Cross-border websites try to breach rifts

The benefit of the Internet for trade and social exchange in smaller communities has been exemplified by the development of two cross-border websites. FALCON (Fermanagh and Leitrim Community Online Network - www.falcon.ie) has been online for six weeks, and a second site is already under development for Tyrone, Donegal and Sligo.

Funded by the International Fund for Ireland, the sites have been extensively developed with a cross-community focus in mind. FALCON, which has been largely constructed by local people, is replete with information specific to its region. The idea is to make it a useful base for local information exchange, and a showcase for virtual visitors to the region. According to Mr Sean McGarry, managing director of McGarry Consulting, the company commissioned to establish both networks: "In contrast to the hype about the international value of the Internet, very little is written about the local community value, especially in the cross-border context."

This initiative attempts to reunite communities that have historically faced away from each other for political reasons and because of disruption to cross-border roads. These are also areas which traditionally have suffered economic underdevelopment. The FALCON site, which cost about £55,000 to develop, offers small traders, including artists and craftworkers, an opportunity to showcase their wares to a wider audience at a relatively low cost.

FALCON was born when Mr McGarry, the local county enterprise boards and the Northern Ireland local district councils established a programme to train local communities in Internet publishing. "The key to achieving the full economic and social potential of the community networks lie in the involvement of local people working together on Internet activity," says Mr McGarry.

The idea was introduced to the people of Leitrim and Fermanagh through a series of local information seminars for community leaders, young unemployed people, local schools and business representatives. A representative group of 40 of the attendees were invited to become involved in the community network.

They worked together to formulate the shape, look and feel of the site through training and brainstorming sessions. Each member brought a particular skill to the table, such as computer skills, graphic design and photography.

To fulfil the substantial task of providing the content, a further 20 young unemployed people undertook training courses in the Internet programming language, HTML, and the use of Web authoring tools, email, electronic file transfer and newsgroups.

Set on a clean green and white background the FALCON site is easily navigable, and encompasses all the activities of a vibrant community. It carries a diverse range of sections including business, environment, arts, entertainment, community and genealogy. The environment section is particularly comprehensive, with a lively discussion forum and the entertainment area features sound files of traditional tunes, an events listings.

"It is fine to design a site and stick it up on the World Wide Web, but it's the whole process of training that sets the successful sites apart," says Mr McGarry. The same training programme is now under way for another 20 unemployed people in the Tyrone, Donegal and Sligo area.