Election 2024

‘Pints and tries, c’mon the guys’: Party leaders use Ireland v New Zealand clash to kick off campaigns on social media

Simon Harris, Micheál Martin and Mary Lou McDonald take message directly to young voters on X, Instagram and TikTok

By Saturday afternoon, Taoiseach Simon Harris had fired up no less than six canvassing videos on TikTok. Photograph: Brian Lawless/PA Wire
By Saturday afternoon, Taoiseach Simon Harris had fired up no less than six canvassing videos on TikTok. Photograph: Brian Lawless/PA Wire
Sarah Slater
Sat Nov 09 2024 - 17:46

The first 24 hours of the general election campaign has seen a surge in social media output from political parties, with Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin among those on the front foot on online platforms.

The election campaign officially began on Friday afternoon when Taoiseach Simon Harris asked President Michael D Higgins to dissolve the Dáil – unleashing a barrage of social media videos from party leaders and candidates across X, Instagram and TikTok.

Mr Martin, Mr Harris and Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald used Friday night’s Ireland v All Blacks rugby international as an opportunity to showcase their skills in pressing the flesh through video and image posts.

“Pints and tries, c’mon the guys,” tweeted the Tánaiste in a video that was low in policy detail but high in cringe factor – to a backing tune of The Killers’ Mr Brightside.

READ MORE

Mr Martin followed that up on Saturday morning with a TikTok on a pair of shoes he got repaired from a local shoemaker in advance of canvassing on the streets of Cork.

However, it is hard to keep up the so-called “TikTok Taoiseach”. By Saturday afternoon, Mr Harris had fired up no less than six canvassing videos on the platform, including one from a mart in Carnew, Co Wicklow with an instrumental version of Bonnie Tyler’s Holding out for a Hero providing the backing track.

@simon_harristd

Good to be in Carnew Mart today talking with and listening to farmers. Farmers and agriculture play such an important role in our communities and country. I am determined to work with them and for them in the time ahead. Thanks to Brian Brennan for being with me #mart #farmers #election #campaign #ge24 #fyp #foryou

♬ original sound - Simon Harris

Ms McDonald has similarly increased her social media activity with the start of the campaign. On Saturday, she was canvassing in Cabra, Dublin – and she had an Instagram video to prove it (to the tune of You’ve Got the Love by Florence and The Machine).

Later, Ms McDonald was in Dungarvan, Co Waterford where she was quizzed by a mother, whose son was living in Germany, on what she would do to ensure that young people do not feel that they have to leave Ireland.

The Sinn Féin leader reposted an RTÉ reporter’s video of the exchange – “chatting Mammy to Mammy”, as she put it on X.

All the main parties have increased their spend on social media advertising in recent years, while also putting greater focus on creating canvassing content of appeal to so-called Generation Z voters – those roughly aged under 30.

A number of Independent TDs have also been busy since the election was called, with TikTok veteran Michael Healy-Rae posting one video on his last day in the Dáil and another sitting in his car eating a sandwich and answering political questions as the campaign began. The Kerry TD, who has 67,000 followers on the platform, drew widespread attention last month for making a “deepfake” video of billionaire singer Taylor Swift backing him to win back his seat.

Fianna Fáil Senator Malcolm Byrne said that, while the video was humorous, there was a wider concern politicians had to address regarding AI-generated content.

A more recent convert to TikTok is Tipperary’s Mattie McGrath. His account has just one post so far, a video from two days ago, appealing for a “Number 1″. The Independent TD had 63 followers on the account by Saturday. However, for him and other general election candidates, it is early days in the campaign.