www.ibrf.ie

The Irish Brain Research Foundation is a charity which aims to find the causes of and treatments for neurological illnesses such as schizophrenia, epilepsy and stroke. The site has a very serious and powerful looking home page which, considering its content, is appropriate. The research page, which is something that would draw a huge amount of people in, is still "under construction". The links page could be better, but, with a little work, has great potential.

www.asthmasociety.ie

With a very big increase in the numbers of Irish people with asthma, this is a site that a lot of people will want to visit. One of the most useful aspects is the fact that you can order a video about asthma for £5 directly from the site. As it says itself, "the society's primary role is that of information-giver and educator". With interesting articles on such areas as Asthma in Sports, New Treatments, and Growth In Asthma Nurses, it succeeds very well at its remit.

www.migraine.ie

The Migraine Association aims to share information, offer mutual support and increase the level of migraine awareness in Ireland. The site has a commonsense approach with basic explanations such as "Migraine is the most common neurological disease in developed countries". There is also a very useful questionnaire to help determine whether that pain you might have is a headache or a migraine. The list of possible causes will be helpful to a lot of people.

www.redcross.ie

The Red Cross is one of the oldest humanitarian organisations in the world and, with over 100 million members, is also the world's biggest voluntary network. You see it providing care, aid and comfort at every disaster, such as the recent Indian earthquake. This site is a good first stop for anyone who wants to get involved with the Irish branch, especially its Activities and Services section. There is also information on overseas aid and youth involvement.

www.barnardos.ie

Barnardos is an organisation that most people have probably heard of, but may not know what it does. This website is a good place to find out. In its own words it "exists to advance the welfare of children and families in Ireland". A very worthwhile service Barnardos provides is Solas - counselling for bereaved children who have suffered the loss of a parent, carer, sibling or friend through death. It includes a Solas video which can be watched on the site.