Irish domain names DOT IE requirements were recently relaxed, making it easier to owning a .ie domain name.
At the end of October, Anyone could (and still can) register their own name with a .ie extension.
So if you’re Paddy Murphy or Seamus O’Brien the chances are your name is gone, but still worth checking.
All that’s required is a bank statement, utility bill or a scan of your drivers license, I picked up mine at my employers Hosting & Domains site. If your full name isn’t available, you can get a wide range of permutations like:
| Johnsmith.ie | [first name / surname] |
| Johnpaulsmith.ie | [first name / middlename / surname] |
| John-smith.ie | [first name / — / surname] |
| John-paul-smith.ie | [first name / — / middlename / — / surname] |
| Johnpsmith.ie | [first name / middle initial / surname] |
| John-p-smith.ie | [first name / — / middle initial / — / surname] |
| Jsmith.ie | [first initial / surname] |
| Jpsmith.ie | [first initial / middle initial / surname] |
| Jp-smith.ie | [first initial / middle initial / — / surname] |
| J-smith.ie | [first initial / — / surname] |
| J-p-smith.ie | [first initial / — / middle initial / — / surname] |
| Paulsmith.ie | [middlename / surname] |
| Paul-smith.ie | [middlename / — / surname] |
| Psmith.ie | [middle initial / surname] |
| P-smith.ie | [middle initial / — / surname] |
Now all I need is someone called Barry Hand to get really famous, and make me an unbelievable offer for this domain…