From #Ophelia to #COYBIG, Here Are The Top Irish Twitter Trends of 2017. As we reach the end of 2017 Twitter is reflecting on the year that was: from breaking news, entertainment, sports, and local conversations, if it happened anywhere, it happened on Twitter.
This year saw Irish Twitter users react en masse as Hurricane #Ophelia swept through the country, engage in the ongoing political and constitutional debates on #Brexit and #RepealThe8th, and celebrate and speculate on global sporting occasions like #WRWC2017. #COYBIG once again ranked high in commentary as Martin and Roy’s boys got within one match of a trip to Russia. Meanwhile, TV viewers said goodbye to larger than life character #vinb and his Twitter ‘machine’, with true Irish Twitter wit taking centre stage at every occasion.
Top Irish Trends
Tweets connected people across the world and in Ireland during key moments in news, politics, entertainment, music and sport. They shared joy, humour, news, ideas and opinions about the biggest conversations happening in the world throughout 2017.
Whether it’s with 140 or 280 characters, the classic Irish wit and humour can be witnessed at its best on Twitter every day as key events happen.
When the true meaning of sport was shared.
Witness to a special moment between Galway manager Micheál Donoghue and his father Miko as he shows him the Liam McCarthy for the first time pic.twitter.com/fHppFCgGtb
— Morgan Treacy (@MorganTreacy) September 4, 2017
When a chance motorway meeting captured the nation’s humour around hurricane warnings.
Irish government rushing supplies in for hurricane Ophelia. It’ll all be grand. #Ophelia pic.twitter.com/xkXEfQCjId
— Kate McLoughney (@KateMcLoughney) October 15, 2017
When Irish sports fans celebrated a memorable win against England.
We’re getting reports of an RTC on Landsdowne Road involving a Chariot. Expect celebrations in the area. #StPatricksDay #IrevEng pic.twitter.com/fIPaxxuVhZ
— Dublin Fire Brigade (@DubFireBrigade) March 18, 2017
Let’s not forget when #BatDad happened…Tadhg Fleming and his dad became overnight internet sensations as Tadgh captured the chaos in his family home when a bat came to visit one night in Kerry:
What a crazy day #BatDad #CatchHim pic.twitter.com/ztXpAf03qn
— Tadhg Fleming (@TadhgFleming) September 5, 2017
And @JustineStafford stole the show on Twitter with one of the most Retweeted Irish Tweets of the year, with her hilarious lyrical pun:
Now she’s falling asleep, and I’m calling a crab. pic.twitter.com/NN0pQavvzP
— Justine Stafford (@JustineStafford) October 20, 2017
Top Handles
Twitter is one of the best ways to connect with like-minded fans, top musicians, celebrities, politicians and sporting heroes around the world.
Looking at sport, @ManUtd is the most mentioned sports team by Irish Twitter users, followed by @LFC and @OfficialCorkGAA. Unsurprisingly, Conor McGregor, @TheNotoriousMMA, was the sports star most mentioned by Irish Twitter users in 2017.
Most Liked and Retweeted
McGregor had an eventful 2017, including one of the most Retweeted Tweets of the year
THE FIGHT IS ON. pic.twitter.com/KhW0u3jRft
— Conor McGregor (@TheNotoriousMMA) June 14, 2017
2017 was also the year for record breaking Tweets. Carter Wilkerson’s attempt to win a lifetime supply of chicken nuggets from American restaurant chain Wendy’s was Retweeted an astonishing 3.6 million times in 2017. This made it the most Retweeted Tweet of all time, beating Ellen De Generes’ selfie at the 2014 Oscars into second place.
HELP ME PLEASE. A MAN NEEDS HIS NUGGS pic.twitter.com/4SrfHmEMo3
— Carter Wilkerson (@carterjwm) April 6, 2017
Finally, in August, Barack Obama’s heartfelt call for tolerance and equality was the most liked Tweet of 2017, and is now the most liked Tweet of all time, attracting over 4.5 million likes.
“No one is born hating another person because of the color of his skin or his background or his religion…” pic.twitter.com/InZ58zkoAm
— Barack Obama (@BarackObama) August 13, 2017
