Web Designer bags job with Limp Bizkit star
 IT'S official, playing online computer games isn't a waste of time.
Just ask Omagh's Barry Flood who met his prospective employer in the pretty unusual world that is 'Xbox Live'. That employer is none other than US rock star Fred Durst of Limp Bizkit fame, who has hired the 23-year-old website designer to set up and run his latest online project.
A long time fan of the rap-metal act, Barry became friendly with the fellow game enthusiast Durst through hours of online play together. It was by virtue of this connection that he was able to offer his web design expertise when Durst sought to build a website for his own gaming clan, 'The L.B.G.C' (Limp Bizkit Gaming Clan).
"It's definitely an unusual way to do business" Barry admits, but one that has proved tremendously successful. The website, which went live in recent weeks, has already attracted over one million hits in its first seven days of existence.
Although graduating last year from the University of Ulster with a degree in Interactive Multimedia Design, it was early in his days as a pupil of Omagh Christian Brothers that Barry produced his first website for his family's business, 'Flood Marine'. Since then the largely self taught designer has had considerable success with a number of projects, including the popular IrishSlang.info, "Ireland's most comprehensive Irish slang dictionary and Irish sayings directory."
Barry's extensive portfolio ranges from projects for comedian Keith Law and GMTV news reader Sonia Butterworth, to numerous websites for local business. There is also an interesting new project with a "quite well known Scottish band" that Barry is keeping tight-lipped about until the deal is finalised. But there's no doubt that his latest undertaking for Durst is his biggest venture by far.
Barry describes how, since 'The LBGC' website went live, his mornings now involve waking up to hundreds of fresh emails the site attracts from all over the world. He also revealed how the inbox on his phone "goes daft" whenever Fred Durst mentions the website to his 1.5 million followers on Twitter.
Working from the Killybrack Road, the Omagh man certainly has his hands full with the Limp Bizkit project. The band has sold in excess of 33 million albums world-wide since their 90's heyday and still boast huge global fan base.
Barry recounted the "surreal" experience of sitting in Durst's West Hollywood villa, "I was over on holiday, and before we left I got a phone call from him asking me what I was doing, so we drove up to Hollywood and met him."
It was the first time Barry would come face to face with his new boss and childhood idol, together with his fellow band mates. Still keeping close contact, whether through video calls or gaming online with Durst everyday, Barry was optimistic that the Limp Bizkit connection will inspire further spin off projects. He adds, "The only way forward for business in this world is on the web."
Article Source: Ulster Herald
By Ryan McAleer
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Being a ‘culchie’ has long been a source of amusement for city folk – but no-one’s laughing now at Barry Flood whose country sayings inspired a website that proved a YouTube hit and helped land his dream job.
