Just like the now world-famous ‘Craig’s List’, the Dublin Event Guide (for Free Events) started life as a quick email distributed to a small circle of friends.

Joerg Steegmueller, a long-time German resident in Ireland, was the person who always knew of interesting - and free - things to do around Dublin.  Back in 2007 he decided it would be easier if he sent out a short email to his friends  every week  letting them know of options for the weekend. Fast-forward 230 weeks and that email now takes about 14 hours to write (usually over Thursday night) and he’s never missed a week!

“Initially I had no plan other than to let a few friends know what was on around Dublin. But they told friends, who told friends and the whole thing snowballed. About 3 years ago I realised there was a huge demand for the information and started to actively grow the circulation of the Guide”, explains Joerg.  He set himself the goal of reaching 10,000 subscribers by the Guide’s fifth birthday (issue 260) but has reached that milestone 30 weeks early.

“The Dublin Event Guide (for Free Events) now has a weekly circulation of 10,000 people within Dublin city and county. That’s more than many leading magazines and blogs out there so it is a great way for event organisers to reach an audience”, says Joerg. “The readership includes Irish and foreign nationals, students and families. The one thing they all have in common is they are looking for entertainment and activities in the capital suitable for all age groups that won’t cost them a penny to enjoy. I’m constantly surprised by the vast amount of free events I find going on in Dublin every week. They range from book readings, gigs, exhibitions and festivals to talks, tours and lectures.”

The Guide is still very much a hobby for Steegmueller who works full-time in telecommunications.  “Everyone who subscribes to the email distribution list has actively opted-in to receive it.  That makes the Guide an invaluable resource for free event organisers too, many of whom are working on very limited budgets and need to reach as wide an audience as possible. Helping people who are experiencing economically tougher times to enjoy Dublin's culture despite their circumstances is an added bonus”, he says.

Gaining such a large circulation brought its own problems such as having to invest in an online distribution service.   “I was lucky enough to receive support  from a few sponsors including self-defence training centre, KravMagaIreland.com, to help offset the costs“, explains Joerg.

Joerg’s next goal is to get a large sponsor on board. “There’s so much more I  could do with the Guide in terms of presentation and development if the funding was available.”

To receive The Dublin Event Guide (for Free Events) every week sign up using the form on www.dublineventguide.com

- ENDS -

For further information please contact:

Caroline Martin, MPRII
Project PR
Tel: (01) 2833669
E: caroline@projectpr.ie

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