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A FASHION and lifestyle blog founded by talented Kerry teenager Zoe O’Connor has wowed the judges of a prestigious European competition. Leaving Certificate student Zoe established www.teentimes.eu and it won the “Special Award” of the night at the .eu Web Awards, which recognises the brightest and best .eu domain name holders for their innovation and vision.

Zoe was presented with her trophy at the Museum of Natural Sciences in Brussels, Belgium, last Wednesday night by top Italian professional tennis player Fabio Fognini, at the glittering ceremony attended by finalists from all over Europe. "I started my blog with no ambitions other than having a place to write about all the things I loved,” said Zoe, who is a student at Brookfield College, Tralee. “From there, it has grown and grown and I now have a platform to share my opinions on teen issues, fashion and lifestyle. It feels amazing to receive such recognition for my work."

The 2016 .eu Web Awards was attended by 15 renowned and newly founded .eu holders from various industries, 12 of them coming from different countries, all within the European Economic Area. Hosted by Sally Bundock, esteemed journalist for BBC world news, the gala evening got off to a lively start with canapés and champagne followed by a sumptuous dinner. Afterwards, once the show began, the 2016 the guests were both bedazzled and amazed by performances from worldly artists, including Bert and Fred – The dangerous Belgian duo, Anna Strelkova – The Russian sand artist, and the Kalakan trio – the traditional Northern Basque band, among others.

Zoe founded www.teentimes.eu over two years ago. It is a blog written by a teen for teens and the parents of teens. It features articles on beauty, fashion and lifestyle and also commentary on issues that affect teens including anxiety and confidence. Teentimes.eu was one of three finalists in the ‘House of .eu category’ which was won on the night by Chepassione.eu. The ‘Special Award”, the only commendation presented on the evening, was conferred by the .eu judges as teentimes.eu 'provides a unique user experience through genuine, spirited and engaging content'.