TWITTER HAS RELEASED its annual list for what grabbed Irish users’ attention this year, with old reliables like Game of Thrones, Brexit and a love of Tayto among some of the most popular topics in 2019.

It was the UK’s long goodbye from the EU that was the top Irish news hashtags this year with #Brexit beating #ClimateStrike and #LE19 (referring to the local elections) to top place according to statistics released by Twitter this evening. 

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In terms of social issues #ClimateStrike was the most popular with other issues such as women’s participation in sport (#20×20) and the late-Laura Brennan’s campaigning on the HPV vaccine (#ThankyouLaura) also featuring prominently.

It’s the soccer teams across the water in Liverpool and Man Utd that were the most discussed sports topics on Irish Twitter, even in a year when the Irish rugby team participated in an ultimately unsuccessful World Cup campaign.

Love Island featured an Irish winner this year so that grabbed attention, while the final series of Game of Thrones, the Late Late Show and Derry Girls also set tongues wagging.

Irish Twitter also reacted well to Liam Gallagher’s confession that “Taytos are the best crisps in the universe THE END as you were” and Lewis Capaldi’s frequent postings according to the social media giant. 

Bonnie Greer’s passionate speech saying Ireland owes Britain “nothing” on BBC’s Question Time was one of the most popular tweets of 2019 in Ireland, as was Katie Taylor’s post after she became an undisputed world champion in June.

Also proving popular was the scandal that saw Colleen Rooney accusing Rebekah Vardy of leaking stories about her to a newspaper, dubbed #WagathaChristie, and Nadine Coyle’s appearance on the show I’m A Celebrity, Get Me Out Of Here!

#NotreDame was the most discussed news hashtag on Twitter globally this year after the fire at the historic cathedral. 

The US President Donald Trump was the most mentioned politician, FC Barcelona topped the sports teams lists while Avengers Endgame was the top film. 

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