Right then, time to put the kettle on and settle down, because we have cracked open the data for Ireland's Google Year in Search 2025. This annual deep dive gives us a brilliant, often baffling, look at what exactly has been occupying the minds (and phone screens) of the Irish public.
As always, we are left with the great unanswered question: will next year, 2026, be the one where we swap the simple search bar for the chat window, and will AI finally steal the Google crown? Let's dive into the year that was and see what the Irish are "still" Googling for!
The Year That Was: Ireland’s Top Searches of 2025
👥 People
Ireland clearly had its focus set on home ground, with political and sporting figures dominating the trending names.
- Catherine Connolly
- Maria Steen
- Jim Gavin
- Belle Gibson
- DJ Carey
- Isak
- Garron Noone
- Andy Byron
- Conor Loftus
- Stephen Graham
🍳 Recipes
We had a good run with viral food this year, with a few classic Irish favourites holding their ground.
- Coffee recipes
- Dubai chocolate recipe
- Pornstar martini recipe
- Pancake recipe
- Gooseberry jam recipe
- Hugo Spritz recipe
- Pork Fillet recipes
- Pimms recipe
- Cupcakes recipe
- Plum chutney recipe
📺 TV Shows
The small screen had us glued, whether to true crime or exciting homegrown drama.
- Monster: The Ed Gein Story
- Adolescence
- House of Guinness
- Traitors Ireland
- Say Nothing
- Mobland
- Department Q
- Severance
- The Last of Us
- Squid Game
❓ Questions: How to
From civic duty to newborn care, the "How to" list shows the Irish public is nothing if not practical.
- How to bottle feed a breastfed baby
- How to spoil your vote Ireland
- How to pronounce Eowyn
- How to watch Europa league final in Ireland
- How to register to vote
- How to watch club world cup
- How to clear cache
- How to opt out of organ donation Ireland
- How to watch ballon d'or 2025
- How to make Dubai chocolate
🎬 Movies
It seems 2025 was the year of the highly anticipated sequel or the chilling classic remake.
- Nosferatu
- 28 years later
- Superman
- Happy Gilmore 2
- Minecraft Movie
- Sinners
- Anora
- Bridget Jones
- One Battle After Another
- Weapons
2025 Highlights
The Irish Presidential Election was the defining event of the year, with the search data painting a picture of a highly engaged—and at times frustrated—electorate. Catherine Connolly, Maria Steen, and Jim Gavin were the most searched figures, shaping a campaign that clearly captivated the nation. The intensity of the political discourse spilled over into the voting booth in a unique way, with "How to spoil your vote" trending right alongside registration queries—a digital echo of the complex mood among voters.
Away from the ballot box, cinema-goers flocked to the post-apocalyptic tension of 28 Years Later. The return to the "Rage virus" universe replaced nostalgia for comedies with a grit that resonated with Irish audiences. Meanwhile, Adolescence claimed the crown for best drama, and Traitors Ireland proved we still love a bit of betrayal. For lighter relief, the nation turned to the comedy of Garron Noone and collectively attempted to master the viral crunch of Dubai chocolate.
A Trip Down the Rabbit Hole: Comparing 2022, 2023, 2024, and 2025
The Local Turn
For the last few years, Ireland has swung wildly between global headlines and domestic drama. In 2022, the search was dominated by major global crises: Ukraine, "What is NATO?", and the solemn passing of Queen Elizabeth. In 2023, the focus shifted to celebrity scandals and major national news, with searches for Russell Brand, Phillip Schofield, and the immense interest around the Ryan Tubridy/RTÉ payment scandal. 2024 was heavily influenced by US politics and global sport (US Election, Euros 2024). Now, 2025 sees the comeback of the local "civic" issue. The trending figures and the top "How to" queries are dominated by Irish civic life and domestic concerns. We have moved from geopolitical angst and celebrity gossip to making sure we know how to properly register to vote. It’s a definite, and perhaps comforting, shift in focus.
🍿 The Culinary & Cocktail Constants
Food and drink trends are the most consistently viral categories, but some searches have serious staying power. The culinary journey has been quite the ride: 2023 brought us the immense popularity of "Airfryer recipes", "Viking Toast", and "Marry Me Chicken". This continued into 2024 with the ever-popular "Marry Me Chicken" dominating the kitchen. In 2025, we got global with the Instagram-perfect "Dubai chocolate". But here is the kicker: the "Pornstar Martini" and the "Hugo Spritz" were trending recipes in both 2024 and 2025, and the Martini was also top in 2023. We have to wonder if a certain portion of the Irish population spent the last three years desperately trying to perfect that one cocktail. Maybe 2026 will be the year they nail it!
❓ From "What is...?" to "How to..."
Our informational needs are getting more complex, and this is the crux of the AI discussion. 2022 was the year of basic definition: "What is Monkey Pox?" "What is an Oligarch?" We needed quick definitions for confusing global concepts. Crucially, 2023 was the breakthrough year for technology questions: "What is ChatGPT?" and "What is AI?" were both top searches, signifying the moment artificial intelligence entered the public consciousness. Now, 2025 is the year of procedure: "How to bottle feed a breastfed baby", "How to clear cache". This shift from "defining" new tech/crises to "procedural" "How to" queries signals that users are looking for more than just a quick fact, but actual guidance.
The Wrap: Will AI Steal Google's Crown in 2026?
So, back to the big question. With AI chat tools getting smarter every day, will we still be using Google Search in the same way next year?
Based on the 2025 data, we are not quite there yet. The vast majority of these searches are still highly practical and rooted in classic search behaviour: "Where can I watch this movie?" "What is the recipe for that viral thing?" While an AI can give you a perfect step-by-step guide for that Dubai chocolate, many of us still want a classic web link to a trusted food blogger.
However, the surge in detailed "How to" queries is where Google needs to watch its back. When a user asks "How to opt out of organ donation Ireland," they are asking for a summary of a complicated legal and personal process. This is exactly where AI excels at providing a quick, coherent answer that bypasses dozens of government links.
For now, Google Search remains Ireland's digital Swiss Army knife. But if the complexity of our queries continues to rise at this pace, by the time we look at the 2026 Year in Search, we might just be celebrating the rise of the machine and the dawn of the "Answer Engine." Get ready, because the way we find information is definitely on the move!
