This is a little off topic in many ways but also on topic.
There has been the slow emergence of professionally written blogs in Ireland, reinforcing my thinking about blogging as a tool for publishing as opposed to any kind of social change, political change or even a weapon for undermining mainstream media. It also echoes (finally) the trend in the US where both commercial mainstream news outlets and academics have take to the tools with gusto.
It’s not just that newspapers like The Irish Times and Irish Independent are making use of the tools but three group blogs written by academics are quickly establishing themselves (or have already established themselves) as must read sites.
They are:
-
The Irish Economy (Economics)
Ireland After NAMA (Geography & Social Sciences)
&
Pue’s Occurrences (History)
Some individuals also keep blogs, my personal favourite being Dr. Constantin Gurdgiev who calls it like it is with no pulled punches, not to everyone’s taste, but entertaining.
Working on the web,
Eoin
Eoin Purcell's Blog 
Eoin,
Many thanks indeed for your kind remarks and, I think, perceptive comments on the use of blogging in general. It has, for us on Pue’s Occurrences at least, become a way of reaching a broad audience with an immediacy that is otherwise impossible. I think that we have all a bit to go to figure out exactly what format this will take, but to be mentioned in the same breath as Irish Economy and Ireland After NAMA is quite a compliment. Many thanks indeed.
Kevin
Kevin,
You are very welcome. I love the blog!
Eoin
There is a good blog called View from the Blue House, by Rob Kitchin.
http://theviewfromthebluehouse.blogspot.com/
He’s director of a research institute at the National University of Ireland and fiction author.
Thanks Maxine,
I stumbled across this a few weeks ago, then lost the link and couldn’t remember the details! Now I have subscribed!
Eoin
I’ve just remembered that Rob is also a contributor to Ireland after NAMA, the second of your selections, Eoin. I very much like his View from the Blue House, but a large factor is that it is about the kind of books I like to read.
That’ll do it alright!
Eoin, thanks for the mention. We’re delighted that people are finding the blog useful.
Mary
You’re very welcome! I love the site!