Two blogs well worth a look
Posted on April 16, 2006, by Conor O'Neill, under Blogging, Ireland, Uncategorized.
The biggest hole in the Irish Blogging scene is the lack of women bloggers. I have no real idea why so few women blog, particularly when examples like Dooce are there to show what is possible. It probably just boils down to the fact that, in general (and by “in general” I am in no way trying to invoke a stereotye or in any way label any sub-grouping of humanity. Please don’t hurt me), women don’t get a kick out of geeky gadgets and buzzwords and only start using technology when it becomes genuinely useful. For example, high temperature ceramics really only moved out of geeky labs and into mainstream usage with the invention of the GHD Straightener. He ducks, he runs.
So I am really happy to report that things are starting to change and I have to recommend two blogs to you.
The first has been around for several months and is called “That Friday Feeling“. It consists of the musings of a thirtysomething single woman living somewhere in rural Ireland. She talks about life, men, health, weight and living down the bog. Curly K has a great turn of phrase and is always a good read, not just for girlies.
The second I found out about because the author also has me on her blogroll. Her blog is called “The Arse End of Ireland” and only appears to have started very recently. I know it is early days but the signs are so good that I am going to pin my colours to the mast and offer the opinion that we may have finally found the female Twenty! And in this case it doesn’t look like a character but seems to be a real person. The Swearing Lady is very very funny with just the right level of exasperation, grumpiness and cynicism.
They are both in my Bloglines subscriptions and deserve to get much much bigger readerships. Check em out and let me know what you think.
[tags]That Friday Feeling, Curly K, Arse End of Ireland, Twenty Major, Women Bloggers,Dooce[/tags]
10 Replies to "Two blogs well worth a look"
redmum on April 16, 2006
I’ve enjoyed Curly K myself but I havent come across the female Twenty, must pop by and check the arse end then…
conor on April 16, 2006
Colm, would you not think that there will be too few women bloggers until the day they make up 52% of all blogs?
I’m a big fan of people like Red Mum and Caroline over at Bibliocook but the overall numbers are still very small. I’d love it if someone could even take all the Irish blogspot ones and do the numbers on men vs women.
Colm on April 16, 2006
Not really Conor. It’s not possible (nor always essential) to reach parity for many of life’s habits/pastimes for many reasons. I’m only guessing here, but I’d imagine there are far fewer women participating in technology degree courses or techy employment. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing. There are far more women becoming primary school teachers. Should this mean that males ought to represent exactly 48% of the numbers enrolling in teacher training colleges? Same for nursing.
conor on April 17, 2006
You are spot-on regarding pastimes; far more men than women play soccer. Photography is a pastime, taking holidays snaps is not. I doubt there is any difference in the numbers of men and women who take holiday snaps. That is where I see blogging going. I believe that it has the potential for ubiquity.
I also think blogging is a better fit to more women than men. Just think about the similar activities of keeping a diary or letter writing (apologies for the horrible stereotyping but I think the numbers back me up on this one). In fact any form of communication is usually done more actively by women.
As for your second point, blogging is not a career choice, it is just something you do. My hope is that within 2 years blogging via mobile phone becomes as common as SMS. Texting is something which everyone from kids to grannies do without thinking as part of their daily life. I must check, but I’d be surprised if SMSing is not 48/52.
The strong skew towards male bloggers is totally due to its techy origins but I am convinced that as technology becomes more transparent, more and more non-techies will take it up because of all the “social networking” advantages it gives. All of my family read my blog because I never ring them!
My Dad can’t fit a plug on a light. Five years ago, he couldn’t send an e-mail. A few weeks ago, he booked his first holiday online. I now have him subscribed to a few blogs. I wouldn’t be surprised if I have him blogging in the next twelve months.
So my word for the week is “ubiquitous”!
Curly K on April 18, 2006
Thanks for the plug Conor, ironically given on the weekend I had planned to catch up on all my blogging but didn’t as I was out having too much fun so will have to get down to it over the next few days.
I hadn’t heard of “The Arse End of Ireland” so can’t wait to check her out.
The Swearing Lady on April 18, 2006
Conor, I’m still reeling from your compliments, although if I was anywhere close to Twenty in the randomness stakes I’d be happy in heaven right now. Thank you.
Just a wee comment on texting: I doubt it’s 48/52, seeing as women’s thumbs have even less of an ability to shut up than the rest of them, and men are too lazy to write every last thought to send to everyone in their contacts book. In my rather illustrious texting career, I’ve found that men phone, women text. Texting is God’s way of allowing women to hold seven conversations at once.
jennster on May 3, 2006
unsure about the women in ireland, but women bloggers are all over the freaking place! mostly “mom” bloggers, it’s like a god dammed consipiracy! lol
tijned on July 21, 2007
Sound to me like good pop there in Ireland, most be worth the journey.
jennster on July 23, 2007
chick bloggers are HOT! 
Colm on April 16, 2006
I’d have to disagree with your assertion that too few women blog in the Irish blogosphere. Can’t list them all off here, but what about Sinead Gleeson, That Girl, RedMum, Kaz, Suzy B, Fiona Delondres, Auds, Fence, Sarah Carey, Claire Wilson, Winds, Elisabeth Bond, Paige Harrison, Babblogue, Janine Dalton, Bibliocook, Diana at BackSeat Drivers and many more. Apologies to those who I’ve left out.