Blacknight are delighted to be supporting The Outing Festival once again. The LGBTQ+ festival is expected to get over 1000 attendees for a weekend of music and more.
Over 1000 People Expected at The World’s Only LGBTQ+ Matchmaking Festival
Blacknight are delighted to be sponsoring the 11th year of the Outing Festival as it returns to the Inn at Dromoland in Clare. It’s expected to attract more than 1,000 gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, and straight singles and couples from across Ireland and overseas to the County Clare venue this coming Valentine’s weekend from February 9th to 11th.
The award-winning festival is a fusion of music, comedy, ceilí bands, queer arts, and the best of Irish and international performers, drag artists and DJs. This year’s event is being hosted by “The Queen of Matchmaking”, Eddie McGuinness, and Ireland’s tallest Drag Queen, Victoria’s Secret.
“We’re delighted for the ongoing support of Blacknight’s sponsorship of the festival once again.” Said director of The Outing, Eddie McGuiness. “The Outing Festival’s website has been hosted by Blacknight for over ten years, and their support for the festival plus their technical expertise and LGBTQ+ community is really appreciated, and understanding of what our community needs in those areas”.
With Blacknight’s easy-to-use website builder, they provide a space online for people to express themselves and share their story. Supporting the Outing Festival aligns with their mission to help communities to use their voice and celebrate what’s unique about them.
CEO of Blacknight, Michele Neylon said “The Outing Festival is hugely important to the LGBTQ+ community and to Clare, so it’s something that we are proud to continue to support year-on-year. We’re sure that it will be as successful as always.”
The Outing are working with the Shannon Region Conference and Sports Bureau, Shannon Chambers, Quare Clare and Limerick Pride to submit a bid to bring EuroPride to Limerick, Clare and the Mid-West Region in 2028. This would mark the first time that the pan-European international event has been held in Ireland. Attracting over 100,000 people from all over the world annually, EuroPride is hosted by a different European city each year.
Blacknight are sending their competition winners to the event to enjoy a weekend of music, film, sports and more. Get your tickets at The Outing website before they’re gone!
]]>Blacknight, Ireland’s largest web host and domain registrar, is celebrating 20 years of supporting Irish businesses online. Founded in Carlow in 2003 by CEO Michele Neylon and CTO Paul Kelly, Blacknight has grown from a single server operation to running its own data centre and launching broadband services across Ireland, while also building a reputation in global internet governance. Blacknight has grown to serve over 90,000 customers in Ireland and 170 countries.
Blacknight is 20: Driving the Irish Economy Forward - The Impact of Blacknight’s Two Decades of Enabling Digital Growth
CARLOW - September 20th - Blacknight, Ireland’s largest web host and domain registrar, is celebrating 20 years of supporting Irish businesses online.
Founded in Carlow in 2003 by CEO Michele Neylon and CTO Paul Kelly, Blacknight has grown from a single server operation to running its own data centre and launching broadband services across Ireland, while also building a reputation in global internet governance. Blacknight has grown to serve over 90,000 customers in Ireland and 170 countries.
“The internet has changed Ireland for the better,” says Blacknight CEO Michele Neylon. “Back when we started, it was hard to get online - and speeds were a lightning fast 256k, if you were lucky. Building a website, let alone getting your own server, was something most people simply couldn’t do. Once we got going, we made it easier for Irish businesses and consumers to get online. Tech and services have evolved so quickly in Ireland, Blacknight has had to adapt quickly to a landscape so that we now offer broadband. Some of our customers now have fixed fibre internet speeds up to 2gbps.”
The last 20 years have seen a sea change in the tech industry in Ireland. Along the way, Blacknight has provided the infrastructure for Irish businesses and individuals to get online.
“With the advent of online streaming and remote work,” continues Neylon, “the internet has completely re-ordered the Irish economy and how people work day-to-day. A recent survey by Retail Excellence and .IE reported that a majority of Irish workers work from home at least one day a week. Blacknight has always been at the forefront of the work-from-home revolution, offering the services that Irish businesses and workers need.”
Quality customer service is at the core of Blacknight’s offerings. When you call them, there’s always a familiar Irish voice at the end of the line, and trained engineers keep an eye on their infrastructure 24/7.
As members of the Climate Neutral Data Centre Pact, Blacknight has been working with other European data centre operators to ensure they are carbon neutral by 2050. When it recently renovated its offices, it installed the latest green energy saving tech and solar panels on their Carlow headquarters roof, ensuring that they generate enough power for most of its day-to-day office operations.
“I’m a huge green energy nerd,” says Kelly. “We obsessively watch our power generation levels. Happy to say, we’ve always exceeded our targets. The system will pay for itself in no time.”
Blacknight participates in several important organisations responsible for internet governance. It is a member of the Internet Infrastructure Coalition, Eco, and works with ICANN on important industry issues. This international participation ensures Irish views have a seat at the table affecting policy on governance, privacy, security, piracy, and universal acceptance of domains and internationalised domain names.
Looking ahead for the next 20 years, both Neylon and Kelly have similar visions for the future of the company.
“I hope we continue to grow,” says Kelly. “I’d like to see us grow to having 200 to 300 employees one day, with bigger offices and a larger network and data centre footprint, while watching our energy usage and being as efficient as possible. I’d like to see us grow to millions of broadband customers, as well as increase our enterprise footprint.”
“I think we’ll continue to grow as the internet develops in Ireland and becomes more and more integrated into our daily lives,” says Neylon. “Hopefully in 20 years I’ll be retired, but with the growth of the internet of things and how fast gadgets innovate, there will be plenty for Blacknight to do in the next 20 years, especially as devices need to become more conscious of the energy they consume. Think about 20 years ago - not everyone had an email address - what will be ‘email’ in 20 years? No one can say now, but Blacknight will be ready for it when it arrives.”
]]>Carlow-based Blacknight, Ireland’s largest website and domain registrar, is excited to announce headline sponsorship of the upcoming Town of Books Festival in neighbouring Graiguenamanagh from August 18th to August 20th. Both the festival and Blacknight are celebrating their respective 20th birthdays this year.
Blacknight Sponsors Local Festival of Books in Graiguenamanagh for 20th Anniversary
Carlow-based Blacknight, Ireland’s largest website and domain registrar, is excited to announce headline sponsorship of the upcoming Town of Books Festival in neighbouring Graiguenamanagh from August 18th to August 20th. Both the festival and Blacknight are celebrating their respective 20th birthdays this year.
“We’re excited this book festival is happening in our own back garden,” said Michele Neylon, CEO of Blacknight. “As Blacknight celebrates its 20th birthday along with the festival, we’re delighted to be able to support a major cultural event taking place just down the road. We love sponsoring local arts events that make an impact on Ireland’s cultural life.”
During the festival, you can explore the medieval riverside town of Graiguenamanagh and shop for books in a fun environment. This event will showcase over 25 independent booksellers from all over Ireland, making it the perfect place to discover new, second-hand, antiquarian, children’s, and specialist books at a great price. Along with the book fair, the festival will feature a diverse range of activities like readings, creative workshops for all ages, live music, tempting foods, crafts, and entertainment.
Blacknight has long supported the arts in Ireland, and supporting this local literary festival is another way to support the rich cultural and intellectual life of Ireland. As a headline sponsor, Blacknight will be front and centre. They're also happy to be expanding their broadband service to areas throughout Graiguenamanagh.
The festival is a popular yearly attraction, drawing in numerous visitors over the weekend and providing a boost to both the local economy and tourism. It is a delightful experience for both locals and newcomers, with many visitors returning year after year. This year, the festival is celebrating its 20th anniversary, just like Blacknight, and is expected to be even bigger and more exciting, with the goal of increasing attendance and building on the event’s growing success.
“I’m proud to be from Graiguenamanagh and I’m excited to be giving back to my hometown,” said Paul Kelly, CTO of Blacknight. “As Graiguenamanagh grows to become a major tourist hub in this area, events like this are perfect for putting this idyllic place on the map.”
The festival commences on August 17th with a lineup of talented authors, including Edward Hayden in conversation with Rachel Doyle from the Arboretum discussing her new book. The bookshops will officially open from noon on Friday the 18th. The activities that follow from Friday to Sunday include heritage trail walks, exploring various stalls, an outdoor activity hub, an art exhibition, talks from renowned authors, and more. You can find the complete schedule here.
Graiguenamanagh, situated in the heart of the Barrow Valley in County Kilkenny, is always bustling with hillwalkers, cyclists, canoeists, boating enthusiasts, artists, and fishermen. The 2023 festival will take place from August 17th to 20th and draw people from all over Ireland for a rich cultural event. Come along and find your next great read!
About Blacknight: Based in Carlow, Blacknight is Ireland’s largest web host and domain registrar. It has also recently expanded into providing broadband services nationwide. 100% Irish owned, Blacknight is an ICANN accredited domain registrar and ISO-certified hosting company. Blacknight leads the way through innovation and is one of Europe’s most cutting-edge Internet companies.
]]>Blacknight, Ireland’s largest web host and domain registrar, is excited to announce a brand-new competition for Irish clubs, starting on May 8th and running until June 1st. The contest, launched in partnership with EURid - the .EU registry - will give Irish sport lovers the chance to win a branded kit for their local teams, valued at €2000. As part of the promotion, Blacknight is also offering a massive discount on new .EU domain registrations at €3.99.
Kit out your club with Blacknight and EURid!
Blacknight announce an exciting competition for kids clubs in Ireland
Blacknight, Ireland’s largest web host and domain registrar, is excited to announce a brand-new competition for Irish clubs, starting on May 8th and running until June 1st. The contest, launched in partnership with EURid - the .EU registry - will give Irish sport lovers the chance to win a branded kit for their local teams, valued at €2000. As part of the promotion, Blacknight is also offering a massive discount on new .EU domain registrations at €3.99.
“Sports are important to the cultural fabric of Ireland,” said Blacknight CEO Michele Neylon. “So, we’re delighted that is being recognised by our partners at EURid. Over 40% of .EU domains in Ireland are registered with us, so we’re excited to deepen our partnership with EURid with this contest. We’re asked all the time to sponsor local clubs, so this is a chance for us to be proactive and help a club in need of a new kit.”
To enter, anyone in Ireland can submit their local kids' team or under 18 club and encourage their fans and followers to vote for them. The lucky winners will work alongside Blacknight to design their new jerseys, which will include the Blacknight and EURid branding.
"EURid with ".eu" is pleased to partner with Blacknight on this contest," said Kerstin Vermöhlen, Marketing and Events Manager at EURid. "And to support local sport teams in Ireland and encourage stronger communities online as well as offline."
The call for team nominations will begin on May 8th. A list of teams who have entered will be published for the voting to begin on May 22nd. The team with the most votes will win the new branded kit featuring the Blacknight and EURid logos. During this special promotion, Blacknight also has new .EU domain registrations priced at €3.99 for the 1st year (ex-VAT).
So, what are you waiting for? Get your team or club entered today, and when finalists are announced encourage your fans and followers to vote for your team! With a chance to win amazing new kit, you’ll have the winning combination on the pitch, field, or court next season thanks to Blacknight and EURid.
About Blacknight: Based in Carlow, Blacknight is Ireland’s largest web host and domain registrar. It has also recently expanded into providing broadband services nationwide. 100% Irish owned, Blacknight is an ICANN accredited domain registrar and ISO-certified hosting company. Blacknight leads the way through innovation and is one of Europe’s most cutting-edge Internet companies.
About EURid: EURid is the non-profit organisation that manages the registration of domain names under the .EU top-level domain (TLD). Established in 2003, EURid operates out of Belgium and is responsible for ensuring the secure and stable operation of the .EU TLD. EURid works closely with the European Commission to promote the use of the .EU TLD as a symbol of European identity and to protect the interests of its users. EURid also supports initiatives to increase digital inclusion and promote internet governance in Europe. With over 3.5 million registered .EU domain names, EURid plays a vital role in the European digital landscape.
]]>Blacknight, Ireland’s largest webhost and domain registrar, has acquired MyHost Internet Services Ltd, in its mission to expand its footprint in the Irish hosting market. While the terms of the deal are private, the acquisition will see the current owner, Martin Saunders join the Avalon Holdings/Blacknight team and continue to run MyHost as an independent subsidiary.
Blacknight acquire MyHost
Keeping it Irish, long term competitors join forces in the domain and hosting space.
Blacknight, Ireland’s largest webhost and domain registrar, has acquired MyHost Internet Services Ltd, in its mission to expand its footprint in the Irish hosting market. While the terms of the deal are private, the acquisition will see the current owner, Martin Saunders join the Avalon Holdings/Blacknight team and continue to run MyHost as an independent subsidiary.
The announcement, being made during the annual CloudFest hosting conference, is part of Avalon’s overall growth strategy to expand its business and create more innovative IT solutions for Ireland. MyHost is a fellow Irish-owned and independent hosting company, which means it will be a good fit within Avalon’s existing holdings.
“This year marks our twentieth anniversary,” said Avalon Partner and Blacknight CEO Michele Neylon. “The last few years were about helping small businesses move online during the pandemic, we saw a huge shift to the online market. Now our focus needs to be on how we can strategically grow the business. We’ve known Martin for years and our companies are a natural fit to work together. We’re delighted that he’s going to join our team and that MyHost customers will have a new home on Blacknight’s world class infrastructure.”
MyHost will continue to be operated and run by Martin Saunders under the Avalon Holdings umbrella. Nothing will change for customers immediately but in the long-term, MyHost customers will benefit from gaining Blacknight’s decades of IT experience and Blacknight will gain from MyHost's success in the Irish hosting space. MyHost customers will stay MyHost customers.
“I’m very excited to be joining the Blacknight team,” said MyHost founder Martin Saunders. “We can continue to grow under our own brand but take full advantage of the incredible Blacknight network, improving access and technical capabilities for MyHost customers. Personally, I’m most excited about getting super-fast Blacknight Fibre broadband here in the West of Ireland.”
Blacknight is no longer just a web hosting company, it’s expanded to operating data centres and has built a world-class network that has facilitated the launch of its own broadband services throughout Ireland. Its enterprise hosting, co-location and data centre real estate make it a serious player in the international hosting infrastructure market.
“We’re excited for MyHost to join us,” said Avalon partner and Blacknight CTO Paul Kelly. “This marks a big shift in our growth strategy and we’re looking forward to making more growth centred acquisitions in the future. Martin will become a key part of the Blacknight team.”
Blacknight customers and MyHost customers will continue to stay separate but will benefit from infrastructure upgrades by joining Blacknight’s backbone internet infrastructure in Ireland. It will also allow MyHost to expand its product offerings and tap the benefits of Blacknight’s ICANN accreditation for its domains business as well as its ISO Certifications. It will also gain efficiencies in reducing its carbon footprint as Blacknight is dedicated to green initiatives that included recently installing solar panels on its headquarters that power most of its back-office operations.
]]>Blacknight has announced a brand new innovative broadband service – flexible broadband. This new service allows you to easily turn on and off your broadband as you need it. This product is a response to the cost-of-living crisis facing Ireland, saving customers who have seasonal residences or businesses hundreds of Euros. No other provider in Ireland is currently offering such a product, Blacknight is the first.
Blacknight Announces Flexible Broadband Service Packages with 30-day rolling contracts
Carlow based broadband provider offers Ireland's first flexible broadband contracts
Blacknight has announced a brand new innovative broadband service – flexible broadband. This new service allows you to easily turn on and off your broadband as you need it. This product is a response to the cost-of-living crisis facing Ireland, saving customers who have seasonal residences or businesses hundreds of Euros. Blacknight is the first provider in Ireland currently offering such a product.
Blacknight Flexi Broadband is the perfect option for when you need superfast broadband, but don’t need it all the time. Why pay for the entire year if you’re only there part of the time? The broadband, offered through the NBI network, is super fast fibre with connections with speeds of 500 Mbps (€54.99 a month), or 1 Gbps (€69.99). Blacknight can offer this service to anywhere in Ireland serviced by NBI.
"Flexible broadband is a fantastic addition to our current broadband offerings. Broadband providers want to lock you in to a contract long-term," said Michele Neylon, CEO of Blacknight. “Flexi broadband allows you to only pay for broadband when you are using it. It makes it easier for customers to connect and disconnect without paying a penalty. If you are a holiday homeowner, or someone who manages a seasonal business, this product is our answer to give you the flexibility you need, while also saving money.”
After paying the one-off installation fee, and when the broadband service is active for 30 days, customers will have the option to pause the service. The customer can simply login and turn off the service from their control panel (they don’t even need to call). Then when they’re ready to activate the service again, they simply switch it back on in their control panel, and it will be ready and waiting for them when they arrive at their property or location. You can reactivate for a minimum of thirty days, or several months. This new product offers the flexibility you need to have broadband only when you need it.
"We worked very closely with our industry partners to come up with this solution. Just because you’re not there all the time, doesn’t mean you can’t have world class broadband when you are,” said Blacknight CTO Paul Kelly. “With the revolution in remote working in Ireland post-COVID, this is a great way for Ireland’s digital nomads to make sure they have reliable and fast internet access wherever they are.”
Not only is this product ideal for holiday homes, it’s also a great solution for a wide range of seasonal businesses that need broadband for only part of the year – for example, a shop or restaurant in a tourist town that’s only open in the summer months but needs broadband to operate. It’s a great option for hotels in holiday destinations that shut down in the winter months. Flexi broadband is also perfect for student accommodation when the students have gone home for the summer. Why pay for internet if you don’t have any customers to use it? With this, you don’t have to. With 30-day rolling contracts, there’s no need to commit to a long-term broadband contract or get penalised to get out of one.
Joe Lavin, Chief Commercial Officer of National Broadband Ireland, said: “National Broadband Ireland is delighted to see our partner Blacknight launch this new innovation which offers great flexibility to their customers. Those who have signed up to NBI’s high-speed fibre through Blacknight can now avail of a more cost-effective offering that allows you to only pay for the broadband when you need broadband. NBI’s mission is make sure that no one is left behind when it comes to access to superfast broadband no matter how remote the location and Blacknight is ensuring they meet the needs of all the different kinds of customers as well as helping with cost-of-living pressures.”
Ready to get broadband on a rolling basis at a holiday home, seasonal business, or other second property? Then contact Blacknight to see if it’s available in your area. Blacknight Broadband comes backed by Blacknight’s award-winning, friendly Irish customer service. This new customer-centred product is just another innovation in changing the way business is done in Ireland.
Blacknight is Ireland’s leading web hosting company, ICANN-accredited domain registrar and now broadband provider. Based in Carlow and 100% Irish-owned, Blacknight provides innovative solutions to more than 90,000 customers in 170 countries, with dedicated servers and colocation, a comprehensive range of Microsoft Windows and Linux-based hosting plans, domain name registration services, and email services. Growing from a startup in 2003, Blacknight’s success is built on an enviable reputation for customer service and support.
]]>Carlow based IT company continues its support of the LGBTQ+ community by sponsoring a giveaway to attend The Outing in Co. Clare in February
Blacknight Launches Giveaway in Support of The Outing - The Queer Arts, Music, and Matchmaking Festival
Carlow based IT company continues its support of the LGBTQ+ community by sponsoring a giveaway to attend The Outing in Co. Clare in February
Photo Credit Eamon Ward
Blacknight, Ireland’s largest webhost and domain registrar has launched a contest to giveaway a free stay during The Outing Festival in Co. Clare. This prominent festival, held every year during Valentine’s weekend, is just one of the ways in which Blacknight proudly supports the LGBTQ+ community, as well as the arts in Ireland. This year’s festival will feature a new LGBTQ+ film festival as part of the festivities.
The Outing Festival began in 2012 by Queen of matchmaking Eddie McGuinness, and was an off-shoot of the traditional Lisdoonvarna Matchmaking festival with a new twist on old traditions. In 2019 after seven years in Lisdoonvarna, it moved to a beautiful new location, on the grounds of Dromoland Castle, at the sister hotel; ‘The Inn at Dromoland’ in Co. Clare. Now in its tenth year, the festival is volunteer-led and its mission is to celebrate the diverse culture of the LGBTQ+ community by providing Ireland with various activities to promote and engage in matchmaking, queer arts, music, sports, educational, civic, and cultural activities in order to enrich the lives of LGBTQ+ people and the community as a whole, and to work together to achieve a common goal.
"We, at Blacknight, are proud to support the LGBTQ+ community and Irish arts, said Blacknight CEO Michele Neylon. "The Outing Festival not only highlights Irish culture and music, but it also gives the LGBTQ+ community a safe space to express themselves in a fun and unique way. Promoting this festival and LGBTQ+ pride is something we are delighted to have the opportunity to do."
There are lots of fun activities to enjoy throughout the weekend during the Outing. Guests can participate in speed dating and a masquerade ball on Friday, go on walks to explore Clare and an evening of karaoke on Saturday, then end the weekend in the arts and crafts fair and live music on Sunday. The weekend is jam packed with lots more activities which are listed on the Outing’s website. Everyone (including singles, couples, and groups of friends – straight or gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, and their friends) is welcome to the inclusive and entertaining twist on an old tradition. Tickets are available here.
Blacknight continuously supports the LGBTQ+ community by working with various charities such as BelongTo, in order to promote the wellbeing of the community and promote diversity in Ireland. In celebration of this sponsorship, Blacknight is giving away two tickets to The Outing and an overnight stay for two people for two nights during the festival at the Dromoland Hotel. The stay will include a double room with a Full Irish Breakfast, two passes to all events of the weekend, and access to the amenities at the hotel along with a guided hike of the area. The contest is only open to residents of Ireland and details on how to enter are here. This year’s festival will be held from the 10th to the 12th of February at the Dromoland Inn in Co. Clare on the beautiful Wild Atlantic Way.
A new addition to the festival is the “Time Lapse Film Festival” featuring short films that address lesbian, gay, bisexual, and queer-themed issues. Submissions can be both new or previously released submissions. This festival also encourages creativity as films do not need to ‘fit into a conventional format.’ It is open to submissions from around the world. Some of this year’s submissions have come from the UK and America, but most are from Ireland.
"We are happy to have Blacknight as The Outing’s headline sponsor again this year," said The Outing founder Eddie McGuinness. "The festival is non-profit and we really appreciate Blacknight’s support in celebrating LGBTQ+ music and arts. Now in its tenth year, the Outing is a weekend that brings the entire community together in a fun and engaging ways that help enrich the lives of the community."
Blacknight is a historic of supporter of LGBTQ+ rights in Ireland and has supported several organisations fighting for the rights of every person to love who they want and be who they want to be. Most recently, it supported the charity BelongTo when it launched the .GAY domain for the Irish market and continues to market the domain worldwide. The annual festival is also a major contributor to tourism on the Wild Atlantic Way.
]]>Blacknight, Ireland’s largest webhost and domain registrar, has reiterated its commitment to green energy by installing a large array of solar panels on its Carlow headquarters roof. The energy generated by the panels will provide most of the office’s energy usage.
Blacknight goes greener by installing solar panel array on Carlow headquarters
Will generate over 90% of its office usage electricity needs
Blacknight, Ireland’s largest webhost and domain registrar, has reiterated its commitment to green energy by installing a large array of solar panels on its Carlow headquarters roof. The energy generated by the panels will provide most of the office’s energy usage.
The new panels will generate the equivalent power used by 12 typical Irish households in a year. It will largely power most of Blacknight’s office electricity needs - lights, kettles, coffee machines, computers, phones, etc. It will also charge the electric cars driven by several Blacknight staff.
“Blacknight is committed to our operations being more sustainable,” said Paul Kelly, Blacknight CTO and green energy enthusiast. “We monitor all our energy usage and make sure we’re using as little as possible. Our large roof means that we’re well placed to make the most of south-east Ireland’s golden sunlight and generate our office’s energy needs.”
This will help Blacknight reduce its overall carbon footprint and save on energy costs, reiterating its commitment to sustainability and renewable energy. This is just the latest action in Blacknight’s quest to help reduce its carbon footprint. Blacknight are signatories to the Climate Neutral Data Centre Pact, a European-focused organisation seeking to reduce the overall carbon footprints of data centres and their back offices. Blacknight will be playing its part in making Europe carbon neutral by 2050.
“We've always been conscious of our energy usage, and this is another way for us to play our part in making Europe carbon neutral,” said Blacknight CEO Michele Neylon. “Being greener isn’t just great for the planet, it just makes economic sense. These panels will pay for themselves in no time and reduce our overall carbon footprint.”
Power generation will vary throughout the year, as the amount of sunlight Ireland receives varies (especially in the winter months). The peak output they’ve seen so far was around 45kW. As it’s winter, the highest peak on a clear day is around 23kW. Blacknight estimate the new panels will generate around 55-60k kWh on average a year, most of which will be from March to September.
The addition of the new solar panels is on top of changes made to Blacknight HQ during its renovations that took place during COVID-19 closures when they installed state of the art motion activated LED lighting as well as a super-efficient heating, ventilation, and cooling system that keeps the office comfortable year-round. In Ireland overall, the use of solar panels has increased in recent years as the country works towards its goal of generating 70% of its electricity from renewable sources by 2030.
]]>Blacknight, Ireland's largest web host and domain registrar, is excited to announce its continued support of the IndieCork Film Festival. This year marks the historic 10th anniversary of Ireland's premier festival for independent film and music, which has nurtured a vibrant community of artists in Ireland. Blacknight has long been a headline sponsor of this unique festival that celebrates Irish art.
Blacknight Pledges Continued Support for Independent Film in Ireland
Blacknight, Ireland's largest web host and domain registrar, is excited to announce its continued support of the IndieCork Film Festival. This year marks the historic 10th anniversary of Ireland's premier festival for independent film and music, which has nurtured a vibrant community of artists in Ireland. Blacknight has long been a headline sponsor of this unique festival that celebrates Irish art.
"I've been a massive cinema fan my whole life," said Blacknight CEO Michele Neylon, "so it's a passion project of mine for Blacknight to support independent film in Ireland via IndieCork. We have so many brilliant filmmakers here. We are honoured to support this festival's fantastic tradition of showcasing unique Irish voices and international films."
This year's IndieCork festival will take place in-person and virtually. The Gate Cinema in Cork will host this year's in-person events from the 2nd to the 9th of October. The online portion of the festival will be held from October 2nd to October 15th. Blacknight also sponsors the online viewing platform for this year's event, allowing the festival to have a broad reach for those who want to attend virtually.
Festival Co-Director, Úna Feely said, “Creating an independent film festival ten years ago, was quite an undertaking, and of course, we were unsure where support would come from. We’re extremely appreciative of the support of Blacknight for IndieCork festival. This has enabled the festival to grow in stature as an important festival for independent filmmakers not just from Ireland but internationally - filmmakers from 95 countries have submitted films to IndieCork this year. We are delighted to have Blacknight with us to celebrate this our 10th-anniversary festival”.
Blacknight is linked to all the key elements of the festival, including the Creators Programme, which encompasses a range of talks, panel discussions, and networking sessions; all aimed at assisting emerging filmmakers in their careers and nurturing young talent across Ireland. In addition, Blacknight partners on the online festival platform, and the Blacknight Festival Centre, which hosts all ancillary festival events.
Blacknight is proud to be a strategic partner and long-time sponsor of the IndieCork festival. Ireland has always had a rich tradition of sharing Irish art with a global audience; Blacknight is delighted to provide continued support to the IndieCork festival, bringing emerging talent and established Irish artists to a global audience.
Image Caption: Seen at The Gate Cinema, where IndieCork Festival will celebrate its 10th year from October 2nd to 9th, sponsored by Blacknight. Mick Hannigan of IndieCork Festival pictured with filmmakers all presenting their new films at this year’s festival (left to right) Paddy O’Shea, Eddie Noonan, Renata Lima, Emmet O’Brien, and Emma Bowell.
About Blacknight
Blacknight (https://www.blacknight.com/) is an Irish-based leader in the innovative services that businesses need to build an online presence and sell to customers worldwide. With everything from website creation and hosting, data-centres, co-location, and dedicated server space, domain names, and more, every type of client is covered. Now, they’re connecting businesses and homes across Ireland with broadband. Complete with award-winning customer service and a rating of Excellent on TrustPilot, Blacknight’s easy-to-use solutions are just a click or call away.
About IndieCork
IndieCork (https://indiecork.com/) is Ireland’s premiere festival for independent film, and the largest festival for short film. Celebrating its 10th birthday this year, IndieCork began in 2013 as the showcase platform for emerging and innovative cinema. Formed as a Co-operative, the festival has gone from strength to strength and supports filmmakers, both Irish and International. In 2021, IndieCork was awarded BAFTA status as a nominating festival in recognition of its importance to the world of short film. 2022 will see the festival creates special programmes to celebrate their anniversary year, with the programme reveal scheduled for early September.
]]>Blacknight joins NBI in offering fibre broadband across Ireland, one of Blacknight's first customers experiences life-changing internet speeds going from slow DSL to 1 Gigabit/s fibre.
Blacknight expands broadband offering by joining National Broadband Initiative as retailer nationwide to rebuild post-COVID Ireland
Blacknight, Ireland’s largest web host, domain registrar, and newest broadband provider has announced that it has joined the National Broadband Ireland project as a retailer to expand its growing broadband business. All Irish consumers can see if they qualify for fibre broadband from NBI in rural areas through Blacknight’s Eircode checker. Blacknight customers like Simon Woodworth are already seeing life-changing internet speeds.
NBI will bring high-speed fibre internet to over 500,000 premises throughout Ireland that did not have access to it before. Locally, over 8,000 premises in Carlow alone will be able to get state of the art super-fast fibre internet. With more people working from home, or starting hybrid office/home working arrangements, consumers now have more options on where to live. Fibre internet from NBI makes it possible and you no longer need to live in a city or town to get world-class high-speed internet.
“Let’s face it, the new reality post-pandemic is hybrid or remote working, and the one thing consumers and businesses need to make it work is high-speed internet. For too long, rural areas have been underserved by big broadband providers, high-speed options simply didn’t exist for them,” said Blacknight CEO Michele Neylon. “Now, with the rollout of NBI, hundreds of thousands of businesses can come online and operate at the same high speeds that have been available elsewhere. This supports our national vision for this country to make the most of digital opportunities.”
NBI broadband through Blacknight will be rolled out nationally as the new network is built. Customers can search for their address on Blacknight’s website here to check their eligibility and then sign-up to pre-order the service. If NBI fibre is not available, other broadband options will be shown such as wireless.
A Blacknight customer recently signed up for NBI fibre broadband, upgrading from really slow broadband. The difference in speed was jaw-dropping for Simon Woodworth, a cyber-security lecturer at University College Cork. He’s been relying on slow DSL for years, and with lockdown tried to use fast wireless, but it proved unreliable. Having a fixed fibre connection for someone who works in cyber-security has been life changing.
“Download speeds are very close to 1Gb/s which is incredible this far out in the countryside,” said Simon. “Before it was frequently as bad as 1 mb/s and sometimes non-existent. The speed difference is just incredible. But it isn’t just about speed. It’s about having a broadband service good enough that I no longer have to worry about it, the same way most people nowadays accept rural electricity as a reliable service. This is all great for working from home as I can pull down large lecture videos in seconds. Netflix is now effectively instantaneous when before it would buffer constantly. And finally, I can now entertain backing up about 1.5TB of photos to the cloud to keep them safe.”
In the NBI roll-out, 8,000+ premises in Carlow, 18,300+ in Kilkenny, 79,000+ in Cork, 15,300+ in Wexford, 26,900+ in Kerry and many more all over Ireland will be eligible for fibre broadband. Rural businesses can finally get broadband speeds that simply weren’t available before. The frustration of distance, antiquated hardware, and slow speeds will be a thing of the past.
“With great speed comes great possibilities. To succeed in the post-COVID pandemic world, it will be critical for businesses to get online,” said Blacknight CTO Paul Kelly. “This is just another pillar in our strategy to get Irish small businesses online. It started last year with selling the tools business needs to operate remotely, offering products to help small businesses sell online easily, and now we’re offering the fast broadband they need to succeed in this new reality.”
In all, 544,000 premises are eligible for NBI, 1.1 million people - 54,000 farms, 44,000 small businesses and 700+ primary schools. These new connections will change communities in Ireland forever and bring them up to speed with the connections required to operate in the post-COVID online-first world we all live in now.
“National Broadband Ireland welcomes Blacknight as a new Retail Service Provider to the National Broadband Plan,” said NBI Chief Executive Peter Hendrick. “As a wholesale provider, NBI is making the new Fibre-to-the-Home network available to all Retail Service Providers (RSPs) operating in the Intervention Area. By joining the NBI project, Blacknight is ensuring that customers will have more choices when it comes to connecting to our high-speed broadband network. As an increasing number of homes and businesses are being connected by Blacknight and other RSPs, we are confident that the rollout will continue to gather pace throughout the country.”
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