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The winners of the 2009 eircom Golden Spider Awards were unveiled last night at a gala black-tie event in Dublin’s Burlington Hotel, hosted by comedian Risteard Cooper. Over 600 representatives from the online community were in attendance to honour their colleagues and industry members for their online success in 2009.  Innovation in technology was very much the theme behind this year’s big awards.

Colm Lyon was voted 2009 Internet Hero by the judging panel.   Colm is founder and CEO of Realex Payments which he founded in 2000.  Today, Realex Payments process more than €6 billion for some 3,500 businesses, Irish and International.  Colm spent four years as Director and Chairman of the Irish Internet Association where his contribution was such that he was awarded life membership.  In 2009, he founded the Internet Growth Alliance, to help Irish Internet businesses achieve international growth.  His own Internet success, combined with his passion for helping other Irish Internet businesses, makes him a proud choice for this year’s Internet Hero award.

Muzu scooped two awards.  The prestigious eircom Grand Prix Award was won by Muzu.tv, who won the Golden Spider for the Best Entertainment and Games Related Website.  Already rewarded this year for their vision, Ciaran Bollard and Mark French’s Muzu.tv is a groundbreaking site offering one of the largest music video offerings on the web.  The judges were impressed with the business model that brought content owners to the table and delivered videos in a great site that is easy to use, has great functionality and facilitates social networking.

Other winning sites included organicsupermarket.ie in the Best Retail and Commercial Shopping Website; rte.ie/morningireland which won the Best Digital Media Website, culgreen.ie  who won the Best Community and Charity Website and bethedifference.ie which won the Best Interactive Marketing Campaign.  The Young Designer of the Year award went to 21 year old Declan Carey for his work on Corkcityfc.ie, particularly for the richness of its content.   

Last year, members of the general public were given an opportunity to vote for their favourite Social Networking and Community Website. The shortlist for this category was opened to the public again this year and their choice was pix.ie.

Commenting on the Awards, Michael Kennedy, Marketing Director eircom said, “I would like to congratulate all of this year’s winners.   Our partnership with Business & Finance on these awards allows Ireland to reward excellence in internet and digital media and helps nurture continued innovation.   We have to build the right environment for people to unleash their own creativity. Enabling digital media and web services to flourish will be absolutely critical to the development of a smart economy”.

In tandem with these awards, eircom’s Web Innovation Fund, now in its second year, is helping entrepreneurs and creating tomorrow’s Golden Spiders winners.  Four new innovative projects were selected this year to benefit from the €100,000 Fund – Diaryplan.com, SocietyMail.com, BeeHerd and GetItKeepIt.com.  These companies are now being promoted on the eircom.net portal.  In addition, eircom have partnered with the Telecommunication Software and Systems Group (TSSG) who will provide free consultancy and training for the four companies.

In addition to this, Business & Finance and eircom have also come together to promote innovation in schools.  Originally announced at last year’s awards ceremony, the first eircom Junior Spider Awards will take place in December 2009 and will recognize the best schools web sites across junior and secondary schools in Ireland.  

Speaking at the awards, Ian Hyland CEO/ Publisher Business & Finance commented, “The high standard of these awards are further evidence of the strength and talent within the Irish Internet and digital media sector.  Our aim is to continue developing and expanding this programme as the technology industry is now a key driver in building a ‘Smart Economy’ with a thriving enterprise sector, high-quality employment and first-class infrastructure.

2009 eircom Golden Spiders Award Winners:


•    Best Blog
Winner: www.ronanlyons.com

•    Best Sports & Leisure Website
Winner: www.munsterrugby.ie

•    Best Entertainment & Games Related Website
Winner:  www.muzu.tv

•    Best Use of Film, Digital Animation or Motion Graphics
Winner:  www.discoverireland.com/go

•    Best Education, Research & Training
Winner: www.primaryscience.ie

•    Best Classified Website
Winner: www.weddingsonline.ie

•    Best Professional Services Website
Winner:  www.insolvencyJournal.ie

•    Best Digital Media Website
Winner:  www.rte.ie/morningireland

•    Best Interactive Marketing Campaign
Winner: www.bethedifference.ie

•    Best New Indigenous Website 2009
Winner:  www.whoseview.ie

•    Best eBusiness Website
Winner:  http://business.loudervoice.com/

•    Best Retail & Commercial Shopping Website
Winner:  www.organicsupermarket.ie

•    Best Community & Charity Website
Winner:  www.culgreen.ie

•    Best Travel & Tourism Website
Winner:  www.discovercraigavon.com

•    Best Financial Services Website
Winner:  www.rabodirect.ie

•    Best Web Design & Development Agency
Winner:  WebFactory

•    Young Designer of the Year –  Declan Carey

•    Best Social Networking & Community Website (peoples choice)
Winner: www.pix.ie  


•    Internet Hero – Colm Lyon

•    Grand Prix    – www.muzu.tv