Ireland on the Web
October 10, 2017 10:35 AM Subscribe
Just got back from my first trip to Ireland, and I'm in withdrawal. I'd really like to keep in closer touch with the country and the culture and learn as I go. What are some good places to do that?
I know about streaming RTE radio and TV and the Irish Times. They are great, as is the abundance of tourist-oriented information, but I'm looking for more person-to-person chatter, community talk, etc., that gives some sense of what it's like inside Irish daily life. Facebook pages, online magazines, YouTube channels would all be welcome suggestions.
I know about streaming RTE radio and TV and the Irish Times. They are great, as is the abundance of tourist-oriented information, but I'm looking for more person-to-person chatter, community talk, etc., that gives some sense of what it's like inside Irish daily life. Facebook pages, online magazines, YouTube channels would all be welcome suggestions.
It's dippy and it's sort of a Buzzfeed clone, and they're getting a little repetitive, but the Youtube channel called Facts might be fun. A good chunk of their content is about "Irish people react to [this particular American thing]", too, which can feel a little like "jeez we Americans just kind of take everything over".
But it's still really gratifying to see just how hard they laugh at how awful Tom Cruise's accent was in Far And Away.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 10:53 AM on October 10, 2017 [1 favorite]
But it's still really gratifying to see just how hard they laugh at how awful Tom Cruise's accent was in Far And Away.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 10:53 AM on October 10, 2017 [1 favorite]
I've found the Facebook group Ireland from the Roadside to be of help in quelling my longings. Not very social, it's mostly photos, but certainly enjoyable.
posted by kindall at 11:03 AM on October 10, 2017 [1 favorite]
posted by kindall at 11:03 AM on October 10, 2017 [1 favorite]
Boards.ie still seems to be going strong.
posted by Diablevert at 11:18 AM on October 10, 2017 [2 favorites]
posted by Diablevert at 11:18 AM on October 10, 2017 [2 favorites]
Broadsheet.ie covers a lot of what is going on here. Comments are sometimes great, but most of the time to be avoided, like most everywhere else on the interwebs.
posted by Fence at 11:23 AM on October 10, 2017 [1 favorite]
posted by Fence at 11:23 AM on October 10, 2017 [1 favorite]
Buzzfeed covers a lot of Ireland stuff and has staff there. If you want a sort of normal-internet approach to everything. Was also coming here to suggest Facts, it's really funny. You might also want to shift some of your reading to more Irish-oriented. I just finished The Birdwatcher which takes place in Kent but has a large Ireland backstory. Here's the Irish Times talking about the Guardian article on new Irish fiction.
I think if it were me I'd be making a Twitter list of Irish accounts I like to follow and then just change my feed to that one from time to time 9I do this already with Tweets by Vermonters). Maybe start from the National Library of Ireland (if it were me) or look for premade lists to follow like the ones that Heritage Ireland has created.
posted by jessamyn at 11:47 AM on October 10, 2017 [2 favorites]
I think if it were me I'd be making a Twitter list of Irish accounts I like to follow and then just change my feed to that one from time to time 9I do this already with Tweets by Vermonters). Maybe start from the National Library of Ireland (if it were me) or look for premade lists to follow like the ones that Heritage Ireland has created.
posted by jessamyn at 11:47 AM on October 10, 2017 [2 favorites]
Check out Rory's Stories on facebook.
posted by night_train at 12:41 PM on October 10, 2017 [1 favorite]
posted by night_train at 12:41 PM on October 10, 2017 [1 favorite]
I think if it were me I'd be making a Twitter list of Irish accounts I like to follow and then just change my feed to that one from time to time
I went through the people I follow and added a bunch of them to an 'Irish' list which you could browse through. It's a fair mix of friends, musicians, journalists, sports people, politicians and news orgs, so hopefully reasonably representative slice of life in Ireland.
Kind of a weird trip through memory lane seeing all the folks I followed way back in the day, some of whom have passed away or just don't tweet anymore which made me sad, and some who are still going strong 10 years later
posted by TwoWordReview at 12:52 PM on October 10, 2017 [1 favorite]
I went through the people I follow and added a bunch of them to an 'Irish' list which you could browse through. It's a fair mix of friends, musicians, journalists, sports people, politicians and news orgs, so hopefully reasonably representative slice of life in Ireland.
Kind of a weird trip through memory lane seeing all the folks I followed way back in the day, some of whom have passed away or just don't tweet anymore which made me sad, and some who are still going strong 10 years later
posted by TwoWordReview at 12:52 PM on October 10, 2017 [1 favorite]
If you're as time poor as most people, you'll get a lot out of RTÉ Playback for what's topical in Ireland.
Have a look at thejournal.ie and its family of sister sites.
posted by bimbam at 1:20 PM on October 10, 2017
Have a look at thejournal.ie and its family of sister sites.
posted by bimbam at 1:20 PM on October 10, 2017
Steer clear of The Journal please, it's a rag, steals articles, is vaguely racist and does loads of fake competitions on Facebook. I would say that Irish morning radio is a great one. I used to love Hector on 2FM but I don't know who to suggest now, was very nicely chatty. You can also reach out to your local Irish-Wherever society, or join your local GAA club. You very likely have one.
posted by Iteki at 2:02 PM on October 10, 2017 [1 favorite]
posted by Iteki at 2:02 PM on October 10, 2017 [1 favorite]
Boards.ie but it veers pretty ugh and Reddit Ireland is arguably better; Waterford Whispers; the #ireland, #irishfood, and #craic tags on Instagram; and seconding the @Ireland account on Twitter. The Times is swinging more right so I dunno about that; I get my actual news from TheJournal.ie.
posted by DarlingBri at 3:21 PM on October 10, 2017 [4 favorites]
posted by DarlingBri at 3:21 PM on October 10, 2017 [4 favorites]
Iteki, I think you're thinking of theliberal.ie run by Leo Sherlock. I've never heard of thejournal.ie to be disreputable
posted by TwoWordReview at 4:04 PM on October 10, 2017 [1 favorite]
posted by TwoWordReview at 4:04 PM on October 10, 2017 [1 favorite]
Iteki, I think you're thinking of theliberal.ie run by Leo Sherlock. I've never heard of thejournal.ie to be disreputable
That was my first thought as well, FWIW.
posted by DarlingBri at 5:20 PM on October 10, 2017 [1 favorite]
That was my first thought as well, FWIW.
posted by DarlingBri at 5:20 PM on October 10, 2017 [1 favorite]
I recently found The Irish Passport podcast via their most recent episode on the myth of Irish slaves. Sounds heavy, but it's personable and engaging. The hosts are an academic and a journalist who "tie current events to the history and culture that explain them."
And what do you know, it had an FPP!
posted by postcommunism at 6:20 PM on October 10, 2017
And what do you know, it had an FPP!
posted by postcommunism at 6:20 PM on October 10, 2017
Oh my god, I totally was! Thanks for the correction, I am scarlet! Ew, I've unfairly judged some friends too. Reddner! Thanks folks.
posted by Iteki at 12:10 AM on October 12, 2017 [4 favorites]
posted by Iteki at 12:10 AM on October 12, 2017 [4 favorites]
Response by poster: Hi all, I am really glad I asked about this and have been utterly immersed in lots of your suggestions for a couple of weeks. All are "best answers," so I'm not marking any in particular, but I want to give a special callout to the Irish Passport podcast. It's amazing. Simultaneously erudite, funny, informative and warmly informal, it's an audio expression of everything I loved about my first visit to the Republic. It's a real treasure and highly recommended.
Following "Ireland on the Roadside" on FB is also really fun. Today somebody posted a wistful "I wish I was there," to which someone responded "Don't worry about it, the weather today is shite."
Thanks all. I'll be exploring all this great content for a while!
posted by Miko at 7:48 PM on October 21, 2017 [2 favorites]
Following "Ireland on the Roadside" on FB is also really fun. Today somebody posted a wistful "I wish I was there," to which someone responded "Don't worry about it, the weather today is shite."
Thanks all. I'll be exploring all this great content for a while!
posted by Miko at 7:48 PM on October 21, 2017 [2 favorites]
Came back to mention that Dublin Inquirer can be followed on Facebook or indeed (please do!) subscribed to as a print paper for a tenner a month from abroad. It's great for nice local journalism, it's like Ireland's Own for woke-folk :D (ps, oh god, I just googled Irelands Own, do it, do it!).
posted by Iteki at 10:03 AM on October 30, 2017 [1 favorite]
posted by Iteki at 10:03 AM on October 30, 2017 [1 favorite]
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posted by tiger tiger at 10:38 AM on October 10, 2017 [5 favorites]