as an urban/rural hub for the economic, social and cultural development.

The development strategy will focus on economic sectors that are rapidly transforming.

It seeks to position Tuam as an urban centre competing for global creative technology investment, specifically in the creative digital technology sector.

As the first rural digital enterprise hub in the country, The Hive has paved the way for the explosion of spaces now available all over the country.

Having recognised the need for such a facility more than 10 years ago, The Hive was developed to provide high-speed internet connectivity, state of the art office spaces, co-working and meeting rooms. The goal was to attract and support SMEs and remote workers in the local area.

Now, 10 years on, The Hive is thriving while several hundred other such spaces have followed in its footsteps, transforming the landscape for rural digital enterprise.

The Trim air quality monitoring project translates hard data into a language that everyone can understand. The project uses sensors placed at strategic locations in the town.

The data processed through SRIAD:AIR, an AI tool which shows the health impacts of poor air quality. It provides information on the prevalence of diseases like diabetes, heart disease, strokes and pulmonary diseases. Several workshops have been delivered for primary and post primary schools in Trim so they can learn more about air quality and work is progressing on using the data to implement local behavioural change.

Music in the Forest Hybrid Festival offers an alternative solution to the environmental impact generated by pre-pandemic music festivals, supporting artists who want to share music and art in a more sustainable and innovative way.

This is a live streamed event with participants from different parts of the world. The Festival is a growing community of people who are getting together, motivated to make things happen differently in our current, challenging times to protect and strengthen future generations on this planet.

We support global and local artists and choose to work with local businesses wherever possible.

Change Clothes Crumlin is a community based clothing reuse hub.

It is a registered not for profit CLG. Founded in 2022, working at community level to ensure that local clothing waste doesn’t become a global problem.

They utilise digital technologies to ensure easy access to our permanent clothing swap shop, pre-loved rental, and upcycling and mending workshops. This includes online purchasing and booking, social promotion and an online portfolio of pre-loved dresses for rent.

The aim of this project is to promote and enhance sites of natural beauty and sustainability projects around Tramore. It is not always possible to have information boards at each location.

QR code signs were installed as most people have smart phones. Scanning the code brings users to the website where the work of Tramore Eco Group can be viewed, along with an explanation of the projects.

Examples include the beach toy borrow box, Eco Park and plastic and aluminium recycling bins.

This project aims to promote a farming model that is sustainable for future generations while also adopting more environmentally ambitious agri-environment climate measures.

The aim is to deliver significant medium- and long-term environmental improvements on the farm while still producing quality suckler cattle.  Farming practices that contribute to improving biodiversity, climate, air and water quality while maintaining herd health, are used.

Digital technology combined with infrastructural change can help us achieve their goals. The aim is to reduce usage of chemical fertilisers and pesticides while using other, more environmentally friendly methods to promote grass growth.

The objective of the project is to improve Ennistymon for visitors and the residents of the town using digital technologies.

Ennistymon has the unique challenge of too many tourists passing through because of the Cliffs of Moher, but not enough tourists dwelling.

The project is promoting the attractions of Ennistymon in an innovative tech-centred way to slow passing tourists down and keep them in the area.

This includes a drone based mapping of the town, creation of a 3D interactive map, Visitor Attraction Management (VAM), 360 degree recording of the town and IOT device integration.

Headford Lace Trail is a soundwalk with a twist. This immersive heritage experience turns expectations of an audio tour inside out, using the power of bobbin lace and geolocation to transport users to the Headford of the past and meet the people who live there.

Accessed individually with a smartphone and headphones, the outdoor walk features site-specific interviews, drama, and specially composed music and song – all combining through rich sound design to bring the past to life.

Waterford Digital Story Trail brings the stories of Waterford to life as visitors wander through the historic streets of Ireland’s oldest city.

This innovative experience seamlessly combines audio, augmented reality, and a simple-to-use web interface which allows visitors to interact with Waterford city’s rich past.

Using a mobile device, visitors are transported to 15 key locations where they can listen to tales from historical figures and witness AR recreations of pivotal moments, such as the crafting of Waterford Crystal and the first design of the Irish flag.

This trail educates and entertains, making history accessible and engaging for all ages.

Athlone.ie, a groundbreaking digital initiative, revolutionises tourism in Athlone and the Midlands. Spearheaded by a collaborative steering group, including Westmeath County Council, Fáilte Ireland, Athlone Chamber of Commerce, local retailers, hotels, and tourism-based companies, athlone.ie combines innovation with community engagement.

Through the meticulously planned project unfolds through a comprehensive website, offering immersive experiences, cross-sector knowledge sharing, and tangible social, community and business impacts, athlone.ie sets the stage for future growth.

More than a website, it’s a testament to collaborative digital excellence, redefining the tourism landscape and propelling the community into a dynamic digital future.

my360town creates virtual guides using the latest 360 virtual tour technology to highlight accessibility, points of interest and tourist attractions in Belmullet.

The town can be explored from the air and stop at any location, providing immersive experiences of lighthouses and cliffs to playparks or hotels. This is the ultimate solution in tourism marketing.

In 2023, Creative Spark FabLab started to look at ways of improving SEEK walking tours to make them more accessible and to become more self-led.

This was achieved by linking the local murals to the wealth of knowledge available on the SEEK website.

The decision was made to add signage to each mural with a QR code that brings the visitor directly to the information section of the corresponding mural of SEEKdundalk.ie.

The Revive Experience is a new and unique full body immersive experience using the latest digital technology to relax and recharge the body and mind.

The soothing multi wavelength RED/NIR light, IR Heat, PEMF, crystals, sound and smell repair the body naturally to leave the visitor feeling uplifted, energetic, positive, healthy and most importantly happy!

The sensation is like floating in space, surrounded by a warm protective blanket in a specially built room.

Across the Midlands region, industry, government, and education stakeholders are coming together to collaborate on embedding digital education programmes for students and young people across the region.

With the Midlands region being directly impacted by the green transition, the development of future skills in new industries is key to the future of the region. By collaborating across the counties of Laois, Longford, Offaly and Westmeath, the aim is to embed digital education programmes in schools across the region.

The region is investing in future generations by giving them the skills required for jobs, which may not be considered yet.

“Building Leaders, Crafting Communities” is a school programme empowering students to envision local sustainable solutions through digital tool Minecraft Education.

This is a collaboration between Academy of the Near Future, CONNECT, Dublin City Council, Smart Docklands project and Microsoft Ireland’s Dreamspace. 4 pilot schools were selected with a focus on the Dublin Docklands area.

Transition Year students receive training around smart and sustainable cities, and leadership skills. Students mentor local primary schools through a challenge, to recreate their local area to be smart and sustainable in Minecraft. Students present their ideas to leaders in the community in a showcase event.

Friends of the Elderly, through its technology club, aims to remove barriers for older people in using technology.

The use of technology has grown rapidly over the last decade and the aim is to empower members to embrace technology and learn the fundamental skills around internet safety, email, paying bills and communicating via the internet.

The mission is to lessen the digital divide and help members to connect with friends, family and community.

This is a universal education initiative aimed at eradicating the digital divide in rural communities, having at its core universal accessibility.

This digital project has created a suite of digital learning and tailored educational programmes offered in the local community hall to enhance digital literacy, providing residents with the skills necessary to thrive in a digital world.

Collaborations with local schools and sports clubs ensure the sustainability of the initiative fostering a future-ready interconnected community. This project promises to unlock new opportunities for rural residents, transforming the landscape of rural education.

FarmerTime is an education programme that fosters community by connecting farmers with schools across Ireland.

It is run by Airfield Estate, the education charity and farm & gardens, on a mission to become Dublin’s Sustainable Food Hub. By bridging the gap between rural and urban communities, this free programme cultivates a sense of shared learning and understanding.

Through video calls, farmers chat to students about their experiences and knowledge of farming, biodiversity, sustainability and where their food comes from.

This helps the younger generation to connect with their food and how it’s made, while fostering positive links between groups.

Bective Future Coders is a family coding club formed out of the OurKidsCode initiative supported by Meath County Council, the Department of Rural & Community Development, Science Foundation Ireland and delivered by Trinity College Dublin.

The group, formed with assistance from Sarah Chapman the Meath OurKidsCode Facilitator, has gone on to develop projects beyond the original templates developed by TCD and has supported the extension of the project by demonstrating their work at public talks and demonstrations for teachers, parents and for Minister Heather Humphreys during her launch of the BCP network across County Meath.

The Virtual Reality (VR) for Fingal Libraries project is a joint project between Fingal Libraries and Fingal Digital Services Department, which aims to introduce the wider population to an emerging technology.

Giving access to digital twins of Fingal County Council (FCC) planning models, 3D videos of heritage properties, Irish language content, and a curated set of apps designed to engage and inspire.

Fingal Libraries also have access to Unity Learn on their public PCs, enabling the next generation of VR creators. FCC is the first local authority to develop this kind of VR programme.

Scoil Mhuire Naofa aspires to provide additional opportunities for inclusion for pupils with Additional Educational Needs and Special Educational Needs via Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) Education activities.

As a school with multiple special classes for autistic pupils, it continually strives to provide an overall school experience that meets the needs of ALL of pupils.

They want to foster STEM amongst our female pupils. Discussions with the Student Council and Parents’ Association, identified digital education as an area of great opportunities for all pupils.

The Arklow Chamber partnered with Kildare and Wicklow Education Training Board to offer a “Servicing the Digital Age” training programme.

Online modules and in-person classes provided businesses with essential digital skills in areas like marketing and cybersecurity.

This initiative aims to empower the workforce, enhance business competitiveness, and contribute to Arklow’s economic growth and overall community development.

Blending AI & community spirit, Wise & Well from Truagh Spirit is a new social club for over 65s. Addressing the post Covid-19 issue of loneliness, Wise & Well is an intergenerational blend of camaraderie and modernity.

This club not only fosters connections but also prioritises digital literacy, offering training sessions to empower seniors in using technology, making it accessible, practical and fun. The club also offers day trips and social opportunities, allowing members to bond over shared experiences.

Special occasions will be marked with dinner dances. This approach ensures that the club becomes irreplaceable, encouraging friendship and technological proficiency.

Abbeyleix has long been recognised as an important heritage town and is now making significant strides as a green and sustainable town.

The ambition is to play a leading role in showcasing how rural based communities can navigate the transition to the new green and sustainable economy.

Abbeyleix Tidy Town are strongly committed to protecting the environment, enhancing, and maintaining the town’s character and working towards a sustainable future. Throughout the year they work hard to keep this message to the fore of peoples’ minds using their website and social media channels, especially Facebook.

Making walking and cycling routes accessible to people with mobility issues can be a challenge.

The first step is to identify the problem locations. The goal of this project is to make it easy for members of the community who use these routes on a daily basis to contribute to a map of the problem locations.

The main emphasis in this project is on kissing gates, but other barriers were identified.

The project established the principle that a community using roads and paths can quickly assemble data from across the city to help inform public policy. It leveraged Open Street Maps to customise the data displayed.

The aim of this project is to give people who are unable through physical or psychological impairments the opportunity to explore a park or scene of natural beauty.

This was achieved by creating an Augmented Reality app to encourage participation in physical activity.

This app could be associated as a scaffolding exercise, wherein the familiarity of seeing the area of interest encourages the user to eventually visit the area (if they are able to do so, with whatever assistance they require) according to Vygotsky’s Zone of Proximal Development theory.

The Mountrath Digital Twin sustainable communities plan is a publicly accessible online 3D digital twin of the town today and how it could look in the future.

The development options incorporate feedback from the local community during an extensive public consultation process as part of a Sustainable Communities Plan commissioned by Laois County Council.

It is the first online 3D digital twin of its kind anywhere in Ireland, and has helped galvanise the town to set up a dedicated Town Team to help realise its vision.

Smart D8 is a population health and wellbeing demonstrator in Dublin; a pioneering initiative launched in 2021. Focused on Dublin 8, a diverse area with 43,000 citizens, the project identifies and tackles local health challenges through innovative cross-sector partnerships.

Through a diverse consortium, Smart D8 connects healthcare, government, academia, industry and community stakeholders to create early access pathways to community health innovation.

The Smart D8 initiative demonstrates a holistic preventative approach to community health and wellbeing by connecting real-world needs to impact social and economic determinants – fast tracking health innovation pathways with the local community, to scale (inter)nationally.

Community Gardens Ireland is a network of community gardens and allotments on the island of Ireland. In existence since 2011, it aims to support and promote community gardening in Ireland and Northern Ireland.

Community Gardens Ireland is a purely voluntary group, whose committee has membership from all over the island of Ireland.

Community Gardens Ireland utilises digital technology in order to keep connected as a community group, to help inform constituent community gardens and allotments about issues, and to advocate for policy changes to support more allotments, community gardens and urban orchards.

This project seeks to develop a ‘connected hub’ for all local stakeholders to realise the huge potential, benefits and opportunities from our facilities.

There are numerous options for all age groups, professions, academics and others to utilise the remote working, remote learning, networking and numerous other modern uses of our facility in the current internet connected age.

The hub has high speed broadband, essential IT equipment, modern access control and furnishings to create new uses in a well established community / GAA building.

Headford online is an interactive website that serves as a centralised hub for diverse content, including community news, local sports coverage, tourism highlights, historical insights, details on upcoming events, and more.

The comprehensive website also features listings of community groups and local businesses, offering a valuable resource for residents and visitors alike.

This initiative is the culmination of the Headford community’s dedicated efforts following successful Smart Villages training earlier this year, where the project originated from community ideas generated during the training, conducted by Galway Rural Development.

MPC-TV is part of Midlands Polish Community CLG and was established in 2020 to support integration and inclusion.

It gathers a group of multinational volunteers and video enthusiasts who are developing a pioneering opportunity in rural Ireland.

It uses digital technology to tell the stories from the community in a modern, interesting way by publishing video studio productions and live broadcast of different events in the locality. Over 100 recordings and live streams were produced and published on MPC-TV internet channel.

The Sustainable Life School is a Dublin based social enterprise that addresses the climate emergency by empowering people in Drumcondra and beyond to take action by living more sustainably.

The School delivers unique programmes and workshops for businesses and communities. From hosting local events to sharing inspiring content online, it informs, inspires, and enables collective action, fostering a culture of living where every action matters.

From building and launching a new low carbon website to developing content and campaigns to inspire change, the Sustainable Life School is using digital to create and build a movement for sustainable living.

Shannon envisions a digital future through Shannoncp.ie, prioritising connectivity, digital literacy and innovation.

Guided by a dedicated committee, the initiative fosters holistic public engagement, anticipates positive impacts on attitudes toward digital change, job creation, and improved quality of life.

The innovative approach spans infrastructure, streamlined services, and strategic plans, positioning Shannon as a trailblazer in the digital landscape.

Explore the vibrant digital ecosystem on www.shannoncp.ie for an exceptional directory, a funding and grant section promoting collaborative opportunities for local groups and organisations, and “In the Pipeline” updates, promoting inclusivity and community engagement.

Meela Moos is a Gaelic4MothersandOthers football team that was set up in 2021. It’s an initiative run by the Ladies Gaelic Association.

Initially, it started social media accounts to enter a social media competition to get to play in Croke Park at half time in the All-Ireland Ladies Football Finals, which the Meela Moos went on to win a place in.

This showed the power of social media and the Meela Moos wanted to use these platforms to advertise the team, the initiative, women’s sport and the community in a positive way.

In 2010 Aughrim Cat Rescue was founded as a response to serious overpopulation of feral cats in County Wicklow and to specialise in TNR (the Trap-Neuter-Return of feral cats).

The group has built up a great number of dedicated volunteers in County Wicklow and surrounding areas, who foster, socialise and rehome cats and kittens.

Aughrim Cat Rescue has adopted digital as a key part of their activities – this includes building a website which can take online payments – a game-changer for them; using social media to promote their activities; and online forms for re-homing cats.

This project aims to promote a farming model that is sustainable for future generations while also adopting more environmentally ambitious agri-environment climate measures.

The aim is to deliver significant medium- and long-term environmental improvements on the farm while still producing quality suckler cattle. It needs to ensure that it is using farming practices that contribute to improving biodiversity, climate, air and water quality while maintaining herd health.

Digital technology combined with infrastructural change can help achieve the goals. The aim is to reduce usage of chemical fertilisers and pesticides while using other, more environmentally friendly methods to promote grass growth.

my360town creates virtual guides using the latest 360 virtual tour technology to highlight accessibility, points of interest and tourist attractions in Belmullet.

The town can be explored from the air and stop at any location, providing immersive experiences of lighthouses and cliffs to playparks or hotels. This is the ultimate solution in tourism marketing.

Blending AI & community spirit, Wise & Well from Truagh Spirit is a new social club for over 65s. Addressing the post Covid-19 issue of loneliness, Wise & Well is an inter-generational blend of camaraderie and modernity.

This club not only fosters connections but also prioritises digital literacy, offering training sessions to empower seniors in using technology, making it accessible, practical and fun.

The club also offers day trips and social opportunities, allowing members to bond over shared experiences. Special occasions will be marked with dinner dances.

This approach ensures that the club becomes irreplaceable, encouraging friendship and technological proficiency.

Trinity Tuam Creative Digital Technology Node (Trinity Tuam) is a strategic initiative to support the development and transformation of Tuam and the greater area as an urban/rural hub for the economic, social and cultural development.

The development strategy will focus on economic sectors that are rapidly transforming. It seeks to position Tuam as an urban centre competing for global creative technology investment, specifically in the creative digital technology sector.

Midlands Ireland is a digital roadmap to raise awareness and change perceptions at regional, national and international level, promoting the region as a vibrant destination for investing, living, working, learning and visiting.

The project is an initiative of the local authorities of Laois, Longford, Offaly and Westmeath under the Midlands Regional Enterprise Plan and National Just Transition Fund.

Key undertakings include the development of a new brand and website, and the implementation of a performance marketing plan across digital platforms, with content reach of over 23 million across social channels to date.

This innovative experience seamlessly combines audio, augmented reality, and a simple-to-use web interface which allows visitors to interact with Waterford city’s rich past.

Using a mobile device, visitors are transported to 15 key locations where they can listen to tales from historical figures and witness AR recreations of pivotal moments, such as the crafting of Waterford Crystal and the first design of the Irish flag.

This trail educates and entertains, making history accessible and engaging for all ages.

Scoil Mhuire Naofa aspires to provide additional opportunities for inclusion for pupils with Additional Educational Needs and Special Educational Needs via Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) Education activities.
As a school with multiple special classes for autistic pupils, it continually strives to provide an overall school experience that meets the needs of ALL of pupils.

They want to foster STEM amongst our female pupils.

Discussions with the Student Council and Parents’ Association, identified digital education as an area of great opportunities for all pupils.

This project seeks to develop a ‘connected hub’ for all local stakeholders to realise the huge potential, benefits and opportunities from our facilities.

There are numerous options for all age groups, professions, academics and others to utilise the remote working, remote learning, networking and numerous other modern uses of our facility in the current internet connected age.

The hub has high speed broadband, essential IT equipment, modern access control and furnishings to create new uses in a well-established community/GAA building.

The Sustainable Life School is a Dublin based social enterprise that addresses the climate emergency by empowering people in Drumcondra and beyond to take action by living more sustainably.

The School delivers unique programmes and workshops for businesses and communities. From hosting local events to sharing inspiring content online, it informs, inspires, and enables collective action, fostering a culture of living where every action matters.

From building and launching a new low carbon website to developing content and campaigns to inspire change, the Sustainable Life School is using digital to create and build a movement for sustainable living.

The aim of this project is to promote and enhance sites of natural beauty and sustainability projects around Tramore.

It is not always possible to have information boards at each location.

QR code signs were installed as most people have smart phones. Scanning the code brings users to the website where the work of Tramore Eco Group can be viewed, along with an explanation of the projects.

Examples include the beach toy borrow box, Eco Park and plastic and aluminium recycling bins.

Friends of the Elderly, through its technology club, aims to remove barriers for older people in using technology.

The use of technology has grown rapidly over the last decade and the aim is to empower members to embrace technology and learn the fundamental skills around internet safety, email, paying bills and communicating via the internet.

The mission is to lessen the digital divide and help members to connect with friends, family and community.

Scoil Mhuire Naofa aspires to provide additional opportunities for inclusion for pupils with Additional Educational Needs and Special Educational Needs via Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) Education activities.
As a school with multiple special classes for autistic pupils, it continually strives to provide an overall school experience that meets the needs of ALL of pupils.

They want to foster STEM amongst our female pupils.

Discussions with the Student Council and Parents’ Association, identified digital education as an area of great opportunities for all pupils

Community Gardens Ireland is a network of community gardens and allotments on the island of Ireland.

In existence since 2011, it aims to support and promote community gardening in Ireland and Northern Ireland.

Community Gardens Ireland is a purely voluntary group, whose committee has membership from all over the island of Ireland.

Community Gardens Ireland utilises digital technology in order to keep connected as a community group, to help inform constituent community gardens and allotments about issues, and to advocate for policy changes to support more allotments, community gardens and urban orchards.