10 Ways to Get Better PR Results

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10 Ways to Get Better PR Results MediaHQ.com, Gmail, Basecamp, and Google Calendars The 10 commandments for i Power Tips from PR Professionals communications teams “Sit down, as early as possible, with can give people back the gift of time so that they can relevant team members, and formulate focus on better work. the three to five key messages that you 1. Be very productive want to get across. Once you have them, The biggest problem for most PR is that they don’t do it is easier to target specific media.” 6. Have a detailed content plan enough to get the story out. The baseline for success Silke Paasche Proactive communications needs to be planned. When Head of Communications should be to share at least one story a week – 52 a year. It everybody knows what to do and when to do it, you National Women’s Council of Ireland might seem like a lot, but it really isn’t. Also ask yourself – will get results. Plan your objectives and your content how quick is the approval process? No matter how short it quarterly. Be specific and do it day by day. The plan will is, can you make it quicker? change, but you must write it down. A quality plan lays a solid foundation, promotes understanding and will 2. Expect and reward purpose enable your team to do better work. and creativity Too many teams are busy, but not productive. Think of 7. Set clear goals the language we use – always about being busy, never about being creative. When is the last What problem is your team trying to solve and where time you said you were ‘mad creative’? Who comes up with the best ideas and how do they do it? is it written down? What are you trying to achieve this What do you value and what language do you use to describe the work? Creativity, purpose and year? How can what you do tangibly help your problem solving will sustain you longer, but are you enabling your team to do that? organisation to achieve its goals? Does everybody understand it? 3. The story is the most important thing Telling great stories is the lifeblood of every communications team. They are what bring our work 8. Pursue the audience on many platforms to life. Stories are the currency that we trade in. How are you finding new material every day? Issuing press releases and pitching traditional journalists should be just one of many tactics in Is this done on an ad hoc basis or do you have a system? Do you share the responsibility with your arsenal. If it’s not, then you are operating in the past. What other content platforms are you everyone in the organisation, or is it just you and your team? How are you capturing great stories pursuing? How are you integrating the time and effort into your overall message? What social and how could you improve this? networks are you mastering and how? Do you have a company blog for developing your other voice, the one that’s not a press release, that tells your stories? 4. Be insanely relevant to your audience What makes your audience tick? What are the five most important things to them? What defines 9. Measure, measure and measure again them? When is the last time you did a profile of them? Who on the team has a native instinct Who’s keeping score and, more importantly, what are they counting? You should have a simple for your audience? How can you all tune into the sweet spot of your target customer every day? and effective measure of success. You should check it once a week, and in a single page it should These are searching questions, but to be insanely relevant with your communication, you must make sense to you. If your PR is aligned with your organisation’s core objectives, you will know tune into them every day. what to measure. If it isn’t, you are of much less value within the organisation.

5. Build your sense of team every day 10. Speak with one voice as a team How are you developing your team every day? A productive team understands the problem and Do you speak with one voice as a team? What does it sound like? Can you carry the tone across has the power to solve it. Practical steps, like where people sit, and how the office is structured, press releases, personal briefings and social media? How do you explain your tone of voice to can make a massive difference to the search for successful results. How often do people meet, others? Organisations like Dogs Trust, Paddy Power and Ryanair are great at this. Why? Because or does it happen passively? How is performance reviewed? You should constantly review team their voice is simple and they don’t complicate it. Can you do the same? activities and ask is the team productive. Is it getting results? Digital productivity tools like MediaHQ.com, Gmail, Basecamp, and Google Calendars The 10 commandments for i Power Tips from PR Professionals communications teams can give people back the gift of time so that they can “For me, it all comes down to awareness focus on better work. and sound judgement. In other words, the best results come from knowing your 1. Be very productive team’s strengths and weaknesses, and The biggest problem for most PR is that they don’t do 6. Have a detailed content plan getting them to play to their strengths. enough to get the story out. The baseline for success Proactive communications needs to be planned. When Also, when you have a strong sense of your individual team members’ should be to share at least one story a week – 52 a year. It everybody knows what to do and when to do it, you capabilities, it is important to give them will get results. Plan your objectives and your content might seem like a lot, but it really isn’t. Also ask yourself – responsibility and the ‘space’ to run with how quick is the approval process? No matter how short it quarterly. Be specific and do it day by day. The plan will the ball. Direct feedback, constructive is, can you make it quicker? change, but you must write it down. A quality plan lays advice and continual mentoring of your a solid foundation, promotes understanding and will ‘talent’ is absolutely vital.” Alex Connolly enable your team to do better work. 2. Expect and reward purpose Head of Communications, Fáilte Ireland and creativity Too many teams are busy, but not productive. Think of 7. Set clear goals the language we use – always about being busy, never about being creative. When is the last What problem is your team trying to solve and where time you said you were ‘mad creative’? Who comes up with the best ideas and how do they do it? is it written down? What are you trying to achieve this What do you value and what language do you use to describe the work? Creativity, purpose and year? How can what you do tangibly help your problem solving will sustain you longer, but are you enabling your team to do that? organisation to achieve its goals? Does everybody understand it? 3. The story is the most important thing Telling great stories is the lifeblood of every communications team. They are what bring our work 8. Pursue the audience on many platforms to life. Stories are the currency that we trade in. How are you finding new material every day? Issuing press releases and pitching traditional journalists should be just one of many tactics in Is this done on an ad hoc basis or do you have a system? Do you share the responsibility with your arsenal. If it’s not, then you are operating in the past. What other content platforms are you everyone in the organisation, or is it just you and your team? How are you capturing great stories pursuing? How are you integrating the time and effort into your overall message? What social and how could you improve this? networks are you mastering and how? Do you have a company blog for developing your other voice, the one that’s not a press release, that tells your stories? 4. Be insanely relevant to your audience What makes your audience tick? What are the five most important things to them? What defines 9. Measure, measure and measure again them? When is the last time you did a profile of them? Who on the team has a native instinct Who’s keeping score and, more importantly, what are they counting? You should have a simple for your audience? How can you all tune into the sweet spot of your target customer every day? and effective measure of success. You should check it once a week, and in a single page it should These are searching questions, but to be insanely relevant with your communication, you must make sense to you. If your PR is aligned with your organisation’s core objectives, you will know tune into them every day. what to measure. If it isn’t, you are of much less value within the organisation.

5. Build your sense of team every day 10. Speak with one voice as a team How are you developing your team every day? A productive team understands the problem and Do you speak with one voice as a team? What does it sound like? Can you carry the tone across has the power to solve it. Practical steps, like where people sit, and how the office is structured, press releases, personal briefings and social media? How do you explain your tone of voice to can make a massive difference to the search for successful results. How often do people meet, others? Organisations like Dogs Trust, Paddy Power and Ryanair are great at this. Why? Because or does it happen passively? How is performance reviewed? You should constantly review team their voice is simple and they don’t complicate it. Can you do the same? activities and ask is the team productive. Is it getting results? Digital productivity tools like Essential media lists for your team • Maeve Quigley, The Irish Daily Mirror i Power Tips from PR Professionals • Mary O’Sullivan, The Sunday Independent “In my view what makes a great PR • Moira Hannon, The Irish Daily Star team is the people on it. I can’t stress 6 radio producers worth sending your story to: enough the importance of having the • Cora Ennis, Today with Sean O’Rourke, RTE Radio One right people. At Argos (UK and Ireland), • Eithne Kelly, Moncrieff, Newstalk 9 journalists to send your sports stories to: our PR team is made up of people • Tony Leen, Irish Examiner from various backgrounds, such as PR, • Eric Moylan, Newstalk Breakfast, Newstalk retail operations, marketing, public • Patrick Haughey, The Last Word, Today FM • Greg Allen, RTÉ Sport affairs, and media. It really is beneficial • Claire Prior, Drivetime, RTE Radio One • David Kelly, Irish Independent to have people from all different • Grace Callaghan, The Nicky Byrne Show with Jenny • John Duggan, Today FM backgrounds who can share their past • Malachy Clerkin, The Irish Times experiences, as well as being able to Greene, RTE 2fm bring something different to the table. • Ben Blake, the42.ie My advice – hire people who have 7 Political Editors to send your politics- • Ruth Gorman, UTV expertise within your industry and • John Fogarty, The Irish Examiner possess strong media relationships.” based news to: • Jacqui Hurley, RTÉ Sport Aoife Sweeney • Stephen Collins, The Irish Times PR Manager, Argos, Republic of Ireland • Daniel McConnell, The Irish Examiner • Stephen O’Brien, The Sunday Times 6 Sunday Editors for your weekend stories: • Kevin Doyle, The Irish Independent • Cormac Bourke, The Sunday Independent • Pat Leahy, The Irish Times • Frank Fitzgibbon, The Sunday Times • Jody Corcoran, The Sunday Independent • Ian Kehoe, The Sunday Business Post • Eileen Brophy, UTV Radio Network • Paul Clarkson, The Irish Sun on Sunday • Senan Molony, The Irish Daily Mail • Conor O’Donnell, The Irish Mail on Sunday • Martin Breen, Sunday Life 9 Digital Editors worth considering: i Power Tips from PR Professionals • James McNamara, The Sunday Business Post “An internal PR team should put time • Glen Mulcahy, Head of Innovation, RTE 113,000 press releases later – aside every day to scan the news and • Paddy Logue, The Irish Times Here’s what we know brainstorm how they might hi-jack the • James Dempsey, Newstalk 106-108 Features news agenda in a way that is relevant Since 2009 we have helped share just under 113,000 to their brand. At Paddy Power, we do • Sean Nolan, Sunday World this religiously between 8.30-11am • Adrian Wreckler (Tech Editor) Irish & Sunday Independent media releases. and it ensures that the content that we • Declan Ferry, The Irish Daily Mirror We’ve seen them all, from heart wrenching tales of attempt to sell is relevant and topical abandoned dogs from Dogs Trust and empowering news of to both the print and online media.” • Geraldine Gittens, Irish Independent formidable females from the National Women’s Council to Feilim Mac An Iomaire • Aisling Hussey, Irish Farmers Journal Head of PR, Paddy Power punny press releases from good ol’ Paddy Power. We know 8 Features Editors for all things lifestyle: what’s a winner with the media and what falls flat. Here’s what you need to know. • Conor Goodman, The Irish Times • Roisin Ingle, The Irish Times (Daily) Timing is everything • Liz Kearney, The Irish Independent (Daily) The time you send your release will make all the difference. If you are targeting a specific • Lynne Caffrey, Irish Daily Mail newspaper or radio show know what time they go to print and to air, this way you can pitch your • Vickie Maye, The Irish Examiner news at the best time possible. Also if your story plays a part in the news agenda you can’t afford Essential media lists for your team • Maeve Quigley, The Irish Daily Mirror

• Mary O’Sullivan, The Sunday Independent i Power Tips from PR Professionals “Be careful not to let media relations 6 radio producers worth sending your story to: • Moira Hannon, The Irish Daily Star slip. It can be easy to get bogged • Cora Ennis, Today with Sean O’Rourke, RTE Radio One down in internal matters – websites, committees, steering groups etc. • Eithne Kelly, Moncrieff, Newstalk 9 journalists to send your sports stories to: Ensure you remain proactive in getting • Tony Leen, Irish Examiner • Eric Moylan, Newstalk Breakfast, Newstalk external publicity for your • Patrick Haughey, The Last Word, Today FM • Greg Allen, RTÉ Sport organisation and maintaining trust and relationships with key media • Claire Prior, Drivetime, RTE Radio One • David Kelly, Irish Independent • John Duggan, Today FM contacts.” • Grace Callaghan, The Nicky Byrne Show with Jenny Graeme McQueen • Malachy Clerkin, The Irish Times Greene, RTE 2fm Media Relations, • Ben Blake, the42.ie Dublin Chamber of Commerce 7 Political Editors to send your politics- • Ruth Gorman, UTV based news to: • John Fogarty, The Irish Examiner • Stephen Collins, The Irish Times • Jacqui Hurley, RTÉ Sport • Daniel McConnell, The Irish Examiner • Stephen O’Brien, The Sunday Times 6 Sunday Editors for your weekend stories: • Kevin Doyle, The Irish Independent • Cormac Bourke, The Sunday Independent • Frank Fitzgibbon, The Sunday Times • Pat Leahy, The Irish Times i Power Tips from PR Professionals • Jody Corcoran, The Sunday Independent • Ian Kehoe, The Sunday Business Post “The key to a successful PR team is communication. All members of the • Eileen Brophy, UTV Radio Network • Paul Clarkson, The Irish Sun on Sunday • Conor O’Donnell, The Irish Mail on Sunday team need to be communicating at all • Senan Molony, The Irish Daily Mail times. Each member of the team is as • Martin Breen, Sunday Life important as the next. If one fails, 9 Digital Editors worth considering: we all fail.” Leon Blanche • James McNamara, The Sunday Business Post 113,000 press releases later – Head of Communications, • Glen Mulcahy, Head of Innovation, RTE BoyleSports • Paddy Logue, The Irish Times Here’s what we know • James Dempsey, Newstalk 106-108 Features • Sean Nolan, Sunday World Since 2009 we have helped share just under 113,000 • Adrian Wreckler (Tech Editor) Irish & Sunday Independent media releases. • Declan Ferry, The Irish Daily Mirror We’ve seen them all, from heart wrenching tales of • Geraldine Gittens, Irish Independent abandoned dogs from Dogs Trust and empowering news of • Aisling Hussey, Irish Farmers Journal formidable females from the National Women’s Council to punny press releases from good ol’ Paddy Power. We know 8 Features Editors for all things lifestyle: what’s a winner with the media and what falls flat. Here’s what you need to know. • Conor Goodman, The Irish Times • Roisin Ingle, The Irish Times (Daily) Timing is everything • Liz Kearney, The Irish Independent (Daily) The time you send your release will make all the difference. If you are targeting a specific • Lynne Caffrey, Irish Daily Mail newspaper or radio show know what time they go to print and to air, this way you can pitch your • Vickie Maye, The Irish Examiner news at the best time possible. Also if your story plays a part in the news agenda you can’t afford to delay, either someone else will step in or the 6 freelance journalists worth pitching to: news will move on. MediaHQ.com has information i Power Tips from PR Professionals “Encourage other departments to on specific print days, research periods for radio regularly share their news, milestones Journalist: Dr Jacky Jones and the best time to contact journalists. and successes with the PR team, by Title: Freelance Contributor setting up a dedicated email address Area of Expertise: Health (eg [email protected]). Emotions resonate Contributes to: The Irish Times That way, the PR team has a steady Throughout the 113,000 releases we’ve seen some pipeline of stories and potential hooks If your pitch relates to health, well-being or hugely successful releases and one thing’s for to build into the overall family, then it may well be worth pitching to sure- they’ve all fired up emotions. Whether they communications plan. What might not Jacky Jones. Jacky regularly contributes to The seem like a newsworthy piece of news have angered audiences or made them shed a tear- Irish Times. to one department (eg expected they’ve made an impact. Try and think about how delivery of new vans), could turn into you can inject some emotion into your release. an important trade story for the PR Journalist: Orla Bannon team (eg announcement of major Title: Freelance Contributor investment in operations).” Get it right Sarah Bohan Area of Expertise: Sport Journalists are busy folk, if they have spent time to Managing Director, Engage Ireland Contributes to: The 42 even click on your release you’re in with a chance If your pitch is sports-related, then it might be don’t deter them with copy that is full of errors. worth pitching to freelancer Orla Bannon. Orla Ensure that your release is spelled correctly and is regular contributor to The 42, so if your story without grammatical errors. The last thing a is sport, then give Orla a call. journalist wants to do is amend sloppy mistakes. Check in with our Grammar Happy series here to Name: Maura McElhone clear up any misconceptions. Title: Agriculture Columnist Contributes to: Irish Farmers Journal, Irish Be personable Independent Stats show that people respond positively when you use their name, be it in a professional or A farmer herself, Maura is a newcomer to the social setting, so the same applies for contacting journalists. A press release should be personal, agrimedia sector. She has covered a variety of call the journalist by their name, ask them questions, engage. They may not reply but it shows topics including farmers’ mental health. She that you put time and thought into your release. With our system you can insert the journalists writes a column for the Irish Farmers Journal first and last name if you wish, all at the click of a button. and Irish Country Living magazine.

Media on the move Name: Sharon Ní Chonchúir One thing that will ensure your release will go unnoticed if you send it to the wrong contact. Title: Freelance Features Writer An obvious point, yes, so why are you using an outdated contacts list? With thousands of Contributes to: Irish Examiner journalists in Ireland, not to mention researchers and producers, they do tend to move around, Sharon writes features for regional, national which means your contact details are more than likely incorrect. Make sure your database of and international newspapers and magazines. journo’s is up to date. Our research team spends their days monitoring the media for movements, She has an interest in food, the environment, think of what you can do with that saved time. arts and culture among other topics. She is also curious about the changing face of Irish society and Irish language issues. She is a regular to delay, either someone else will step in or the 6 freelance journalists worth pitching to: news will move on. MediaHQ.com has information on specific print days, research periods for radio Journalist: Dr Jacky Jones contributor to the Irish Examiner, writing life- and the best time to contact journalists. Title: Freelance Contributor style features for Friday’s Feelgood section. Area of Expertise: Health Emotions resonate Contributes to: The Irish Times Name: Eoghan Corry Throughout the 113,000 releases we’ve seen some If your pitch relates to health, well-being or Title: Travel expert hugely successful releases and one thing’s for family, then it may well be worth pitching to Contributes to: Travel Extra, Irish Independent, sure- they’ve all fired up emotions. Whether they Jacky Jones. Jacky regularly contributes to The Tonight with Vincent Browne have angered audiences or made them shed a tear- Irish Times. Eoghan has edited travel trade magazine Travel they’ve made an impact. Try and think about how Extra since 2002. He is a regular voice on Irish you can inject some emotion into your release. Journalist: Orla Bannon broadcast media, often giving his expert Title: Freelance Contributor opinion on Morning Ireland, Tonight with Get it right Area of Expertise: Sport Vincent Browne and the Six One News. He is a Journalists are busy folk, if they have spent time to Contributes to: The 42 former sports and features writer and even click on your release you’re in with a chance If your pitch is sports-related, then it might be established his career at the Irish Press Group don’t deter them with copy that is full of errors. worth pitching to freelancer Orla Bannon. Orla and the Sunday Tribune. Ensure that your release is spelled correctly and is regular contributor to The 42, so if your story without grammatical errors. The last thing a is sport, then give Orla a call. Name: Charlie Taylor journalist wants to do is amend sloppy mistakes. Title: Freelance business reporter Check in with our Grammar Happy series here to Name: Maura McElhone Contributes to: The Irish Times clear up any misconceptions. Title: Agriculture Columnist An experienced journalist, copywriter, Contributes to: Irish Farmers Journal, Irish editor and communications consultant, Charlie Be personable Independent regularly contributes to the The Irish Times. Stats show that people respond positively when you use their name, be it in a professional or A farmer herself, Maura is a newcomer to the He has written extensively about a range of social setting, so the same applies for contacting journalists. A press release should be personal, agrimedia sector. She has covered a variety of topics including business, technology, science, call the journalist by their name, ask them questions, engage. They may not reply but it shows topics including farmers’ mental health. She education, innovation and law. that you put time and thought into your release. With our system you can insert the journalists writes a column for the Irish Farmers Journal first and last name if you wish, all at the click of a button. and Irish Country Living magazine. Name: Nicola Donnelly Title: Freelance courts and news reporter Media on the move Name: Sharon Ní Chonchúir Contributes to: The Journal.ie One thing that will ensure your release will go unnoticed if you send it to the wrong contact. Title: Freelance Features Writer Nicola is a freelance journalist who specialises An obvious point, yes, so why are you using an outdated contacts list? With thousands of Contributes to: Irish Examiner in courts and news reporting, so if your pitch journalists in Ireland, not to mention researchers and producers, they do tend to move around, Sharon writes features for regional, national relates to news, courts or law, then Nicola is which means your contact details are more than likely incorrect. Make sure your database of and international newspapers and magazines. the right journalist to contact. journo’s is up to date. Our research team spends their days monitoring the media for movements, She has an interest in food, the environment, think of what you can do with that saved time. arts and culture among other topics. She is also curious about the changing face of Irish society and Irish language issues. She is a regular Top 5 PR tools Key influencers: Kathy Sheridan, Roisin Ingle, Erin i Power Tips from PR Professionals McGuire, Bernice Harrison “Obviously you’ve got to be good with the content of the release – short and 1. Measurement - Google Analytics to-the-point works best for us, well- A great resource for keeping up to date with how many 2. ONA Ireland structured with a few short paragraphs views we’re getting on our blog; it helps us differentiate The opening of the Irish branch of the Online News and a comment or two interspersed. In Association (ONA) is good news for PR pros. The our industry quoting some supporting between the content that does and doesn’t work. stats or data works well. We have organisation strives to provide “innovation and established a pattern over time that 2. Task management – Basecamp excellence among digital journalists to better serve works for us and would advise others Excellent for laying out what tasks need to be done, it the public”. It will focus on the growing digital side of to find a pattern that works for them by Irish media to create better quality content which will trying a few different things and then has a feature that allows you to assign tasks. When you sticking with the one or two that work.” prepare a list, there is no possible way of losing it. ultimately provide more opportunities for you to get Michael Rochford your stories out there. MD, Benchmark Automotive 3. Planning – Google Calendar Key digital journalists: Philip Bromwell – RTÉ, With Google Calendar, all upcoming events and Joe Harrington – JOE.ie, James McNamara – Sunday holidays can be kept in plain sight. This keeps everyone Business Post, Digital Editor, Lauren Kelly – The Sun, in the office updated on important events. Digital Reporter

4. Tracking leads – Salesforce 3. Culture to the forefront as Hugh Linehan appointed Irish Times Culture Editor Salesforce is a great tool for any business that is With respected journalist Hugh Linehan at the helm of The Irish Times cultural output, there are continuously looking for new sales targets and more opportunities to tap into the ‘paper of record’. customers. When you find a potential lead for your business, you can log their names, company Other key cultural influencers: information and contact details onto the site and then assign them to your sales team. Patrick Freyne, Irish Times Arts Correspondent, Sinead Crowley, Irish Times Arts Correspondent, Eithne Shortall, Chief Arts Writer, The Sunday Times, Sarah Binchy, RTE Radio 1 5. An old reliable – Post-its i Power Tips from PR Professionals 4. RT.com opens a Dublin newsroom Retro, we know, but post-its are a great way of “Put yourself in the shoes of the having a visual display of targets and to-dos. List all customer, the general public and the Russian news outlet RT (Russia Today) has opened a digital hub in Dublin, fronted by head of your monthly targets on post-its, colour code them for media and never shirk from challenging social Ivor Crotty. Nine journalists work at the organisation. The number is expected to double by your colleagues within the business. 2017. Latest figures show that RT’s total monthly online audience averages 32 million unique different quarters and use them as a visual aid. Make sure you’re in at the start, so users. RT has generated over 3 billion YouTube views and its TV network is available in six your advice is heard from the outset. It won’t always be taken, but it needs to different languages in over 100 countries. 5 new media opportunities be considered. Some of your best work will always be unseen.” 5. The rise of the listicle – get on the infotainment bandwagon Paul O’Kane 1. The Irish Times Women’s Podcast Chief Communications Officer, daa Listicles are at the heart of viral media. Easy to read, easy to share, lots of media outlets including Presented by journalist Kathy Sheridan and produced JOE.ie, Her.ie, The Journal and even legacy titles like The Irish Times have embraced the power of by daily features editor Roisin Ingle every Monday, “infotainment” to build their traffic. this is a show ‘made by women, for everyone’. These Key influencers: podcasts have found their place in the mainstream, but Valerie Loftus – dailyedge.ie, Clare Cullen – INM, Thomas Kelly – Social Media Editor at Irish still draw a focussed audience. There is an increasing Edition of The Times, Georgie Gavin – Social Media Editor at Spin 103.8 appetite for discussion on women’s issues. Key influencers: Kathy Sheridan, Roisin Ingle, Erin Top 5 PR tools i Power Tips from PR Professionals McGuire, Bernice Harrison “Hold regular press team 1. Measurement - Google Analytics meetings and constantly share and update information. Create a A great resource for keeping up to date with how many 2. ONA Ireland consistent house style for your press The opening of the Irish branch of the Online News views we’re getting on our blog; it helps us differentiate release structure and tone. Use between the content that does and doesn’t work. Association (ONA) is good news for PR pros. The advance campaign and event planning organisation strives to provide “innovation and (Matrix).” Michelle Ní Chrónin, 2. Task management – Basecamp excellence among digital journalists to better serve Press and Information Officer, NUIG Excellent for laying out what tasks need to be done, it the public”. It will focus on the growing digital side of has a feature that allows you to assign tasks. When you Irish media to create better quality content which will prepare a list, there is no possible way of losing it. ultimately provide more opportunities for you to get your stories out there. 3. Planning – Google Calendar Key digital journalists: Philip Bromwell – RTÉ, With Google Calendar, all upcoming events and Joe Harrington – JOE.ie, James McNamara – Sunday holidays can be kept in plain sight. This keeps everyone Business Post, Digital Editor, Lauren Kelly – The Sun, in the office updated on important events. Digital Reporter

APRIL Week 2 Student Media Awards April 2 Children’s Day 1916 April 23 English Language Day April 24 GAA Commemorative Event Croke Park April 26 World Intellectual Property Day April 27 Morse Code Day April 27 JLNR 2016 Figures Released

MAY May 1 Late CAO closing date May 2 May Day May International Baby Day May 3 World Press Freedom Day May 21-29 International Literature Festival Dublin May 22-24 INMA World Congress May 22-24 Leaving Cert starts May 26-29 The Irish Open Golf Championship

JUNE June 1 Global Parents Day June 5 Cancer Survivors Day June 6 Cork City Marathon June 10 Euro 2016, France June 15 Dublin Pride Begins June 20 World Refugee Day June 19 Father’s Day June TBC Impact Journalism Day

JULY July 11 World Population Day July 11-24 Galway International Arts Festival July 15 World Youth Skills Day July 20 Dublin Horse Show begins July 27 JLNR 2016 Figures Released July 30 World Day Against Trafficking in Persons AUG Aug TBC Leaving Cert results are out Aug 1 World Wide Web Day Aug 4 Coastguard Day Aug 12 nternational Youth Day Aug 17-23 International Rose of Tralee Aug 19 World Humanitarian Day

SEP Sep 2-4 Electric Picnic Sep 4 All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship Final TBC All-Ireland Senior Football Championship Final Sep 5-18 Dublin Fringe Festival Sep 16 Culture Night Sep 20-22 National Ploughing Championships Sep 29 World Heart Day

OCT TBC PRII Annual Conference Oct 1 International Day of Older Persons Week 2 Budget 2017 Week 4 Ireland’s Blog Awards Oct 20-24 Cork Jazz Festival Oct 27 JLNR 2016 Figures Released Oct 30 Dublin City Marathon Oct 31 Halloween

NOV Nov 1 Authors Day Nov 8-10 Web Summit 2016, Lisbon Nov 9 World Freedom Day Nov 14 World Orphans Day Nov 15 World Entrepreneurs Day Nov 19 International Men’s Day

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