UK Individual Looking to Reg .ie Domains

[sparky]

Hi All

I am a UK webmaster, I have been operating in affiliate marketing in the UK for the past five years. I would like to create the Irish equivalent of some of my UK sites, so I am looking to register some .ie domains. In the UK I operate purely as an individual as I'm not big enough yet to need a limited company.

I am looking at the Irish Registry rules here:

iedr.ie/QuickGuideToRegistrations.php#PersonalName

I am thinking of using status "Unincorporated Association Name" or "Discretionary Name" to apply for the .ie domains.

Does anyone have any comments on which option to choose or how to portray myself?

Also, if I get refused for the domains, does that prevent me from ever applying for them again?

Many thanks

Sparky

 

[mneylon]

You'll need to have either a trademark or a tangible link to Ireland ie. trade

 

[sparky]

I'm hoping that trade might be demonstrated by the fact that I have bought hosting from an Irish hosting company.

The other thing I was thinking of doing was starting a site under a .eu domain, hosted in Ireland, and trying to make a sale via an Irish affiliate programme. However, I have already applied for the domains and it might be a big ask to make that sale within the 30 days I have to complete my application.

Rgds

 

[jmcc]

The other thing I was thinking of doing was starting a site under a .eu domain, hosted in Ireland, and trying to make a sale via an Irish affiliate programme.

The .eu ccTLD has been a disaster in Ireland (and indeed in the EU in general). At most there is only 9K or so Irish owned .eu domains - the rest are owned by cyberwarehousers and cybersquatters aided and abetted by EUrid. Of that 9K probably around 10% are active. The .eu just doesn't figure in the Irish market. The .co.uk would have a far higher brand recognition in Ireland. Ideally the .ie would be the best TLD to use in Ireland but I am not sure that just buying hosting would be a strong enough link.

Regards...jmcc

 

[mneylon]

Buying hosting wouldn't be a strong enough link.

If you had clients in Ireland, a trademark or a registered business in Ireland ...

 

[sparky]

Buying hosting wouldn't be a strong enough link.

If you had clients in Ireland, a trademark or a registered business in Ireland ...

It's a catch 22, because as soon as I have the Irish domain and can build the site, those people that visit my site would be my Irish customers. That's why I was thinking of starting off with a .eu to demonstrate sales.

Rgds

 

[Forbairt]

Anything preventing him registering a Business name here and using that ?

You're meant to live here X months out of the year though I believe. Have relatives / friends / spare house here ?

 

[sparky]

I am hoping to make the application on an unincorporated level rather than as a business. I will demonstrate that I am running equivalent websites in the UK, and have already built an Ireland-targetted website using a .eu domain. We'll have to see what they say. Hopefully they will understand that I don't need a physical presence in Ireland to run this type of business but we'll have to see.

Best rgds

Sparky