by Galwaywildgeese@gmail.com | Sep 1, 2025 | Digital Transformation, Enterprise, Enterprise Development, Innovation, Recurring Series
Start-ups aren’t born only in cities. Across Ireland, small towns and rural villages are proving that creativity, resilience, and ambition can thrive far from the traditional centres of enterprise.
From agri-tech breakthroughs to artisan cheesemakers, rural innovators are making waves locally and globally.
This post kicks off a new recurring series spotlighting entrepreneurs whose ventures are rooted in community but brimming with ambition.
MartEye (Galway): Reimagining the Livestock Mart
When the COVID-19 pandemic forced marts to close their doors, Galway start-up MartEye stepped up with a digital solution that kept farmers connected to their livelihood. Built from Portershed, the city’s collaborative innovation hub, MartEye turned the age-old auction into a modern, online marketplace.
Today, more than 120 marts across Ireland and the UK use the platform, handling over €4.5 billion in trade since 2020. What began as a crisis response became one of the great agri-tech success stories of rural Ireland—proving that local solutions can scale fast when they meet a real need.
Manna Drone Delivery (Oranmore, Co. Galway): Innovation Takes Flight
In the small town of Oranmore, residents look to the skies not for weather signs but for their dinner. Manna, a start-up specialising in drone delivery, chose Oranmore as one of its pilot sites to test the future of logistics.
What started as an experiment in convenience quickly gained global attention. Manna’s service proved drones could safely and efficiently deliver food within minutes—earning the company $25 million in funding and positioning rural Galway at the cutting edge of technology.
The lesson? Small towns aren’t just places where innovation happens—they can be the testbeds that shape how the world works tomorrow.
Killeen Farmhouse Cheese (Portumna): Global Recognition from Local Roots
A short drive from Portumna town, Killeen Farmhouse Cheese shows how rural craftsmanship can reach the world stage. Founded in 2004 by Marion Roeleveld, Killeen produces award-winning goat and cow gouda from locally sourced milk.
From the kitchen table to global acclaim, Killeen has taken home top honours including Supreme Champion at the Irish Cheese Awards and medals at the World Cheese Awards. Their story is one of passion, perseverance, and the power of place—demonstrating that international success can emerge from the fields of East Galway.
Lessons from Local Entrepreneurs
What unites these very different stories—digital platforms, drones, and artisan food—is the way they blend local insight with global ambition.
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Solve local problems first. MartEye started by meeting farmers’ immediate needs.
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Use small towns as proving grounds. Manna showed that rural Ireland can be a global testing lab.
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Stay rooted in authenticity. Killeen proves there’s global demand for products that carry the flavour and story of place.
“Innovation doesn’t always look like skyscrapers or city accelerators. Sometimes it looks like a mart yard with Wi-Fi, a drone buzzing over Oranmore, or a cheesemaker in Portumna perfecting her craft.”
What’s Next in the Series
This is just the start. In future posts, Start-up Stories from Small Towns will spotlight more entrepreneurs—those leading in sustainability, creative industries, healthcare, and digital enterprise. Each story is proof that innovation isn’t confined to cities: it belongs everywhere.
by Galwaywildgeese@gmail.com | Sep 1, 2025 | Community Digital Hub, Digital Transformation, Enterprise, Enterprise Development, Remote Work
Innovation doesn’t belong only to Silicon Valley or the big cities. In Ireland’s towns and villages, new ideas are quietly taking root — in cafés, co-working hubs, and even restored courthouses.
Building a culture of innovation locally isn’t about copying global tech giants; it’s about creating the conditions where creativity, resilience, and enterprise can flourish close to home.
Create Collision Spaces
When people collide, ideas spark. That’s why innovation thrives in spaces where different groups can meet and exchange perspectives.
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Co-working hubs like the newly reopened Portumna Courthouse, now part of the Connected Hubs network, where freelancers, remote workers, and entrepreneurs can collaborate.
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Community makerspaces that provide tools and equipment for prototyping.
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Third places — cafés, libraries, or even GAA clubhouses — that double as informal meeting grounds.
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Innovation hubs that combine workspace, mentorship, and resources under one roof.
Strengthen Local Education
Education is the soil in which innovation grows. By investing in learning at every age, towns can unlock talent that might otherwise remain hidden.
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Partner with local schools to promote STEAM education.
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Establish mentorship programmes linking students with professionals.
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Advocate for entrepreneurship modules at secondary schools and colleges.
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Host hackathons or innovation challenges to give young people the freedom to experiment.
Build Supportive Networks
Innovation isn’t a solo pursuit — it thrives in connected communities.
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Launch a monthly innovation meetup for like-minded individuals.
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Create a local angel investor circle to fund promising ideas.
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Develop mentorship pairings between experienced entrepreneurs and newcomers.
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Form industry-specific groups (for food, tech, arts, or tourism) to deepen collaboration.
Celebrate Local Success
Momentum builds when achievements are visible. Recognition inspires others to join in.
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Highlight local innovators in community newsletters or online platforms.
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Host an annual innovation award to showcase creativity.
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Share success stories through podcasts and social media.
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Create a “wall of fame” — even a digital one — to celebrate entrepreneurs, makers, and changemakers.
Secure Public Support
Local authorities can be powerful allies in building an innovation ecosystem.
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Advocate for innovation-friendly policies and regulations.
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Seek public funding through schemes like the Rural Regeneration and Development Fund (RRDF) or LEADER.
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Encourage public–private partnerships to scale projects.
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Streamline the process of starting and sustaining a business locally.
Embrace Diversity and Inclusion
True innovation comes from a mix of voices and perspectives.
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Ensure innovation spaces and programmes are accessible to all.
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Actively involve underrepresented groups.
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Create scholarships and supports for disadvantaged entrepreneurs.
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Host multilingual or intercultural events where appropriate.
Connect Globally, Stay Local
Innovation doesn’t mean turning your back on tradition — it means blending local roots with global reach.
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Partner with hubs and networks across Ireland and abroad.
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Invite guest speakers and experts to inspire new thinking.
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Help local entrepreneurs access international conferences and markets.
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Share local stories on global platforms to build reputation and pride.
Foster a Culture of Risk-Taking
Innovation requires courage. Not every idea will work — and that’s the point.
“Innovation isn’t about getting it right the first time. It’s about creating the freedom to try, to learn, and to adapt.”
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Celebrate “noble failures” as learning opportunities.
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Create safe spaces for experimentation.
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Share stories of persistence through setbacks.
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Recognise progress as much as breakthrough success.
Start Small, Think Big
Cultures of innovation grow step by step.
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Begin with pilot projects to show quick wins.
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Document and share the town’s innovation journey.
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Be patient with gradual culture change.
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Keep a long-term vision, while celebrating short-term successes.
Conclusion
Every town has the potential to become an innovation hub in its own unique way. By nurturing spaces, networks, education, diversity, and courage, rural communities can create opportunities, solve local problems, and position themselves for a vibrant future. In towns like Portumna, we can already see this shift underway — a reminder that innovation doesn’t have a postcode. It belongs to everyone, everywhere.
by Galwaywildgeese@gmail.com | Oct 23, 2023 | Community Digital Hub
This application was in support of StoryWell in early stages development in the mobile app lifecycle.
Inspired by Cuimneamh An Chláir who capture oral histories, Storywell hope to build on the idea piloting in County Galway.
There is something beautiful in how knowledge and wisdom is held and carried by older generations.
Cuimhneamh an Chláir documents the memories, experiences, customs and traditions that characterise the place we live in and train volunteers known as ’Cuairteóirí’ (visitors), who visit people in their own communities to record their stories.
This is in homage to the old tradition of ‘going on cuaird’; a practice which centres on respectful listening and on conversation with the elders of a community.
Our elders often think their lives are too mundane or their experiences too ordinary to be worth recording. Until they start telling a tale and pure gold drips from their mouths.
In fact, their voices are extraordinary.
Even the most mundane stories can be entertaining when told with the right tone and perspective. Not only do recorded stories provide entertainment and laughter, they also serve as a valuable source of information for future generations.
By recording family’s stories, we can preserve important details about our family’s history and traditions, our town’s history and traditions that may otherwise be lost.
But perhaps the most important reason to record our family’s stories is to foster a sense of connection and belonging within families and within your community.
When we take the time to listen to and record the stories of our loved ones, of our neighbours we are showing them that their experiences and perspectives matter.
And when those stories are shared with future generations, they can serve as a reminder of the unique bond and history that our family shares.
Imagine what it would be like to listen to your great great grandparents voices as they were experiencing the Easter Rising or the 1,000,000 people who fled Ireland during the Great Famine in 1846!
circa 1885: An Irish tenant and his family are evicted from their smallholding in Derrybeg, County Donegal, for failure to pay the rent. Furniture has been removed and the thatched roof destroyed to prevent the property being re-tenanted. (Photo by Robert French/Sean Sexton/Getty Images)
The team behind StoryWell are based in Portumna and are ambitious.
They realise that meaningful impact can only be achieved at scale, using digital technology which will be designed to make the recording of future oral histories and stories intuitive, entertaining and rewarding.
StoryWell will give the gift of stories to our future generations in an interactive way and wants to help families to capture their best memories and to enjoy listening to their loved one’s voices forever.
Our experienced team who include a Digital Project Manager, Linda Quinn (Consultant) and experienced developers are ready to develop a prototype of Storywell, including proof of concept [MVP], a visual representation of the future app StoryWell.
by Galwaywildgeese@gmail.com | May 6, 2023 | Arts and Culture, Athenry, Circular Economy, Climate Action, Community Digital Hub, Digital Transformation
The team at Galway Wild Geese were delighted to learn that the Athenry xplore app has been shortlisted for the final of the prestigious .IE Awards 2023.
Led by The Galway Wild Geese, in partnership with Digital Agency, Upourside and a selection of local business owners, community groups, and volunteers the team are working together to ensure that the app meets the needs of the local citizens,
and that it is accessible to all citizens, regardless of their physical or intellectual abilities. The timeline for rollout of the project will be two months, with the app being launched in the third month.
The project seeks to make the local area more accessible to everyone, regardless of physical or intellectual disabilities and the app will provide an engaging user interface to facilitate navigation, and an intuitive design to provide a user friendly experience.
Galway Wild Geese have reached an agreement with developers Upourside to use Athenry as a test location for the initial rollout of their ground breaking suite of accessibility tools before rolling out the new features to the whole platform.
Incorporating these design and development best practices into the Xplore Athenry app for users with physical or intellectual disabilities will ensure an enjoyable and accessible experience, and will help to create an engaging and user-friendly app.
- interface designs with simple clear colours
- larger icons
- easy to understand language
- mapping tools that avoid steps/narrow paths and more.
- Audio cues that are considered, with clear and concise instructions.
- Navigation that is intuitive, easy access different features of the app.
- Fonts will be large and readable, and colours that are contrasting to ensure they are easily distinguishable.
The Xplore App for Athenry aims to have a positive impact on attitudes to digital change. It will provide the local community with a comprehensive, up to date and easily accessible source of information which they can access from any device.
This will allow users to make informed decisions about what to do, whether it is attending an event, supporting a local business or joining a club or community group.
The app will also make it easier for disabled users to access the information they need, promoting inclusivity and equality.
The objective of this project is to create a digital app that would provide citizens with all the information they need to enjoy the town of Athenry, regardless of their physical or intellectual capabilities.
This app will feature all local businesses, community groups, restaurants, bars, clubs and trails, as well as notification and alert tools, and tours that highlight local history and culture.
A strong focus will be placed on engaging users with physical or intellectual disabilities.
Creating innovative app features for users with intellectual or physical disabilities is an important and often overlooked component of app design and development.
What is Accessible Design
Accessible design, also known as inclusive design or universal design, is the practice of designing products, services, environments, and technologies that can be used by people with a wide range of abilities and disabilities. The goal of accessible design is to create a world that is accessible and usable by all, regardless of age, size, ability, or disability.
Accessible design involves considering the needs and limitations of a diverse group of people when designing a product or environment. This includes designing for people with mobility impairments, visual or hearing impairments, cognitive or learning disabilities, and other types of disabilities.
Accessible design can involve a range of design strategies, such as providing alternative formats for information, designing for easy navigation, providing clear and simple instructions, using appropriate colors and contrasts, and ensuring that products and environments are physically accessible.
By designing with accessibility in mind, we can create products and environments that are more usable, more comfortable, and more convenient for everyone, regardless of their abilities or disabilities.
What is Inclusive Design
Inclusive design, also known as universal design or accessible design, is an approach to design that aims to create products, services, and environments that are accessible and usable by everyone, regardless of their age, ability, or disability. The goal of inclusive design is to create products and environments that are inclusive and equitable, and that can be used by the widest possible range of people.
Inclusive design involves considering the diversity of people’s needs and experiences, and designing products and environments that are flexible, adaptable, and responsive to those needs. This includes designing for people with physical, sensory, and cognitive impairments, as well as people from different cultural and linguistic backgrounds.
Inclusive design can involve a range of design strategies, such as providing multiple ways to access information, designing for easy navigation and use, using clear and simple language, providing adequate lighting and contrast, and ensuring that products and environments are physically accessible.
By designing with inclusivity in mind, we can create products and environments that are more usable, more comfortable, and more convenient for everyone, regardless of their abilities or disabilities, and promote a more equitable and inclusive society.
by Galwaywildgeese@gmail.com | Jan 11, 2023 | Circular Economy, Climate Action, Community Digital Hub, Digital Transformation, Enterprise, Enterprise Development, Heritage, Remote Work, Tourism, Waste Action Plan
Portumna has been shortlisted as a finalist in Digital Changemakers category for the .IE Digital Town for the work of the Wild Geese. Winners will be announced on 10 June 2021 at a virtual awards ceremony.
The .IE Digital Town Awards 2021 are the first pillar of activity under .IE Digital Town which has been developed to address digital enhancement and adoption in Ireland and the Awards promote awareness, knowledge, use and understanding of digital in Ireland by its citizens, businesses and communities.
They also highlight the benefits and possibilities of digital and celebrate the digital achievements of local towns, big and small.
The Wild Geese is a community group, conceived, nurtured and headquartered in Portumna, actively trying to solve the challenges faced by the rural towns, villages, and communities in East Galway, on their knees long before the pandemic.
The group is made up of a strong team of community activists with a diverse and impactful skill set in communications, networking, business, arts and culture and social enterprise with a passionate interest in the renewal of the main towns and villages of East Galway.
They have a healthy collaborative relationship with Irish Rural Link, Galway County Council, Waterways Ireland, Failte Ireland and Discover Lough Derg collaborating on strategic programs for rural repair, restoration and rejuvenation.
Remote working, co-working spaces, digital threads are emerging connecting our towns and villages like never before.
New ways of working are now opening up to local communities, people are actively searching for sustainable towns to live, work and participate locally.
The team work closely with digital agency Ourside for the past three years – our mission to onboard the towns of East Galway to their unique digital infrastructure Xplore local. Together we provide training and facilitation sessions with students and volunteers onboarding business, services, sports clubs and community societies onto the platform.
Xplore was designed with community sustainability in mind and aims to support the tenets of a circular economy. Xplore believe that our towns have so much to offer, from their rich, buried histories to the shops that line their streets. They are committed to shining a light on the things that make these places so unique, and are devoted to making the path to their discovery that bit shorter.
The Wild Geese hope to be appointed Climate Change Ambassadors with the European Union partnering on Climate Crisis stewardship, education and awareness campaigns. This will mean they will be supported with digital assets to promote climate action in more practical ways within the community responding to the crisis from the ground up.
Elina Visnar Malinovska (European Commission) speaks about the ‘climate dispairers’ who say ‘I admit it happens, but I can’t do much about it“. She is emphatic, we need to go to the local level, talking the language of the local, we need to empower the local patriots, as Elena likes to call them. In every community you will find true friends of the earth. We are no different here in Portumna, with the groundbreaking work of An Gairdin Ecology.
In 1994, a small group of came together awakened to the vision of Earth as a living organism, a great web of interconnectedness and interdependent life. They shared the desire to rediscover together who we humans are as a strand of this magnificent web. You could say we shared the desire to ‘come home’ to Earth after a long absence. And so An Gáirdín came into being!
At that time the site of the Rural Domestic School here in Portumna, which had taught agriculture and traditional crafts and skills for a hundred years, became available to us. “To make again a garden of this place” (Elisabeth Roberts) became their motto as they set out to learn to live in communion with one another and with the great diversity of life around us.
The garden needed some rest and healing following its years of generous production. It had time to lie fallow and renew itself before they began to do some organic growing. Over time they welcomed back the hens and ducks. Their house was built on the site of the old dairy and they carefully sourced natural, renewable and recycled material, installing the geo-thermal ground source heating system, a very new technology at the time.
A small group of those who share An Gáirdín’s vision meet regularly for support, study and reflection. Our most recent undertaking has been the provision of a building, adequate to meet the needs of our expanding range of courses and events. This has been a work of collaboration and every aspect of the building is a demonstration of sustainable practice.
by Galwaywildgeese@gmail.com | May 21, 2022 | Biodiversity, Circular Economy, Climate Action, Digital Transformation, Enterprise Development, Greenway, Remote Work, Tourism
Galway Wild Geese are thrilled to have have been shortlisted in the Community Digital category of the .IE Digital Town Awards.
The number and quality of entries was outstanding, so the geese are thrilled to make the shortlist, you can view the full shortlist here:
Shortlist 2022
The Awards Ceremony will be a virtual event and will take place on Wednesday 8th June at 4.00pm and will run for one hour.
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