Covid, kindness and community trended on Twitter in 2020

Cian Kearney from Douglas stars in SuperValu's Christmas advert. Picture: Still from SuperValu ad.

In a year that saw us stay home and separated from friends and family, social media and online relationships and communities became more important than ever.

During a year like no other, we reached out to each other in times of uncertainty, hope and also joy. Physically distanced, we experienced this year together through social media.

As revealed by Twitter's end-of-year data, the people of Ireland rallied around to promote kindness, share some laughs and stand up against social injustices.

It will come as no surprise that the top used hashtags of 2020 were #Covid19 and #Coronavirus as we shared the latest news and tried to figure out how to navigate the strange new world.

As is often the case, tough times brought out the best in people as #ActsOfKindness was a big trend after TV producer Helen O'Rahilly encouraged people to volunteer and help others through the pandemic.

While inspiring good deeds across Ireland, Ms O'Rahilly also kept people smiling as she detailed her hilarious and often poignant experiences of caring for her elderly aunt during Covid-19.

s#StairliftAscends became a diary of sorts and it was such a hit that the tales have been compiled into a book, The Stairlift Ascends: Tweets from a Covid Cocoon.

Another woman who has spent 2020 lifting the spirits of the nation was comedian Alison Spittle, who created the #CovideoParty.

With gigs cancelled and cinemas closed, many people found it difficult to keep themselves entertained during the long nights of lockdown, especially those who were living alone.

Ms Spitttle created the #CovideoParty, which saw thousands of people log on to watch films and live tweet them together.

Binge-watching became a national pastime during lockdown and for the second consecutive year, Love Island was the most talked-about TV show.

Another hit TV show this year was the adaptation of Sally Rooney's Normal People.

The series caused some scandal among viewers while our own Paul Mescal and his gold chain sent people swooning the world over.

The role shot Mescal to international fame and he was even nominated for an Emmy.

The 24-year-old cemented his place in Irish hearts with a succinct two-word tweet that became the most liked tweet on Irish Twitter this year.

After some British media outlets tried to claim him as one of their own, Mescal kept it short and sweet, simply responding: "I'm Irish".

Dr Tony Holohan, Chief Medical Officer, became a familiar figure in Irish households as he guided the country through the pandemic. Picture: Colin Keegan, Collins Dublin

When we weren't watching Netflix, much of this year was spent watching Chief Medical Officer Dr Tony Holohan as he guided the country through the pandemic.

He soon became a familiar presence in Irish households. In July, Dr Holohan announced he would take a step back from his duties to spend time with his family.

The announcement led to an outpouring of support and gratitude on Twitter from the people of Ireland.

Those who perhaps didn't feel much love on Twitter were those who were in attendance at the #GolfGate dinner this summer.

The story, first reported by the Irish Examiner, caused public outrage and led to the resignation of a number of public figures from high-profile roles.

The story became the fourth most tweeted-about news story this year.

The Black Lives Matter movement dominated the discourse on Twitter following the death of George Floyd in the US in May of this year.

Irish voices joined those around the world calling for justice for black people killed at the hands of police in the US and an end to systemic racism worldwide.

Although there was a lack of live sports action this year, Manchester United's Marcus Rashford had Twitter abuzz with his work to raise the plight of the UK's poorest children, making him the most talked-about sports person on Irish Twitter this year.

'Black Panther' star Chadwick Boseman died from cancer in August, at age 43.

It was a year of highs and lows in the soccer world, with Liverpool fans celebrating becoming Premier League champions earlier in the year while fans across the soccer world mourned the death of Diego Maradona last month.

Emily Blunt will do whatever it takes to be with Jamie Dornan in #WildMountainThyme! Watch the romantic comedy of the year in theaters and on demand December 11. pic.twitter.com/hrNGcrizx7

— Wild Mountain Thyme (@WildMtThyme) December 5, 2020

Other highlights on Twitter in 2020 included the US election, the tragic deaths of basketball player Kobe Bryant in a helicopter crash in January and Black Panther star Chadwick Boseman from cancer, the trailer for Wild Mountain Thyme, which caused much debate about the dubious Irish accents of its stars, and SuperValu's heartwarming Christmas ad.