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Do you know of a great Irish site that we can steer readers to? We want to know! e-mail your suggestions to Picks central -- and don't forget to include the site's address. Click here if you only want to view this month's list of sites.
If you'd like to invest in some Irish artwork but want something more than a painting of a thatched cottage, Artshapes is for you. This sleek new online shop is based in New York and deals exclusively in modern, high-quality Irish sculpture, garments, jewellry and more. Gift items start at $15, but most works on display are in the $1,000-plus range; you can also commission original works from the artists themselves, whose profiles are included on the site. Even if you're not in the market to buy, browsing this site is a real pleasure, and no commission-hungry salesperson will breathe over your shoulder as you peer at the stylish cabinets, mirrors and other assorted goodies. Magnificent!
It's more than an entertainment listings site -- What's On Where (WOW) is an online arts magazine for Ireland, including interviews with top comedians and musicians, directors and movie stars. The site also claims to give a full listing of cinema, theatre, music and art venues around the country (including Northern Ireland). Regular competitions mean plenty of free stuff, and there are reviews of everything from music gigs to new films. Where a movie title or star's name is hyperlinked, you won't be led to a film's official Hollywood site, but to WOW's own review or interview. Original content is certainly commendable -- but an added link to official movie sites is something most viewers are likely to want.
County Kildare is several miles outside Dublin, but the hot new County Kildare Community Network site is helping ensure that this is no poor country cousin. Find all the latest goings-on from a dedicated local news feed, KNN (Kildare Net News), plus local government information, a business directory and much more. There are also free utilities here, including useful software like WinZip and PaintShop Pro, plus a link to Hotmail for free email addresses. Local community groups can also get a free page on the site.
If you've had a sneaking suspicion that you're due some parental leave which your employer hasn't told you about, check out the new site for the Labour Relations Commission. Beautifully designed and fully searchable, the site lets visitors find out about their employee rights, from Sunday working hours to dispute procedures. Employers can also find out what their duties are, particularly in light of new legislation like the Parental Leave Act of 1998. The whole site is rather text-laden, but the amount of information available here means it's worth persisting, and using the site-wide search facility, to find what you want.
The thousands and thousands of companies who export from Ireland need this brand new resource. Export Ireland includes a list of the top 100 exporting companies, selected articles from the current print edition of Exporting Today magazine, and a useful directory of services, particularly air transport and warehouses, including their phone and email details. 1999 looks certain to be the year when business-to-business Internet trade gets underway in Ireland, and this is one site that has huge potential in this arena.