Blog Awards Ireland: ‘The Power Of We’
Today is Blog Action Day and the topic is ‘the power of we’. Remembering this about an hour ago, I thought is was the perfect topic for the ’round up’ post from the Blog Awards event on Saturday night as the awards just wouldn’t have taken place without the help of so many people.
Lorna, Beatrice and Amanda
When Amanda and I started up the KLCK Bloggers Network just over two years ago, we envisaged it as a monthly meeting whereby bloggers could learn more about effective blogging. The fact that it has grown into such a strong community wasn’t necessarily expected and it has turned out to be a huge factor in the success of the network as people have helped each other out as well as becoming firm friends.
From KLCK Bloggers Network was borne the idea to organise the Blog Awards Ireland 2012. It would have been a much tougher challenge but for the network as we knew we could count on their help and support. The 3 of us (Beatrice, Lorna and Amanda) had been working together as organisers of the network and knew we got on well and probably more importantly, that we worked well together.
3 members of KLCK – Simon Lewis, Maura Glynn and Rozz Lewis
Having a team of three people worked marvellously. Occasionally one of us would have a not-so-clever idea that we thought was great, and another person might think it was okay, it took the clear sightedness of the third person to make us realise that perhaps that idea wasn’t so clever after all! What also happened often was that one of us would have an idea and the other two would build on it and make that idea even better. We all work fulltime besides running the awards so we all had weeks that were busier than others, however, there was usually one of us who was available to check the email and chase something or other. We also delegated to our strengths as well as ‘who has the most time this week’!!
That KLCK bloggers community (and a few who join in occasionally from further afield!) formed the bulk of our volunteer helpers – who helped out with countless spreadsheets, packed goodie bags, helped us set up the room, manned the registration desk, seated people, sourced spot prizes…. and much much more.
Our category sponsors also helped out marvellously – not just from a financial point of view but also from lending their support, providing items for the goodie bags, coming to the event, telling us we were doing great and much much more too.
oooer - Mark of A Year of Festivals in Ireland, winner of Popculture, really wants his Belleek trophy!
Nicola, the Sequin Cinderella and our ‘Festival themed outfit’ winner with Register 365, sponsors of Best Blog Post
Susan Boyle, our MC for the evening
It’s been our experience that bloggers are naturally a very convivial bunch of people willing to help out others with knowledge and experience and that conviviality was very evident on Saturday night. We know there were finalists there who were disappointed and we know exactly how that feels (we’ve each been there!). Standing on the stage, I could see the tension on finalists’ faces as they waited for the winner to be read out. However, finalists pushed disappointment aside and congratulated the winners, took part in the spot prize games and tweeted and chatted like anything.
Our ‘best badge’ winner from Why Weight Ireland enjoying the scrumptious icecream provided by Missy Moos.
Sage’s Social Media Butterflies!
Mona Wise of Wise Words, winner of Best Blog
Blog Awards Ireland involved a year of planning and organising by a team of people and culminated in an event on Saturday night that celebrated thirty worthy winners. Judging by the tweets, so many people had a great night meeting people they had met via twitter and blogging. Blogging has become the success it is because of the power of people writing and reading – ‘the power of we’! Well done to all.
Lorna
All of the photographs were taken by our sponsor of the Best Photography Blog, Damien Carroll of Cearbhuil Studios and you can download your choice of photos by using this link. Many thanks to Damien for letting everyone avail of these.
9 Comments
Leave a comment
Recent Posts
Recent Comments
Categories
I haven’t managed to get to the Network meetings yet but I have benefited greatly from the support of Marie Ennis O’Connor and from Write on Track. The ‘power of we’ is MIGHTY!
[...] to Beatrice, Amanda and Lorna for all their hardwork, enthusiasm and attention to detail. See here for proper photos and a full list of winners. Like this:LikeBe the first to like this. This entry [...]
Well done to you all! It really was a terrific night…. the chatter continuing today on twitter and every other media!
Hi Lorna,
Is there any way we can see the rest of the photos Cearbhuil Studies took on the night?
HI Sarah,
Yes, I’ve just added the link to the blog post and here it is too – you can download or order the photos from this link which Damien has kindly provided – enjoy
http://www.cearbhuilstudios.com/?Action=_VC&id=11814610&ppwd=blog101
[...] and you can read all about our teamwork and the wonderful support we received from many in the Irish blogging community over there, as well as see some of the [...]
[...] didn’t have the time – just as well I was organising rather than trying to do well in Blog Awards Ireland and there you can read our post on how the ‘power of we’ managed to create an event on [...]
Congratulations to all involved, the organisers and the winners! Looks like ye all had a great night! Hope the Belleek trophies have centre stage on your mantlepieces!
Those Belleek trophies are prized possessions in many households and we’ll be getting the engraved plaques to the winners shortly. Many thanks again for Belleek for your sponsorship, Lorna