ShannonSoft focuses upon issues of common interest to this diverse membership, including:

• attraction and retention of software staff
• quality, project management, and process management
• contracting and sub-supply options
• education, training, skills and standards
• software technlogy implementation issues.

ShannonSoft embraces all software applications and technologies as they relate to business growth and development.

• Provide a forum for software-performing organisations in the Shannon region
• Attract and retain software professionals through promotion of opportunities in the Shannon region
• Build the region's software-industry profile
• Foster the exchange of ideas and experiences between software professionals
• Stimulate increased software-based business activities in the Shannon region.

• ShannonSoft is a forum for networking, communication and the exchange
  of ideas.
• ShannonSoft is a platform for developing and progressing new initiatives.
• ShannonSoft is a grouping of software interests for effective promotion.
• ShannonSoft is a regional initiative, drawing upon the natural, infrastructural
  and commercial strengths of the Shannon region.

ShannonSoft was founded in 1997, following a proposal initiated by Limerick Institute of Technology and supported by Shannon Development, the development agency for the Shannon region.

In April 1997, representatives of these organisations, including Shannon Development's Innovation Centre located on the National Technological Park in Limerick came together with representatives from the University of Limerick and a number of key companies located in the Shannon region, at a breakfast meeting in the Limerick Ryan Hotel to discuss the potential and the benefits of a regional grouping of software activities. The organisations who attended that original gathering were:

• Blackbird Data Systems Ltd.
• Gartner Group Learning (formerly Mindware Technologies Ltd.)
• Limerick Institute of Technology;
• McQueen Ltd. (formerly Rand McNally Media Services Ltd.)
• The Innovation Centre - Shannon Development
• ITS Group Ltd.
• Schaffner Ltd.
• Shannon Development Ltd.
• Tellabs Ltd.
• University of Limerick

This group of 10 organisations formed the ShannonSoft initiative over the summer of 1997. During that time, Gerard Joye of McQueen Ltd. located in Shannon, Co. Clare and a founder of Ashling Microsystems Ltd. in Limerick, accepted the invitation to chair the ShannonSoft initiative.

ShannonSoft was officially launched to the wider business community in the Shannon region in September 1997. The launch, held in the Limerick Inn Hotel, was supported by Shannon Development whose Chief Executive, Paul Sheane, spoke of the region's need to become a recognised leader in software technologies. Jennifer Condon, Director of the National Software Directorate delivered the keynote address.

Since its launch, ShannonSoft has organised a number of events, deliberately choosing to stage most of these events on the campus of either Limerick Institute of Technology or the University of Limerick.

The Shannon Reigon of Ireland