UCC.ie, IrishTimes.com, RTÉ.ie, TheJournal.ie, DoneDeal.ie, Revenue.ie, Boards.ie and Broadsheet.ie have been shortlisted for the title “Most Influential Irish Site Ever” in the Web and eCommerce awards, which take place next month.

A yet-to-be-announced judging panel, all of whom will no doubt be fiercely independent, will choose the winner from this bunch based on the impact that these sites have on the lives of Irish people and the rest of the world – it is not purely about traffic or design.

"If any of these sites were switched off in the morning, it would affect an awful lot of people in Ireland," says awards organiser Damien Mulley. The full list of Web and eCommerce award nominations will be published today.

If you’re wondering why University College Cork’s website is in the mix, and not that of any other third-level institution, it’s because UCC.ie was the first website in Ireland and one of the first in the world.