On the 20th anniversary of Google Ireland, the search engine has revealed the nation's top trending searches since 2003.
In 2003, Google opened their first office in Ireland – housing just five employees.
In the last 20 years, the company has become the world's largest internet search engine, and its Dublin branch employs over 5,000 staff.
Since then, internet search trends have changed dramatically, but Google has revealed that Ireland's two obsessions have remained the same – sports and weather.
On Breakfast Briefing, Group Deputy Head of News for Bauer Media Ireland, Tara Duggan said Irish people are "weather obsessed".
"The heatwave of 2018, it was the first time Ireland technically had a heatwave in centuries," she said.
'How long will the heatwave last?' and 'When will the heatwave end?' were the top weather-related searches that year, according to Google.
Since 2015, Storm Ophelia, the worst storm Ireland had seen in 50 years, has been searched most often, followed by Storm Lorenzo and Storm Callum.
Storm Ophelia Aftermaths. 17/10/2017. Photo Leah Farrell/RollingNews.ie.According to the report, if Irish people aren't "turning to Google to find out about the weather" they’re keeping up to date on the latest trending topics in sport.
"It was the London Olympics which caught our imagination – the games were searched at nearly twice the rate of 2016 or 2021," she said.
"'When is Katie Taylor fighting in the Olympics?' was one top trending question in 2012.
"In 2016, it was Annalise Murphy, who was the top-searched Irish Olympian during the games."
In 2009, ‘grand slam’ was a breakout search after Ireland’s historic Six Nations win. This year, Ireland vs. England was the top-searched match-up of the Six Nations tournament in Ireland and "What's a grand slam in rugby” spiked +700% during the tournament.
Founders of Google Sergey Brin at the opening of Google new European Headquarters in Dublin. 6/10/2004 (Photo Photocall Ireland)Tara said pop culture trends are shown through Google searches, with Pippa Middleton as one of the most searched people in 2011.
"In 2012, Netflix made its appearance on Google," she said.
"2013, that was the year that the property tax came into force and so that was amongst our most searched pieces then.
"2014, no surprise – it was Garth Brooks."
In 2013 ‘twerk ’ topped the list, ‘despacito’ was the most searched in 2017, and in 2019 – the year impeachment proceedings began for Donald Trump – ‘impeachment’ was the most searched definition term in Ireland.
"In 2015, 'What is an Eircode?, and in 2016 – 'Brexit'," Tara said.
President Donald J. Trump speaks during his campaign for the 2020 US presidential election. (Credit: Preston Ehrler/SOPA Images/ZUMA Wire/Alamy Live News)Trending toys have also been revealed to be some of the nation's top searches, according to Tara.
"Loom Bands featured in [2014] and fidget spinner was among the top searches in 2017," she said.
The loss of iconic Irish figureheads has also proved to cause spikes in Google searches.
"In 2018, Dolores O'Riordan, in 2019, Gay Byrne, and a few months before that, Brandon Grace died," Tara said.
Dolores O'Riordan of The Cranberries during the live concert at the Forum of Assago. 10/29/2012. (Fabio Diena / Alamy Stock Photo)In 2020, coronavirus began to appear in the search bars of Irish Google users.
"COVID-19 really didn't come into our psyche in Ireland until early 2020. It featured very highly as COVID in 2021," Tara said.
"Last year, we have the Ashling Murphy murder in Tullamore, we have Queen Elizabeth's death and Wordle."
