Damien Mulley currently organises the Web Awards, which has been running for eight years. The finalists for the 2015 Web Awards were announced on Thursday, 24 September. The purpose of this annual event is to showcase what Ireland has to offer on the web design front. The categories for the 2015 Realex Web Awards are as follows:

 

News and Media

• Best Media Site
• Best Web Only Publication
• Best Daily Web Only Publication

Entertainment and Arts

• Best Sports Site
• Best Sports News Site
• Best Music News Site
• Best Entertainment Website  
• Best Arts Website

Technology and Social

• Best Science and Technology Site
• Best New Web Application/Service
• Best Website of a Startup
• Best Podcast Series

Government, Education and Community

• Best Government and Local Government Website
• Best Education and Third Level Website
• An Suíomh Gaeilge is Fearr
• Best Microsite

eCommerce

• Best eCommerce – Micro / Small
• Best eCommerce – Medium  
• Best eCommerce – International  
• Best eCommerce – Retail

SME and Business

• Best SME Website – Micro / Small
• Best SME Website – Medium (20 employees or less)
• Best SME Website – Large (21 employees or more)
• Best Financial Services Website

Technical Awards

• Best Practice  
• Most Beautiful Website in Ireland
• Most Innovative Website
• Web Agency of the Year  

Grand Prix

• Best Website in Ireland

The site for the awards themselves can come off as a bit simplistic, especially compared to the complexity of the sites that are awarded. However, the Web Awards’ merit is based on its quality and a history of an eye for exceptional craftsmanship. In 2014 Waterford Whispers was the winner of the best entertainment site and now has become a staple for Irish satire. The exposure the awards gives a site or company is second to none currently offered. The awards showcase Irish sites and developers. The founders are invested in Irish business and culture. Part of that is the continuous support of Gaeilge with the An Suíomh Gaeilge is Fearr category. The Web Awards is a place to exhibit the best in Irish design, innovation, and ingenuity.

exSite and the 2015 Web Awards

Semi-Finalists

Keating & Associates

Keating & Associates offers a full-service public affairs and public relations consultancy service. They advise clients on campaigns targeting decision-makers, communities, customers and the media.

Nominated for Best SME Website – Medium

Keating.ie is a clean, comtemporary site with a minimalistic design. The overall design communicates the high-end and professional nature of the company.

 

Monaghans Cashmere

Tom Monaghan and his wife Teresa opened Monaghans Cashmere in 1960 with the dream of selling the most luxurious cashmere and woolen garments. Tom prides himself in excellent customer service and loves to greet all his visitors, from all over the world, personally.

Nominated for Best SME Website – Micro / Small

Monaghans Cashmere includes an online presence without disrupting its face-to-face environment. As the owners prefer the relationship with their customers to be more intimate than an eCommerce site can accommodate, the site has been tailored to accompany the in-store shopping experience.

 

GLDA

The Garden & Landscape Designers Association (GLDA) has been synonymous with professional garden design for over 20 years. It represents some of Ireland’s leading garden and landscape designers, and its growing membership provides a wide range of services nationwide.

Nominated for Best Arts and Culture Website

This website is modern and clean, and it reflects the nature of the organisation with large, vivid images of gardens throughout the site. It is easy to navigate, the search function for a designer or supplier is easy to use, and it has engaging calls to action.

 

Finalists

MathsGrinds.TV

MathsGrinds.TV is an online training concept that presents a different approach to Leaving Cert Maths preparations. It uses short 5-minute videos on a virtual blackboard to teach math concepts.

Nominated for Best Education and Third Level Website & eCommerce – Micro / Small

This site is an affordable, approachable alternative solution for students. They can access the content anywhere, anytime making it more convenient than traditional tutoring. The engaging design and user-friendly features appeal to younger audiences and encourages them to use the site to study.

 

Cinnamon

Cinnamon is a comfortable and spacious eatery, coffee house and fully licenced restaurant with a family of friendly staff located on the Main Street of Ranelagh and in Monkstown, Co. Dublin.

Nominated for Best SME Website – Medium

Their site capitalises on Dublin pedestrians using mobile devices and captures their distinct style as a contemporary eatery. Site visitors, especially on mobile, can view the menus and galleries of the restaurants, and book with ease.

 

The Chop House

The Chophouse offers a new food concept within a Dublin 4 pub. Customers have been quick to appreciate the quality of cuisine and service within this pub-style setting.

Nominated for Best SME Website – Medium

The Chop House’s new site allows them to reach mobile audiences and easily update their web traffic priorities. Their easy-to-use booking system makes booking a table hassle-free for visitors.

 

Vintage Finds You

Vintage Finds You is a new online boutique that sells vintage clothes to clients in Ireland and overseas. Owner Noemi collects and carefully guards fashion pieces from all over the world, assuring excellent quality and the ability to give detailed information about each piece.

Nominated for Best eCommerce – Retail

This fully responsive eCommerce site provides a selection of clothes and accessories within several shop categories. The subtle and delicate design with the black and light cipria colours is inspired by the elegance and sophistication of the 50’s reflecting the vintage products.

 

Top Eleven

Nordeus is a leading and award-winning European games and technology company and publisher of Top Eleven. They provide a seamless, quality gaming experience, regardless of the devices used. A team of dedicated, multilingual support staff ensures that any problems are solved with a smile.

Nominated for Best SME Website – Large

The Nordeus Support team needed to maximise the amount of information available to users while simplifying the support ticketing process and recording users’ answers. With their new website, they are able to do all that as well as pinpoint and solve users’ issues.

 

 

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