So what's this CLUAS thing all about?

So you made it safely and soundly to CLUAS.com - Ireland's most trafficked free music webzine. And the country's longest running music website.

Yip, we're up and running since May '99 and everything you see before you is the result of a part-time, voluntary and co-operative effort, one that has happened without funding, sponsorship or paid staff (text ads and commissions from referred sales to Amazon were started by us in June 2005 to cover costs associated with hosting the CLUAS webserver - information on how to advertise on CLUAS). Being a pretentious & idealistic bunch, we like to see CLUAS as testimony to the fact that, with the Internet, anybody out there can get up and start their own on-line publication. All that's required is a modem, any old PC, a keyboard and a few semi-baked ideas. CLUAS is open to anybody who wishes to help mould the site into something worthwhile for those who stumble inadvertently upon it. Quite simple really. (Check out as well our new run-down of some of the key milestones in CLUAS.com's history).

So have a look at what's on the site. If you think you have something to share - an idea, a review of a gig or album that has ever swayed an opinion from you - get cracking with the word processor and submit it. If it's well-written and is relevant it will get published here. Guaranteed. Over 140 different people have had submissions published on the site since it was launched in 1999, and for many of them it was the first time their words were published anywhere (and it's not just articles about indie music acts that get published here, there have been even CLUAS reviews of jazz music). Once your first article is published expect to receive offers from us of gig passes and albums to review.

What else? CLUAS is home to an active music Discussion Board (check out as well the discussion board's Top 75 topics the last year), Music blogs, the 'CLUAS Opinion' section, and here you will also find what was Ireland's first ever digital music programme for unsigned acts (it was originally launched by us way back in August 1999, and is now archived).

In December 1999 CLUAS kicked off a series of regular concerts to showcase emerging Irish bands. In 2000 CLUAS began to broadcast these concerts live on the internet (the first time ever that unsigned Irish bands were broadcast live on the internet). The concerts continued right up to the end of 2001 culminating in the - now infamous - CLUAS charity gig in Whelan's on 22 December 2001 when the cream of the Irish music scene - including The Frames, Damien Rice, Rodrigo y Gabriela and The Walls - performed. The evening's proceedings were broadcast by CLUAS live - audio and video - across the world via the internet. A storming musical success, the night also raised over €7500 for Concern's Afghanistan campaign.

Well, going by what others have been saying about us it would seem we are doing something right. The site won a coveted 'Golden Spider' internet award in September 2000. CLUAS was also shortlisted for a second Golden Spider in 2002 (and came second only to the rather massively funded Eircom.net). CLUAS has been featured in several other publications including Brittanica.com (who chose CLUAS as one of its 'World's Best Websites'), the Irish Times & Irish Independent newspapers (who featueed the site on several occasions), Business & Finance and the respected UK-based Internet magazine (who awarded CLUAS 9 out of 10 for design and content). Check out these and other accolades CLUAS has picked up on our Kudos page.

Just 3 final things:
1) Spread the word,
2) Drop back regularly as content is updated several times a month, and,
3) Submit something for publication!

Eoghan O'Neill
Founder, Editor, Webmaster and other fine sounding titles