Founder Stevie Haughey reflects on 10 years of Ireland Before You Die, sharing his gratitude and thoughts on the future of the site. This is a personal letter to our followers.
As I sit down to write this, I can’t help but feel incredibly grateful for everything we’ve achieved together over the past decade.
Ireland Before You Die started as a small passion project—a Facebook page I created in my university bedroom. Since then, it has grown into one of Ireland’s most popular travel websites, reaching millions of readers each year.
But it hasn’t always been easy, and I want to take this moment to thank you for being there through all the highs and lows.
Navigating the Challenges – a passion project turned business venture
Behind the scenes, we’ve faced more than our fair share of challenges. From algorithm changes on social media and search engines to COVID Lockdowns, we’ve had to navigate a range of different things to keep going.
There were good times when we expanded our team to bring you more exciting content. But there were also times when we had to reduce our team to stay afloat. Things weren’t always plain sailing, but we have always worked hard to keep the site going. Through it all, your support has been the one constant.
Whether you’ve been with us from the early days or are new to our community, I want you to know that we keep doing this because of you. Your likes, shares, positive comments, and reading our articles have kept us going. Knowing that we help inspire your travels around Ireland gives us the drive to keep going, even when times get tough.
A Love for Ireland – we share the same passion
At the heart of everything we do is a deep love for Ireland. Our mission is to inspire everyone to travel to Ireland at least once in their lifetime. Yes, it is a massive goal and slightly unrealistic, but it is our mission and what keeps us pushing forward.
We’re passionate about this island, and nothing brings us more joy than sharing its beauty, history, and culture with the world. Every article we write, and every video we produce is rooted in this love, and it’s made even more special because we get to share it with you.
We’ve been fortunate to collaborate with some of the best people who also share this passion. From working with the Guinness Guru to highlight Dublin’s best pints to collaborating with top tour guides around the country, we’ve brought Ireland’s magic to our readers in new and exciting ways.
Your continued support helps us spread the word about Ireland’s hidden gems, and it’s incredible to think of all the adventures you’ve taken after reading our posts. That’s what makes this journey so rewarding.
Looking Ahead – will we survive another decade?
Is this the end? For now, anyway, absolutely not! As long as you keep supporting us, it will allow us to keep putting content out and keep trying to put Ireland on top of everyone’s bucket lists.
We’ve got lots of exciting plans for the next year, from more collaborations to new ways of showcasing Ireland’s culture and beauty.
Will we still be here in another ten years? I hope so, but you never know what is around the corner. Life is full of ups and downs, highs and lows. All I do know for sure is that we will keep going as long as you’re with us. Your support means the world, and it’s what keeps us pushing forward.
So, from the bottom of my heart, thank you. It has been a pleasure creating content for you, and we hope to continue doing so for many years.
—Stevie Haughey, Founder of Ireland Before You Die
