Google reveals the highest trend topics of the year in Ireland’s 2019 Google ‘Year in Search’ results with sport, weather and celebrity deaths continue to occupy the top spots.

As 2019 comes to a close, the annual Google Year in Search results provide a telling snapshot of what caught the interest of the nation over the last 12 months.

The Rugby World Cup tops the overall search list for 2019 and anticipation was high across the world for the tournament that only comes around every four years. Although Ireland’s hopes of making the final were dashed quite early on, the Rugby World Cup still topped the list as people Google searched the highlights from the matches from the pool games right through to the final to watch winning South African captain Siya Kolisi giving a heart provoking speech.

With a European election and Brexit still ongoing, Google’s search trends show that we are still looking for answers to the great political questions of our time with ‘What is the backstop?’ topping the what is list, rising from third place in 2018 and ‘How to vote?’ coming runner up behind the always important question ‘How to boil an egg?’ in the ‘How to’ list. 

The nation also turned to Google as they tried to figure out ‘What is Tik Tok?’ and whether they should be keeping up with the trends and creating their own short-form mobile videos. Other great mysteries of life Irish people were looking for answers for in 2019 include ‘how to solve a Rubix cube?’ at number five,  ‘how to stop snoring?’ at number 7 and ‘how to get rid of spots?’ at number 10. 

The top 10 recipe searches of 2019 give us a glimpse into Ireland’s changing diet as vegan recipes top the list, with keto, plant-based, salmon, smoothie and The Happy Pear recipes all featuring in the top ten.

 A range of sports stars and politicians dominate the most searched for ‘People’ list in 2019, with golf star Shane Lowry topping the list following his win at The Open Championship in July 2019, becoming the fifth ever Irishman to win the tournament. British Prime Minister Boris Johnson was the most searched for politician in Ireland in a year which saw him take over from Teresa May as leader of the United Kingdom and call the 58th General Election. Actor Luke Perry rounds off the overall searches list following is sudden death in March 2019.

Celebrity scandals also continued to keep Ireland searching, with Rebekah Vardy making the top ten most searched for people in 2019 as a result of the “Wagatha Christie” incident in September. The Kardashians also continued to keep people guessing with ‘How to pronounce Psalm?’ trending in the wake of Kim and Kayne welcoming their third child. 

Overall Google searches

Rugby World Cup
Gay Byrne
Storm Lorenzo
Game of Thrones
Brendan Grace
Cameron Boyce
EU Election Results
Shane Lowry
Joker
Luke Perry  

How to... 

How to boil an egg
How to vote 
How to pronounce psalm
How to lose belly fat 
How to solve a Rubix cube 
How to make French toast
How to stop snoring 
How to draw
How to make iced coffee
How to get rid of spots 

What is?

What is the backstop
What is area 51
What is a dead ting
What is fracking 
What is Brexit
What is a boomer 
What is Tik Tok
What is lupus 
What is a life-sentence in Ireland 
What is pansexual

People

Shane Lowry
James Charles
Boris Johnson
Katie Taylor
Maria Bailey
Tommy Fury
Anthony Joshua
Liam Neeson
Caitlyn Jenner
Rebekah Vardy

Movies

Joker
The Irishman
Avengers Endgame
Once Upon a Time in Hollywood 
Captain Marvel
The Favourite
Greenbook 
Toy Story 4
Hustlers 
Midsommers

Recipes 

Vegan recipes 
Keto recipes
Smoothie recipes 
Stew recipes
Plant-based recipes 
Healthy dinner recipes
Happy Pear recipes 
Courgette recipes
Salmon recipes
Pasta bake recipes

Are you surprised by any of these results? Who are those folks googling "how to boil an egg?!" Let us know in the comments section below.