Rugby World Cup tops Google Ireland list of 2015’s top trending search terms

Ireland went rugby mad in 2015 with thousands of Irish fans travelling to Cardiff for the Rugby World Cup this year, so much so that Rugby World Cup takes the top spot in this year’s list of top-trending search terms revealed today by Google.

It’s been a phenomenal year for UFC mixed martial artist (MMA) Conor McGregor culminating in his 13 second knockout victory over Aldo at the weekend and his rise in popularity is evident as he came in at number three in the top trending list of searches 2015, he topped the sports people list and the Irish public were also searching ‘How to watch McGregor fight in Ireland’.

The Google year in Search list also shows we were preoccupied by global issues such as the Paris attacks, Charlie Hebdo as well as the death of Karen Buckley in Scotland and the health of NBA star Lamar Odom who was found unconscious but who is now making a recovery. On a lighter note we wanted to know more about RTE’s Operation Transformation and Eurovision 2015. Lady Colin Campbell, who starred in this year’s I’m a celebrity…Get me out of Here! made the top ten list followed by Jurassic World, the fastest movie to hit the $1 billion mark at the box office.

The trending list tracks increases in interest year-on-year. The overall Top Ten list provides a strong indicator of the topics that have gripped Ireland throughout 2015, however other, more specific lists also provide remarkable insights.

Among the top trending politicians former Taoiseach Charles Haughey tops the list no doubt helped by the RTE mini-series which documented his life and was broadcast during the summer.  Minister for Health Leo Varadkar was second on the list followed by controversial US presidential candidate Donald Trump.  UK politicians Ed Miliband, David Cameron and the late Charles Kennedy also feature and, possibly following his mental blank on radio, Renua Ireland’s Terence Flanagan also makes the list.

For many in Ireland there were questions of the year that demanded further explanation. ‘Who is Lucy the Australopithecus?’ topped the list of ‘Who is…?’ questions, following the 41st anniversary of its discovery. We most wanted to know ‘How to use Snapchat’, which topped the How to? List, and we clearly love our pancakes, with ‘When is Pancake Tuesday?’ topping the When is? list, and ‘How to make pancake mix’ coming second on the How to? list.

In the world of sport the rise of MMA stars is evident with Conor McGregor topping the Sportspeople list which also features MMA Ronda Rousey. The world of football and boxing is also well represented with Pedro and Tyson Fury appearing on the list while unsurprisingly Rugby World Cup tops the Sporting Events list followed by Cheltenham 2015 and Wimbledon 2015.

Jonah Lomu also featured in the list of top-trending people following his untimely death last month. Amid the controversy of his departure from Top Gear, interest in Jeremy Clarkson has put him at number six in the list of top-trending people for the whole year. Tony Fenton, one of Ireland’s best loved DJs who sadly passed away this year also makes the list.

“Our annual Year In Search survey provides a fascinating snapshot of our interests and obsessions throughout the year,” said Matt Cooke, Head of Google’s News Lab in Europe. “Homegrown celebrities have generated a lot of interest in particular, while the passing of well-known figures made people want to learn more about them.”

Google Top Trending lists 2015

Top Ten Trending

1. Rugby World Cup 2015
2. Karen Buckley
3. Conor McGregor
4. Paris
5. Lamar Odom
6. Lady Colin Campbell
7. Jurassic World
8. Eurovision 2015
9. Charlie Hebdo
10. Operation Transformation 2015

Top Trending People

1. Karen Buckley
2. Conor McGregor
3. Lamar Odom
4. Lady Colin Campbell
5. Ed Sheeran
6. Jeremy Clarkson
7. Cilla Black
8. Tony Fenton
9. Jonah Lomu
10. Ruby Rose

Top Trending Sportspeople

1. Conor McGregor
2. Jonah Lomu
3. Ronda Rousey
4. Tyson Fury
5. Stephanie Roche
6. Jurgen Klopp
7. Manny Pacquiao
8. Pedro
9. Ian Madigan
10. Shane Long

Top Trending Sport Events

1. Rugby World Cup 2015
2. Cheltenham 2015
3. Wimbledon 2015
4. Cricket World Cup
5. Ploughing Championships 2015
6. Six nations 2015
7. Mayweather vs Pacquiao
8. Copa America
9. Grand National 2015
10. Champions League Final

Top Trending Politicians

1. Charlie Haughey
2. Leo Varadkar
3. Donald Trump
4. Jeremy Corbyn
5. David Cameron
6. PJ Mara
7. Charles Kennedy
8. Terence Flanagan
9. Ed Miliband
10. Hillary Clinton

Top Trending TV Shows

1. Eurovision 2015
2. Operation transformation 21
3. Big Brother 2015
4. Oscars 2015
5. Celebrity Big Brother
6. Narcos
7. Better Call Saul
8. Game of Thrones Season 5
9. Strictly Come Dancing 2015
10. Daredevil

Top Trending News

1. Rugby World Cup
2. Karen Buckley
3. Lamar Odom
4. Paris
5. Eurovision 2015
6. Charlie Hebdo
7. Budget 2016
8. Caitlyn Jenner
9. Greece
10. Wimbledon 2015

Top Trending Music Acts

1. Ed Sheeran
2. Adele
3. Eagles of death metal
4. Lil Chris
5. Meghan Trainor
6. Albert Hammond
7. Florence and the Machine
8. Justin Bieber
9. Dr Dre
10. Kelly Clarkson

Top Trending What is?

1. What is isis
2. What is je suis charlie
3. What is lupus
4. What is processed meat
5. What is a frappé
6. What is ebola
7. What is 0 divided by 0
8. What is Charlie Charlie
9. What is happening in Syria
10. What is a solar eclipse

Top Trending Who is?

1. Who is Lucy the Australopithecus
2. Who is lady C
3. Who is A in pretty little liars
4. Who is Nick Grimshaw
5. Who is isis
6. Who is the father of Charity Dingles son in Emmerdale
7. Who is Kitty McGeever
8. Who is Ronnie Pickering
9. Who is Charlie Hebdo
10. Who is the Arkham knight

Top Trending When is?

1. When is Easter 2015
2. When is Pancake Tuesday 2015
3. When is Halloween 2015
4. When is the Late Late Toy show 2015
5. When is Thanksgiving 2015
6. When is Fathers day in ireland 2015
7. When is Chinese new year 2015
8. When is Ash Wednesday 2015
9. When is FIFA 16 out
10. When is black Friday 2015 in ireland

Top Trending How to?

1. How to use new snapchat
2. How to make pancake mix
3. How to eat pomelo
4. How to draw a minion
5. How to bleed radiators
6. How to make loom bands
7. How to watch McGregor fight in Ireland
8. How to get rid of hickeys fast
9. How to get rid of brain freeze
10. How to view a solar eclipse

Top Trending Gadgets

1. iPhone 6s
2. Samsung Galaxy s6
3. Apple watch
4. iPhone 7
5. Hoverboard
6. Swegway
7. iPad pro
8. HTC one m9
9. Selfie stick
10. Nexus 6P