Digital Week expects 1,600 visitors

PLANS are gearing up for Ireland’s second National Digital Week, which takes place from November 10th – 12th in Skibbereen.

Over 1,600 entrepreneurs, digital marketers, technology enthusiasts and those embarking on a digital journey, are expected to attend.

National Digital Week aims to develop entrepreneurship by making digital accessible for all, and is the only event of its kind in a non-urban area in Ireland. 

It caters for everyone and anyone with an interest in the future of digital technology. The event has been organised by the Ludgate Digital Hub, Ireland’s first rural digital hub, and is supported by event partners AIB, Vodafone and Google.

Speaking at the launch, co-organiser Callum Donnelly said last year’s successful inaugural event saw in excess of €2m generated for the local West Cork economy.

‘We are delighted to be rolling this exciting event out for a second year,’ he added. ‘It is great that Skibbereen is taking such a leadership position in the transformation of rural Ireland into a 1 gigabit society. In rural Ireland we have so many talented people of all ages. However, talent often leaves our communities. 

‘National Digital Week is about rebranding rural Ireland as a location in which people can stay by choice to establish businesses, that can scale, employ skilled employees, and compete at a global level, that is the beauty of digital.’

Tomás O’Midheach, AIB chief operating officer and core sponsor for National Digital Week, said it was an opportunity for AIB to continue to demonstrate its commitment to backing tech customers and the wider tech community in Ireland.

National Digital Week 2016 is attracting over 80 speakers including Ben Verwaayen, former ceo of Alcatel-Lucen; Mark MacGann, senior board advisor, Uber; David Puttnam, Ireland’s Digital Champion; Gráinne McCarthy, London bureau chief, Wall Street Journal, and Ronan Harris, head of Google Ireland. See also: digitalweek.ie.