Irish TikTok, it’s like normal TikTok, but better. When we say “better” I mean, it will leave you with tears of laughter rolling down your face. The Irish are known for their sense of humor, their wittiness, and for never holding back. When you mix all those ingredients and upload it onto a global platform, you’re guaranteed to have a laugh and, that’s exactly what is happening by the millions.
I had the chance to catch up with the one and only, James Buckley (@TheJamesBuckley) you know, that guy who started the viral “Absolutely Spuds” trend. With over one million likes and, nearly 30-thousand followers James was kind enough to talk about his time spent on TikTok and what’s it all about. @TheJamesBuckley joined TikTok in December 2019 when he noticed it appearing everywhere. James thought TikTok’s idea of leaving a watermark on downloaded content from its platform was ingenious as people basically ended up promoting these videos across all other forms of social media. It was this that enticed James into downloading the app to check out what all the hype was about.
James found himself watching lots of TikTok videos and thought,” why am I not creating this content like this for myself!”. James released his first video following one of the trends that came upon his “for you page” which went viral and hit roughly 190k views, turning his following from under 100 followers to over 1,000 followers nearly overnight. During the Covid-19 lockdown period, James started to create 4-6 videos a day and, that’s when and, how he became one of Ireland’s favorite TikTok profiles.
I asked James;
With nearly 400 hilarious TikTok videos, how do you come up with so much new hilarious content?
James: I spend time researching relevant trending topics, news and sometimes I just find myself creating content on occurrence sometimes. An idea will just come to my head, I’ll just shoot it post it, and try not to overthink things.
What was it like starting out on Tik Tok while it was still new?
James: People’s perception of the app was that it was a kid’s app but like all platforms, the other generations join over time. It was fortunate for me that I started it during the lockdown, so I didn’t have to put up with my friends, haha. Having said that the majority of people have been incredibly supportive and are so happy that I am putting my personality out there.
Has Tik Tok changed your life in anyway, if so, how?
Yes, it has defiantly changed some things but like anything, there’s pros and cons to it all. I like to focus on the positive side of things; however, it has done wonders for my confidence, creativity, and my social network.
Have you made any friends through Tik Tok?
Yes, I have made a couple of really down-to-earth friends who think in a very similar way to me which is great. It’s amazing to be able to connect with people with the same interests as you. I was never really a fan of meeting “strangers” off the internet, but we’d all been supporting each other’s content for so long and even collaborating with each other on videos from home, we got to know each other very well. I’ve met up with them a couple of times since and look forward to the projects we will all be working on in the future, some exciting times for us lot ahead.
Here are some of the amazing people that I’ve been fortunate enough to meet and connect with:
- Travis Leon: Tiktok: @travisleon1 Insta: @travispriice
- Denis O’Sullivan: Tiktok: @denisosullivan0 Insta: @denisosullivan0
- Marty Guilfoyle: Tiktok: @martyguilfoyle Insta: @martyguilfoyle
- 3 Bucks Left: Insta: @3bucksleft Tiktok: @3bucksleft_2
- Gorden Forbes: Tiktok: @gforbes_1 Insta: @gforbes_1
- Grigoriy Geniyeiyvsky: TikTok: @griggen Insta: @grigmedia
- Dan Casey: @SuperDanCasey
What advice do you have for those just beginning on TikTok?
The number one thing I would say is not caring what other people think of you, which is one of the hardest things to overcome. Once you stop comparing yourself to others and just focus on being you, you’ll find your audience through trial and error. You will also find out what works and what doesn’t work by just posting videos, just keep posting!! Consistency is the most important thing on most social media platforms.
What part of Ireland are you from and, what is it like?
I’m from the countryside in County Mayo near Westport. It’s very peaceful and, the scenery is incredible. I’ve always been one for the outdoors and have enjoyed making travel content for the tourism board here and across Ireland, that’s something I’ll be working on again soon when this pandemic has come to an ease. I’m starting to think about maybe, possibly launching a YouTube channel.
What would your perfect staycation in Ireland be?
I recently came back from a staycation in Dingle with Travis, Denis, and Gorden Forbes in Kerry, and to be honest, that was pretty much it for me. It’s like the perfect little Irish holiday away from home with stunning views and the perfect bars and little colourful holiday home lining the streets. Very aesthetic!!! 😀
If you haven’t already, create those TikTok accounts! Don’t forget to follow us on TikTok @IrishDaily and on IG @Irish_Daily / @Cork_Daily
Do you have a question about TikTok or even better, Irish TikTok? Don’t be shy, head on over the @TheJamesBuckley via TikTok or IG and give him a chat, like, and of course, a follow.
I’d like to extend a very big thank you to @TheJamesBuckley and the rest of the lads for making #IrishTikTok an absolute gold mine of hilarious videos that has eased the burden which is 2020.