History of the TLD

.irish is a generic top-level domain created to provide a distinctive online identity for the global Irish community. The application for .irish was submitted in 2012 under ICANN’s New gTLD Program, and the registry agreement was executed in 2014. The domain was delegated into the DNS root zone in December 2014. Registrations began on 17 March 2015, coinciding with St Patrick’s Day, with general availability starting on 25 June 2015. The registry is operated by Dot-Irish LLC with technical services provided by Afilias. .irish was designed to serve individuals, businesses, and organisations with Irish heritage, culture, or community focus, and is open for public registration.

Main Use and Industry Position

.irish is intended to signal Irish identity online. It is commonly used by businesses, cultural organisations, bloggers, and individuals connected with Ireland or Irish heritage, providing a clear thematic connection to Irish culture in branding and marketing. Unlike a country code domain such as .ie, .irish has no residency requirement and is globally available. Its position in the domain industry is that of a niche heritage and community-focused gTLD, offering an alternative to generic extensions like .com or country-specific ones like .ie.

Comparison to Other TLDs

Compared with .com, .irish offers a more specific cultural context that can strengthen thematic branding for Irish-related content. Compared with a country code such as .ie, .irish has fewer restrictions and no requirement for a connection to Ireland, giving broader accessibility. However, .ie may provide stronger local trust for businesses targeting the Republic of Ireland market. .irish sits alongside other identity-based gTLDs such as .cymru or .scot which serve specific cultural or regional communities.

Pros and Cons of the TLD

Pros

• Offers clear Irish cultural and identity branding
  

• Open registration with no residency or local presence requirement
  

• Strong thematic appeal for diaspora, cultural organisations, and heritage-focused businesses
  

Cons

• Less recognised than legacy extensions like .com or country code domains
  

• May not confer local geographic trust in Ireland compared to a ccTLD like .ie
  

• Niche audience may limit broader brand recognition
  
  

Registration Criteria

.irish domains are available to any registrant worldwide on a first-come, first-served basis with no specific eligibility restrictions. Standard domain name character rules apply.

Summary

.irish is a generic top-level domain established in 2015 to provide a unique and culturally resonant namespace for Irish-related content globally. It is open to all registrants, supports standard domain capabilities including DNSSEC, and serves branding, marketing, and community identity purposes for individuals, organisations, and businesses with a connection to Irish culture or the global Irish diaspora.