Latest news with #IrishTikTok
Extra.ie
07-08-2025
- Lifestyle
- Extra.ie
Meet the woman documenting her escape from Dublin to country life
It seems like living in Dublin is merely a pipe dream these days, rather than something actually attainable. With rent, the cost of living, and the fact that it almost seems like you need to spend money to breathe, more and more people are opting out of living in the metropolis of Dublin, and moving into the countryside, either because they're being priced out of it, or to be with family who may be from the area they're looking to move to. Both of these reasons were the case for university lecturer Martha Gilheaney, who after living in eight years smack bang in the middle of Dublin City Centre swapped the city life for a rural farmhouse in Co Leitrim. @marthagilheaney From O'Connell Street to open fields. I'm ready for this change 🌱 #Ireland #IrishTikTok #Leitrim #MovingToTheCountry #CityToCountry #FarmhouseRenovation #CountryLiving #FYP #ForYouPage #EscapeTheCity #LifeReset #NatureSounds #BeforeAndAfter #SlowLiving #TikTokIreland ♬ original sound – Martha Gilheaney Speaking to Martha explained that she had lived in Dublin for the better part of two decades after moving up from Leitrim, and residing quite literally in the middle of town, being on the corner of O'Connell Street. However, due to increasing rents and the cost of living, and because in her words she's a country girl at heart, she found a lovely farmhouse situated on a massive five acres of land in her home county — and as a result, is currently in the middle of tackling the expansive renovation job, which she's sharing to TikTok. 'I loved [living in Dublin]. I really loved it,' Martha told 'I feel like I'm promoting Leitrim a lot on my TikTok, and I don't want people to think I didn't love Dublin, but I just felt like it had run its course. I was ready for a new pace of life, and that's why I made the move.' Martha Gilheaney, who was living in Dublin City Centre for the last eight years, has explained that due to the cost of living crisis and homes in Dublin skyrocketing in price, she decided to move back to Leitrim where she bought a 100-year-old farmhouse. Pic: Supplied Of course, the cost of living crisis also played a huge factor in her decision to move, saying 'my rent was going up, my bills, groceries — I really noticed it in my groceries — everything. People talk about how there's a lot to do in Dublin, but the fact is that every time you leave your apartment, you're spending money. My money was just flying away at the time.' After weighing up her options, Martha bought a stunning farmhouse on a massive five acres of land — sacrificing a three minute walk to work to a six hour round commute — but admitted that as well as being closer to her family, living in Dublin outside of renting is just not feasible. That doesn't mean that buying a 100-year-old farmhouse won't be a challenge, however; and despite being eligible for the derelict building grant and the vacant property grant, there's still a lot of work to be done — with more work being unveiled as another part of the house comes to completion. Martha bought the house last October, and has been extensively renovating it since then — but admitted that problems arise when other problems are fixed. Pic: Supplied 'I'd always had this thing of 'where will I live?' Martha explained. 'I could never decide — I loved cities, I loved the countryside, and hadn't been looking [for a house] when my two siblings were looking for a house and my brother sent me this house that was for sale in Leitrim. My sisters weren't interested, but for whatever reason, I just fell in love with it straight away. 'It's like, the more you do the more it uncovers,' she joked. 'I knew that I would qualify for the vacant grant, but then the work began and the extension roof was rotten, all these other issues, so I then reapplied for the derelict grant, which is fantastic. I wouldn't have been able to do it if it weren't for those grants.' As for when she could be moving in, Martha added 'I asked my builder and he just kind of laughed! It's hard to give a definitive date, because he's also waiting on people to come over and do jobs. The family have said that they'll be coming to me for Christmas, and I know it's a real cliche to say 'we'll be in by Christmas,' but that's what I've been saying. I don't know how complete it will be, but I'll be in by Christmas!' While simply doing a Chappell Roan and moving somewhere like Saskatchewan (or, in this case, Leitrim) may be an easy option, weighing up the pros and cons are the biggest hurdle of all, with Martha admitting that despite loving living in Dublin, heading home — particularly to such an expansive house — is what was right for her. 'I'm very much leaning towards the pros of Leitrim right now,' she told 'And it's encompassing many things, because I also didn't want to rent anymore, and buying in Dublin wasn't going to be an option for me. 'I also wanted my own outdoor space — I don't have a balcony in Dublin, which really began to hit me during COVID. I think I really began to crave nature more, and so now I have all these possibilities for growing my own vegetables, and having flowers and loads of animals, and that's just really exciting. My family is there and it's all so peaceful. But, the downside now is my commute to work, which used to be a three minute walk and now it'll be three and a half hours because I'm going to continue working in Dublin. Thankfully I'm not [in office] that many days — it's doable, but when I tell other people they usually have a dramatic reaction. But I think the pros are worth it. That's what I'm telling myself anyway!' Martha joked that she hoped to be in by Christmas, but added that people just need to go for it. Pic: Supplied As for the advice she'd give those who are considering their future in the capital, she admits that while it's hard, sometimes you just have to go for it. 'When I say 'just go for it,' it's because you hear so much about how hard it is to move and buy, especially right now if you're a first time buyer and if you're buying alone,' Martha said. 'It's true — it is hard — but it's not impossible, and it's worth it. 'If I had listened to everyone I'd still be renting today. I decided that this is what I wanted and chased that dream.' Martha's journey can be followed on TikTok, @MarthaGilheaney. More photos of Martha's home renovations can be found below Pic: Supplied Pic: Supplied
RTÉ News
07-08-2025
- Entertainment
- RTÉ News
Capturing the haunting beauty of Ireland's abandoned castles
Ahead of National Heritage Week (16-24 Aug), we spoke with the Irish TikTok creator behind @historicireland, an account that captures the country's abandoned castles through breathtaking drone footage. Collecting lesser-known stories from our past - like the remarkable story of Moore Hall in Mayo, where a landlord used prize money from a horse race to feed his tenants during the Famine - Hugh Wright has created a cinematic archive of Irish life. The work, he says, came about because of his own incredible story. Despite growing up with a love for film-making (as a child, armed with a camcorder, he created movies that he describes as "a cross between Father Ted and Killinaskully"), Hugh pursued a career in Science, studying at University College Cork before landing a job in Ringaskiddy. Then, while the world locked down during the COVID-19 pandemic, he was diagnosed with a degenerative medical condition, leading him to "reevaluate everything". Ditching the day job, he returned to his love of history and passion for film-making, capturing the ruins that had fascinated him throughout his childhood. With so many of the ruins sitting on private land, however, drone shots operated from public roads seemed like his best bet. Particularly because Hugh has a background in flying and knew just how beautiful those aerial shots could be. "I was given out to by the flight instructor for day-dreaming out the window," he laughs. At the start of 2024, Hugh downloaded TikTok and began uploading his videos, playing around with editing and music. One day, he decided to lend his voice as narrator, and the results were immediate. "It actually exploded," he says. "People really liked it, so I kept doing that for weeks and weeks. I was putting up a video every day to really push it. I suppose I just got better and better and made some great contacts." Before long, farmers and estate owners were getting in touch to ask Hugh to document the ageing buildings on their lands, preserving them for future generations. "I do a lot of research using these old OS [Ordnance Survey] maps online from the 1800s," he explains, "so you can look back and see every major house and castle that was in Ireland. You can flick onto satellite and it will immediately show you the state of it now." "It is heartbreaking," he continues. "It's sad and nostalgic, but I find it beautiful as well. They're untouched in a way. They've been left in silence and taken over by nature." Describing it as "the closest thing to time travel", Hugh enjoys discovering the stories of each building, unearthing the lives once lived within the now crumbling walls. "There was one in North Cork called Old Court. It's completely in ruin; it's in really bad shape. With all the trees, it's really hard to find the house with the drone. "When I went home to research it, I realised it was owned by an ancestor of Princess Diana. It was her great-grand-uncle. Things like that are incredible to come across." The stories that resonate with people most, of course, are the ones involving ghosts. And despite a career in science, being raised on stories of banshees and fairy forts means that an eerie feeling may linger when he visits these abandoned grounds. "People just love a ghost story," he laughs. "I suppose I'm drawn to them in a way. These abandoned houses do feel haunted; sometimes you get a good vibe, but sometimes you get a bad vibe." "There's a lesser-known story of the Woodlawn House in Galway," he continues. "It's completely in the middle of nowhere in bog land. It's this massive, dark, grey mansion with a roof on it, still. It's in pretty good condition. The locals claim that's the most haunted place in Ireland." "Even when I was on the road next to it, there was no one around, and I heard a massive bang. I don't believe in that stuff, but being in Ireland, there is a part of you that's like... mmm, maybe?" As for his own favourites, Hugh has a place in his heart for the homes he gets to explore inside and out. "I think my favourite was Coolattin House in Wicklow. It was abandoned for years, but several people have bought it now, and I got invited to do a huge tour. There was all sorts of crazy things, like a room with no windows and lots of great material for stories." Once home to the Earls Fitzwilliam - a powerful family who once owned the biggest private estates in both England and Ireland - Coolattin House has a fascinating and tragic history. Peter Wentworth-Fitzwilliam, the eighth Earl Fitzwilliam, was said to have had an affair with the sister of John F. Kennedy, the 35th president of the United States. Kathleen "Kick" Kennedy's relationship with Fitzwilliam stirred controversy due to her being a Catholic and he a Protestant (and married). Their story ended tragically when the two died in a plane crash in 1948, adding to the ream of untimely deaths and misfortunes afflicting the Kennedy family, fuelling rumours of a 'Kennedy curse'. "That was the end of the house," Hugh says of their passing. "That was the end of Coolattin." Beautiful, tragic, steeped in history and intrigue, this is just one of many fascinating stories captured by the pilot-turned-scientist-turned-filmmaker.
RTÉ News
19-05-2025
- Entertainment
- RTÉ News
Here's why Irish history is having a moment on TikTok
It's fair to say that Ireland is having "a moment", and in my opinion, it's easy to see why curiosity about our small but mighty island has peaked. Lately, celebrities like Kneecap have brought their grá for the Irish language to the world stage; an ever-extending crew of internationally acclaimed Irish film stars are now familiar faces across the globe; countless Irish creatives have taken senior roles in legacy fashion houses; and industry-leading Irish business owners are showing the rest how it's done. I would want to know what made us who we are, too. Now it seems that TikTok, a social media platform with approximately 1.6 billion monthly active users worldwide, has taken note. In Ireland alone, 2.2 million people turn to TikTok for entertainment, discovery and learning on a monthly basis. Over the last twelve months, content surrounding #Irishlanguage has grown 116%, #IrishLiterature has grown 126%, #IrishTikTok has grown 150%, and #IrishCulture has grown a staggering 200%. In response to this unprecedented increase in demand for Irish cultural and historical content, TikTok is officially launching the #IrishHistory Hub - a dedicated and curated space where users can go to learn more about the stories, people, places and legends that have shaped Ireland throughout history. We spoke to some Irish creators to find out more. Storyteller Mark O'Géaráin @beardedbadger What does Irish history mean to you? Our history is our identity, it informs us on who we are and what our place is in the wider world. As an Irish person, I believe I am a product of all those Irish people who have come before me. It's a huge honour, but one that also comes with great responsibility. How do you feel about social media being an educational platform? I think it needs to be accepted that its social media shapes opinions. It's also why media literally should be seen as one of the core pillars of education. I think having an Irish History Hub is a great step. It allows us to share our experience, or history, it's the world. Many people have a very shallow understanding of Ireland and the people in terms of how we've been represented in the media. How do you feel about social media being an educational platform? I think it's more important now than ever before. It is for some (rather disconcertingly) their only source of information. A few of my fellow content creators left various platforms, but I chose to stay. I want to be a voice to break down myths, reiterate parts of history and, even more importantly, show how understanding our past can help us make sense of our present, especially now. What are your thoughts on having an Irish history hub? It's a wonderful idea, as long as the information is correct and told in a way that benefits the viewer. I think it could be a great opportunity to collaborate with other creators (like in fashion and sport, for example), and to create a community of not just historians, but archaeologists, folklorists, artists, designers, craftspeople, and writers. There is a difference, though, between getting your information from the internet and getting information from people on the internet. By creating a community of experts, not only can the quality of information but so too can the space for discussion - the core of history and its study. It's hard to find space for that on social media, so my hope is such a hub will foster a demand for more in-person talks, lectures and events to do so. Journalist Édaein O Connell @edaeinoc What does Irish history mean to you? Irish history to me is such an important vessel because it holds the stories not only of our nation but of our ancestors and our families. To me, history is such an important subject to not only learn about, but to keep returning to – we learn our lessons from history; by looking back we move forward. For example, a few years ago, when it was proposed to remove history from the junior certificate curriculum, I was firmly against it. National and international history should be mandatory for students in Ireland and around the world. It's the only way we can grow, create better societies and learn from our mistakes. Why do you think this area is booming now? I think there's been an increase in those interests because as the world becomes a lot more unsteady and volatile, we're looking more inward. We're realising we must have solid foundations in our own country, and the way that we can achieve that is by studying our history and becoming more in tune with our culture and the places we have been and the hurt we've experienced. I think more people are becoming prouder to be Irish, because I know in the past it was something to be ashamed of – "no blacks, no Irish, no dogs". For such a small country, we have done so much for the world in terms of art and literature – look at all the Irish actors right now doing amazing things. We're great businesspeople, and we have an incredible economy. I think the prouder we become, the more we want to learn about our ancestry. I think as well when you see things happening, like what is occurring right now in Gaza, where people are being oppressed – we know what that looks like. We're being called on to preserve our music, our stories and our language now more than ever because we are reminded how easily it can be taken away, and we know what it's like to have it taken away from us. We want to hold onto it really tightly. Local historians, educators and everyday storytellers have found their voice on TikTok, collectively generating a vast digital archive of Ireland's past. Through their content, creators are preserving forgotten folklore and showcasing hidden gems across the country. Their bite-sized, locally rooted storytelling invites users to explore Ireland's heritage in fresh and engaging ways, appealing to both dedicated history buffs and casual scrollers alike. Katie Charlwood, host of the history podcast, Who Did What Now? @whodidwhatnowpod What does being Irish mean to you? As someone who is a dual citizen of Ireland and the UK, having a greater understanding of Irish history is incredibly important to my identity. We have such a deep and fascinating history, not just within Ireland but with the diaspora – we've spread all over the world and we are connected by our history. There's been an unprecedented increase in searches for Irish history and culture. Why do you think that is? The Irish diaspora spread across continents and nations – many of whom are looking for connections, roots. We are also constantly bombarded with international news and information, so there is some solace in looking internally at our own history and culture.
