Teenagers Clicking on TikTok at the National Ploughing Championships - The So-called 'Slurry King' Trend
TikTok Makes a Splash at the National Ploughing Championships
The National Ploughing Championships, a traditional agricultural event in Ireland, has seen a modern twist this year with the arrival of TikTok. The popular social media platform set up a two-storey pavilion, attracting thousands of visitors, including a significant number of secondary-school pupils.
One of the most popular figures at the TikTok stand was Eoin Lynch, a TikToker from Mitchelstown, Co Cork, who gained fame last year for his love of slurry. Lynch, born in Vietnam but raised in Ireland since he was six months old, has a broad rural Cork accent and has attracted a slew of young fans with his rural humor on TikTok. His video about his love for slurry garnered 2.2 million views on the platform.
Eoin Lynch was a hit with his young fans at the festival, posing for selfies and chatting with them. One set of teenage girls even brought a branded 'Slurry King' T-shirt for him to sign.
Another TikToker at the festival was Caolán Ward, a veritable elder statesman of the TikTok genre. Ward, who plays for Wolfe Tones GAA club in Meath, posted Gaelic football skills on the platform. He emphasized the importance of online safety at the festival. One of his videos got hundreds of thousands of views.
Politicians are no longer ignoring TikTok as just a forum for selfies and silly dancing. Heather Humphreys, a presidential hopeful, made a visit to the TikTok pavilion. TikTok Shop, a feature of the platform that allows users to sell their wares, has seen sales surge since the start of the year.
Eoin Lynch, however, is not just a TikToker. He hopes to study aircraft engineering after leaving school or work for Teagasc as an adviser. His 'I love slurry' merchandise is just one part of his growing brand.
With 2.4 million Irish account holders, which is almost half the population, TikTok is undeniably a force to be reckoned with in Irish social media. And with its presence at the National Ploughing Championships, it's clear that the platform is here to stay.
