Who is Ireland's most popular politician on TikTok?
Higher Education Minister Simon Harris, a regular user of social media, is by some distance the most popular Irish politician on TikTok, with 91,000 followers.
A Fine Gael minister is by far Ireland’s most popular politician on social media site TikTok — but in party terms, Sinn Féin is the dominant force, with the most followers
TikTok, which allows content creators to post brief videos of original material, has exploded in popularity in recent years and has become a key political battleground in other countries — notably with regard to Russia’s campaign of disinformation regarding the invasion of Ukraine.
In Ireland, politicians have generally been slower to embrace the platform, though this is likely to change when it comes to the next election.
Higher Education Minister Simon Harris, a regular user of social media, is by some distance the most popular Irish politician on TikTok, with 91,000 followers, according to research by Ciaran O’Connor of the Institute for Strategic Dialogue.
He is followed by MEP Clare Daly (71,500), Independent TD Michael Healy-Rae (27,000), Limerick Independent Richard O’Donoghue (25,500), and Ms Daly’s fellow MEP, Mick Wallace (17,000).
Ms Daly boasts the most viewed video posted by an Irish politician on the platform, with a video from March of her speech in the European Parliament stating that “all war is evil, and all victims deserve our support” getting 4.5m views.
In terms of the popularity of politicians feeding from posts made by separate individuals, it is Mr Wallace who tops the poll — with excerpts from a recent speech given by him attracting 15m views.
In total 42 TDs — just over a quarter — have a TikTok account, with Fine Gael the most prolific party with 15 members on the platform, followed by Fianna Fáil with 14 and Sinn Féin with 11.
Despite Fine Gael’s fondness for TikTok, it is Sinn Féin which is, by some distance, Ireland’s most popular party on the platform with 92,000 followers. It is followed by People Before Profit with 21,000 followers, and Fianna Fáil with 6,300.
Though the Green Party and Fine Gael are both ranked in the bottom half of the followers table, this is largely attributable to both having only set up their official accounts within the last three months.
Only three ministers are on TikTok: Mr Harris, Green Party deputy leader and Arts Minister Catherine Martin, and Justice Minister Helen McEntee.
Fine Gael has the most active politician: Dublin Rathdown TD Neale Richmond has posted nearly 250 videos since February 2021.
Most of the TDs with accounts are male (19 TDs with accounts are aged between 30 and 49), while the constituency boasting the most representatives with accounts is Dun Laoghaire, with four active users.
Many Irish politicians use TikTok as they would other social media platforms, posting clips of them speaking in Leinster House or elsewhere.
More recently, however, many have taken to producing their own original content. One popular trend is ‘behind the scenes’ clips which may not ordinarily be shared on other platforms.
Fianna Fáil senator Lisa Chambers posted a video in May 2021, for example, showing her preparation ahead of an appearance on Virgin Media TV’s .
Mr Richmond, according to Mr O’Connor, can be described as “the most TikTok-conscious TD”, owing to his prolific posting, his use of the platform's original features, and his tendency to incorporate aspects of TikTok culture into his posts.
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