Many thanks to the people at the Irish Internet Association who awarded me with the Best Blogger award at last night's Net Visionary Awards. Thanks to everyone who voted for me in the public vote and thanks to the judges whose names, I promise you, I didn't know and was therefore unable to menace in their own homes to ensure they voted correctly.

The competition was very stiff with me up against ginger podcasting legend Tom Raftery and hosting overlord Michele Neylon.

Unfortunately I was unable to attend the event but Tom very kindly accepted the award on my behalf and, I'm sure, read the acceptance speech which you can now read below.

Thanks again.

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Dear Net Visionary folk,

I am sorry I couldn't be there with you this evening but sadly I have a very important mission to undertake. If it goes badly you'll be reading about it in tomorrow's newspapers. If not then you'll be none the wiser and that's probably best for all of us.

Many people struggled to see how my blog fitted in with the rest of the nominations. Not you though. You, because you have such vision, understood that beneath the stories of booze, violence, casual drug consumption, bodily functions and 80s pop music lay a contemporary, relevant and strategic look at modern Ireland, the business and technological world and how it impacts on our every day life.

You saw past the expletives, cursing and ranting and realised that they were fueled by the frustration and dissatisfaction of a fellow visionary. A man in modern Ireland striving to make a difference, struggling against the machinations of a divided society. Divided into those who have the vision and those, like Stevie Wonder and Bertie Ahern, who don't.

I am very proud that we share the same vision. Maybe you don't even realise our vision is the same but it is. We are visionaries. Net visionaries.

I would also like to congratulate Tom Raftery and Michele Neylon for their nominations and if I have been lucky enough to win it makes me feel even better about myself to have beaten them. Not because I take pleasure in it but because they are totally awesome which must mean I'm even awesomer than they are.

I thank Tom for collecting this award on my behalf and if any of you ever find yourself in Ron's I'll buy you a pint and do my utmost to keep you safe.

cheers,

Twenty

Labels: "net visionary awards"