Pictured is Ciara Linnane, Mike Linnane and Eoin Hogan from Clare’s Digital Ennistymon with Waywyser, Winner up in Digital Tourism category at the .ie Digital Town Awards 2024 alongside (left) Orla O’Keeffe, Head of Industry Digitalisation at Fáilte Ireland, category sponsor and Oonagh McCutcheon, National Director, .ie Digital Town Programme
TWO CLARE based companies were among the winners at the Digital Town Awards.
Held at the Sheraton Hotel in Athlone on May 24th, the Digital Town Awards recognise and reward projects with a digital element created by town groups and local communities.
Ennistymon based Waywsyer won the top accolade in the Digital Tourism category while Future Mobility Campus Ireland (FMCI) which is headquartered in Shannon took the top gong in the Digital Business category. Both companies were awarded €4,000.
FMCI was recognised for its innovative digital strategies that promote business growth and enhance the local economy. This award is a testament to the hard work and dedication of our team in driving digital transformation and mobility solutions. FMCI is excited to continue its pioneering advancements in digital technology and making a positive impact in the community.
WayWyser grew from Geopark LIFE, an EU-funded project that combines tourism development with conservation. The earliest version was piloted in the Burren, county Clare as a geopark monitoring system, as part of a collaboration between the National Parks and Wildlife Service, Clare County Geologist, Clare Local Development Company and the county’s Rural Recreation Officer.
After the basic version of the app was piloted, the Clare-based software development company Evolve Technologies came on board to enhance the software and add more features to what would become the WayWyser app. The work to date has been funded by the Department of Rural and Community Development.
Working out of the digital hub on Parliament Street in Ennistymon, WayWyser makes it easy to monitor and maintain tracks and trails, hiking paths, geoparks, recreation resources, agricultural land, heritage sites and waterways.
