Irish Food Bloggers Association: happy birthday to us!
This time last year myself and Kristin of Edible Ireland/Dinner du Jour were just after launching the Irish Food Bloggers Association. We had spent months planning and designing and coding the website, with the help of Súil Design, and it was ready for its grand unveiling at the Savour Kilkenny Foodcamp.
Having enjoyed putting faces to names at a couple of food events over the summer of 2010, we were looking for an excuse to meet more bloggers, do some more talking about food and, most importantly, do lots of eating! We wanted to set up something that let Irish food bloggers get to know each other and get involved in food events and meet-ups.
But we made one crucial mistake: we hadn’t exactly planned our next step beyond getting the site up and launched.
It doesn’t seem to be too much of a problem, though. Our members have taken the idea of the IFBA and run with it.
So far, we have:
449 members on the IFBA site
210 blogs on the blogroll
1,248 likes on Facebook and
2,911 followers on Twitter
We’ve taken part in more than a dozen events organised by IFBA members, with InishFood standing out as an amazing highlight, and turned online acquaintances into real life friends.
It’s been a whole lot of fun. And lots of work.
I think its safe to say that without Kristin the IFBA would be far less vibrant. Twelve months ago I didn’t realise what 2011 had in store for me: so far, it’s involved a cottage renovation, two house moves (one to a house without internet access), starting up a new business, a family bereavement and a small new addition. Kristin has consistently picked up the slack and for that, along with her emails, phone calls and friendship, I have to say a big thank you.
Yesterday we returned to the Kilkenny Foodcamp for what we called The IFBA’s first year: a bloggers’ brainstorming session. It was rather unstructured. Work deadlines and small babies meant that neither Kristin nor myself had the opportunity to work out an all bells and whistles presentation. We wanted to hear what our members – you – had to say. And, despite the Small Girl trying to make sure that everyone heard her instead, we were listening.
Roll on our second birthday!
Also read: Kristin’s post on the IFBA’s first year at www.irishfoodbloggers.com
Lovely post, Caroline! It’s been an absolutely cracking first year for the IFBA and I know I’ve learned lots from you both. Very excited to see what’s in store for year two!
I remember meeting you that first night in L Mulligans and making you promise that you’d start blogging! There was no way to escape…
What a lovely post Caroline. And happy birthday to you and Kristen.
You guys have opened Pandoras box of Irish foodies and I have learned so much from you girls. I am sorry to have missed the event in Kilkenny. I hope to schedule it in next year :0) .
It’s been a whole lot of fun – and the best part of it has been getting to meet so many like-minded people. Of course, the whole eating thing comes a very close second!
It has been quite a year, hasn’t it! Lovely to see you (and meet the Small Girl) at Foodcamp, and here’s to many more years of the IFBA 🙂
Great to catch up with you in Kilkenny as well, Aoife! At least the IFBA lets us all meet up more often these days.
Bon Anniversaire to all the extraordinary bloggers and especially you two for getting the ball rolling.
Merci beaucoup monsieur!
Well done and Happy Birthday, I enjoy following you on the blogs and twitter,Im still learning and coping with our first year in business too, but would love to host an event in Source Sligo Cookery School in the New year…best wishes for christmas and the New year to all the Bloggers..
Thanks Eithna. I’ve been hearing lots about Source this year as well! We encourage IFBA members to organise events and then we can publicise them through the website. Maybe we could do some link-ups with people in your area?