IN THE OLD days, it was enough just to count the number of people who read an article.

Nowadays, articles get tweeted, Facebooked and emailed within minutes of being published, with the result being that a significant amount of traffic for TheJournal.ie now comes solely from social media.

The most shared articles on Facebook this year were a disparate bunch. One of the only things they had in common was that many of them provoked some kind of emotional reaction from readers – from the fifty puppies found in Dublin cars to legislating for the X Case to er, Brax from Home and Away doing a nationwide tour of Ireland. Still can’t quite explain that one…

Here’s the list in full:

Here are our top 10 most shared articles on Facebook in 2012

Previous 1 / 10Next

10. This is unprecedented: It's not raining ANYWHERE in Ireland right now
9. Fifty puppies found in Dublin cars in animal cruelty investigation
8. 11 pieces of modern Irish etiquette
7. The death of Savita Halappanavar
6. Ireland and EU to sign controversial ACTA treaty
5. Paul Krugman says Irish voters should vote No on Fiscal Compact
4. Home and Away's Brax on nationwide tour
3. From Michael D hugging people to Maniac 2000, here's 21 reasons to be happy in Ireland
2. 'Not a dumping ground': Pregnant girl turned away from school
1. Appeal for Irish fan James Nolan who went missing in Poland

And here’s links to the stories:

10. That unprecedented moment in October when it was not raining ANYWHERE in Ireland – Facebook shares: 1842

9. Fifty puppies were rescued from cars in Dublin in October by the Gardaí and the DSPCA – Facebook shares: 1888

8. Here’s 11 pieces of modern Irish etiquette – Facebook shares: 1982

7. The death of Savita Halappanavar in University Hospital Galway led to calls for the government to legislate for the X Case – Facebook shares: 2014

6. Ireland and the EU to sign controversial ACTA treaty in January – Facebook shares: 2088

5. Nobel prize-winning economist Paul Krugman advised Irish voters to vote No in the referendum on the Fiscal Compact – Facebook shares: 2270

4. Brax from Home and Away – or at least, Steve Peacocke, the actor who plays him – is coming to Ireland – Facebook shares: 2518

3. Here’s 21 reasons to be happy here in Ireland – Facebook shares: 2809

2. A 16-year-old girl was turned away from a secondary school in Munster because she was pregnant – Facebook shares: 2999

1. An appeal was issued for Irish fan James Nolan who died tragically at the European Championships in Poznan in June – Facebook shares: 4643

Read: Here’s our top 10 most tweeted articles in 2012 >

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10. This is unprecedented: It's not raining ANYWHERE in Ireland right now

9. Fifty puppies found in Dublin cars in animal cruelty investigation

8. 11 pieces of modern Irish etiquette

7. The death of Savita Halappanavar

6. Ireland and EU to sign controversial ACTA treaty

5. Paul Krugman says Irish voters should vote No on Fiscal Compact

4. Home and Away's Brax on nationwide tour

3. From Michael D hugging people to Maniac 2000, here's 21 reasons to be happy in Ireland

2. 'Not a dumping ground': Pregnant girl turned away from school

1. Appeal for Irish fan James Nolan who went missing in Poland

Read: Here’s our top 10 most tweeted articles in 2012 >

Making a difference

A mix of advertising and supporting contributions helps keep paywalls away from valuable information like this article. Over 5,000 readers like you have already stepped up and support us with a monthly payment or a once-off donation.