An overview of some of the best Irish blogs you should follow.
Head Rambles
Blogging is essentially a platform of social media created, maintained and dominated by today’s youth. Young people have grown up in the social media age, so the skills almost come naturally to those that have not begun to sprout silver hairs just yet. There is always an exception to the rule however, in this case Head Rambles; a humorous, opinionated blog written by an elderly man. The tagline, ‘The rambling thoughts of an Irish Grandad’, instantly paints a portrait in a reader’s mind of a grumpy man in his golden years giving out about current affairs. That is exactly what this is so no disappointment there. With no images besides a cartoon elderly man in the top corner, the blog is text heavy but well worth the read. Swearing accompanies well written posts that gives a voice to an often unheard older generation.
From 19st to 10k
The title alone would intrigue the most desensitised internet user and the tagline explains it all- ‘Blogging my journey from over 19 stone to becoming a runner’. This blogger lures readers in with a simple concept and a personal triumph. His long, tough journey is plastered across a website for the world to see. Many people don’t tell their friends and family if they are trying to lose weight or reach a personal goal as to avoid pressure and the high possibility of having to explain your inevitable failure. However this man shares his goal with anyone who wishes to listen and charts his success to motivate others and prove it can be done. Multimedia is incorporated into each post with pictures of the blogger doing a marathon or YouTube clips of current songs on his playlist for when he trains. Funny memes are also included, and who doesn’t like memes?
Journeying Beyond Breast Cancer
With the recent hype surrounding ‘no make up selfies’ in aid of breast cancer, this particular blog is certainly timely and current when it comes to content. The author has a personal connection to her subject following the death of her mother, who suffered from the disease. As a result, this informative blog is full of debate and opinionated posts regarding any matter to do with breast cancer. Awareness and knowledge are key to this blog’s effectiveness. The personal story which fuels the online journal creates a sense of understanding and passion which readers can relate to. The tagline sums up the blogger’s aim for her writing; ‘Making sense of the breast cancer experience together’. An equal combination of imagery and text creates an approachable theme to this site-http://journeyingbeyondbreastcancer.com/
Diary of a Stutterer
When it comes to interesting blogs you won’t find much more imaginative than this. The author of this blog suffers from a bad stutter when speaking, if you hadn’t already gathered, and uses his blog to talk about therapies and living with a stutter. One of the most popular posts on Diary of a Stutterer is an interview the blogger carried out with a man who appeared on Channel 4’s ‘The Undateables’. Therapies available today and the differences between living with a speech impediment now in comparison to when the author was growing up is also often discussed. Video and images are a large part of this interesting blog adding various visual elements and putting the author’s stutter on display. This blog may be more suited to those who prefer to mostly read and watch a little as the posts are text heavy. A subject which is personal to the blogger and a huge insecurity is put on a healthy platform so that others can relate in a positive way. Not bad at all.
http://diaryofastutterer.weebly.com/
Forkful
Food blogs are as common these days as teenage selfies, so to create a unique and modern one is definitely not an easy task. Lists of ingredients and a picture thrown in of the finished product are usually the essence of your regular food blog but fortunately Forkful has taken writing recipes to the video age. This futuristic and very visual blog is like watching a cooking tutorial with slow paced, step-by-step videos showing you exactly how to create the recipe at hand. A large screen player adds the visuals to an otherwise minimalist theme creating a focal point for the reader and limiting distractions for the amateur chefs watching. Words appear throughout the video to give basic direction or to name an ingredient. Forkful is a modern alternative to a cooking show and minus the often irritating host. Tagline; ‘Simple recipes deliciously shot.’
Shannon O Sullivan
Image credit: Creative Commons
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