National Enterprise Town Awards judges pay a visit to Dún Laoghaire

LAST week National Enterprise Town Awards judges, Martina Maloney, Kevin Twomey and Katrina Murphy, visited a sunny Dún Laoghaire as part of the assessment process for the town’s entry.

Led by steering group chairperson, Cllr Lorraine Hall, a group of the key stakeholders from the town (including DLR County Council, DLR Chamber, Crosscare, LexIcon, DL Active Retirement, The Glasshouses, Men's Sheds, DL Central Residents Association and the DL Business Association) put together a fantastic itinerary for the judges.

During an action-packed day the judges stopped at six key locations in the town and spent time visiting the DigitalHQ clg initiative above the Bank of Ireland branch on George's Street.

DigitalHQ, a not-for-profit digital growth hub, delivers the Digital Dun Laoghaire programme of events and training. It is dedicated to helping small, traditional businesses get the most from digital and to helping the town, and its business community, market themselves effectively via the web. 

The judges witnessed a wide range of digital related activities taking place onsite at the facility during their visit. After a group photo with members of DigitalHQ on the steps of the entrance, the judges proceeded to a packed Digital Dun Laoghaire Brexit Briefing for local businesses in the community space on the top floor where they met guest speakers Clodagh Whelan (DLR LEO), Lee Evans (Bank of Ireland) and Pat Scanlan (DigiTorc).

On the first floor they joined a DigitalHQ focus group meeting facilitated by a DigitalHQ member, Adam Swift of Clear Strategy.

The meeting saw representatives from Enterprise Ireland, IE Domain Registry, Microsoft, DLR LEO and local business owners contribute practical ideas on how small, independent local businesses can be best supported in increasing footfall and sales through digital.

On leaving this meeting the judges proceeded to one of the shared co-working rooms where they met with members Ron McNamara (Driver Focus), Bárbara Pérez García ( CubaUnique.com ) and Ciaran Hudson (JNC Consulting). The members outlined the benefits of being located in a digital growth hub right in the heart of the town.

As the judges departed for their next stop, Eoin Costello, projector of DigitalHQ, shared with them new research published that day by economist Jim Power on the positive economic impact of digital growth hubs like DigitalHQ across the country. He commended Bank of Ireland for showing how unused office space in towns can be converted to incubation space with all proceeds going to the benefit of digitally enabling traditional businesses.

The judges commended the Dún Laoghaire Town Steering Group for the huge amount of work that had been put into the itinerary and they commented on their pride and passion.

that each and every one of the people they met displayed in their town.

Here's hoping for a positive result for DigitalHQ and Dún Laoghaire Town on National Enterprise Town Awards night on the 5th of December!