Ireland has five million people and, on any given week, a comedian from Mayo, a gaming YouTuber from Offaly, and a pair of dancing brothers from Galway competing for the same audience as creators from countries fifty times its size. Small country, outsized output: that is the story of Irish social media, and the 20 Irish influencers below tell it.
Comedy is the national genre, and it shapes this list more than any other country's. Half of these creators started with a sketch, a character, or a catchphrase, and several now sit in the UK charts too, which is why our roundup of UK influencers overlaps with this one at the top. The ranking runs on Instagram following; the county map below shows where the rest of the reach lives.
Best Irish Influencers to Follow in 2026
Ranked by Instagram following, these are the 20 top Irish influencers right now, each with a verified public profile and a distinct lane. The list runs from Ireland's biggest YouTuber and a TIME100 creator to sketch comedians, champion dancers, Love Island alumni, presenters, and the beauty and fitness founders behind some of the country's best-known brands.
1. Jacksepticeye
@jacksepticeyeSeán McLoughlin, known as Jacksepticeye, is Ireland's biggest YouTuber by a distance, with more than 30 million subscribers, a place on the Forbes Top Creators list, and a coffee brand, Top of the Mornin', built on his catchphrase. His charity streams have raised millions.
His audience is young, global, and enormous on YouTube, which suits gaming, tech, and consumer brands, and his channel is the reference case in our guide to YouTube influencer marketing.
2. Maura Higgins
@maurahigginsMaura Higgins left Ballymahon for Love Island in 2019 and became Ireland's most globally recognized social media personality, with presenting work on both sides of the Atlantic and a place on the TIME100 Creators list in 2026. Her feed is fashion, beauty, and unfiltered humor.
Her audience is young, female, and spread across Ireland, Britain, and the United States, which suits beauty, fashion, and lifestyle brands.
3. Paul Olima
@olima_omegaPaul Olima is a Dublin ex-footballer whose skits mixing fitness and comedy built one of the largest Irish audiences on Instagram, with a sideline as a body double for Mario Balotelli and Usain Bolt that says something about the physique behind the jokes.
His audience is young and international, which suits sports, fitness, and consumer brands that want humor with muscle.
4. Garron Noone
@garron_musicGarron Noone turned skits about Irish culture, food, and the small absurdities of daily life into one of the fastest-growing followings in the country, with a catchphrase, Follow me, I'm delicious, that became a national in-joke, and a podcast to match.
His audience spans Ireland and the diaspora, which suits food, drink, and everyday consumer brands with a sense of humor.
5. Gardiner Brothers
@gardinerbrothersMichael and Matthew Gardiner are five-time World Champion Irish dancers and former Riverdance principals whose dance videos, often set to unexpected music, went viral worldwide and made them the most-followed Irish dance act on social media.
Their audience is global and multigenerational, which suits tourism, heritage, and lifestyle brands that want a distinctly Irish signature.
6. Laura Whitmore
@thewhitmoreLaura Whitmore went from MTV to hosting Love Island and became one of Ireland's most internationally recognized presenters, with books, podcasts, and a feed that mixes television, fashion, and family life in London.
Her audience is mainstream across Ireland and Britain, which suits fashion, beauty, and lifestyle brands.
7. Vogue Williams
@voguewilliamsVogue Williams is a Dublin-born presenter whose podcast with Joanne McNally, My Therapist Ghosted Me, became one of the biggest in Ireland and Britain, alongside television work, a beauty range, and a feed built on family life in London.
Her audience is women in their thirties across Ireland and Britain, which suits beauty, family, and lifestyle brands.
8. Cian Twomey
@mrciantwomeyCian Twomey is the Cork sketch comedian behind the Emily character videos, playing both halves of a bickering couple to an audience of six million on Facebook alone, one of the largest of any Irish creator on any platform.
His audience is broad and Irish-heavy across Facebook and Instagram, which suits mainstream consumer brands.
9. Conor Moore
@conor_sketchesConor Moore, known as Conor Sketches, is a Mullingar impressionist whose golf and sport impressions travelled from Instagram to a regular slot on the Golf Channel in the United States, a rare crossover for an Irish creator.
His audience is sport fans on both sides of the Atlantic, which suits golf, sports, and drinks brands.
10. Greg O'Shea
@gregosheaGreg O'Shea won Love Island in 2019 while playing rugby sevens for Ireland, then built a creator career on fitness, wellbeing, and mental health with a feed that has kept its Limerick accent.
His audience is young and fitness-minded across Ireland and Britain, which suits activewear, sports, and wellbeing brands.
11. Dami Hope
@damihopeDami Hope was a Dublin microbiologist when Love Island 2022 made him a finalist and one of the show's most-liked contestants, and his feed has since grown into fashion, travel, and comedy with a loyal young following.
His audience is Gen Z across Ireland and Britain, which suits fashion, grooming, and lifestyle brands for a Irish influencers.
12. Roz Purcell
@rozannapurcellRoz Purcell competed at Miss Universe for Ireland in 2010, became one of the country's first big lifestyle creators, and turned her love of the outdoors into The Hike Life community and a run of bestselling cookbooks.
Her audience is women who hike, cook, and travel Ireland, which suits outdoor, food, and tourism brands.
13. Rob Lipsett
@roblipsettRob Lipsett built one of Ireland's biggest fitness followings on YouTube and Instagram, then founded Fuel Cakes, a protein-snack brand that turned his audience into customers. His feed is training, business, and Dublin life.
His audience is young men who lift, which suits supplement, activewear, and gym brands, and he sits among the leading fitness influencers in Ireland.
14. Joanne McNally
@joannemcnallyJoanne McNally is a Dublin stand-up whose sold-out tours and the podcast My Therapist Ghosted Me made her one of the most-followed comedians in Ireland, with a feed as sharp as the stage act.
Her audience is women in their thirties and forties, which suits beauty, wellness, and lifestyle brands with an edge.
15. Charleen Murphy
@charleenmurphyCharleen Murphy is one of Dublin's most-followed beauty and lifestyle creators, with tutorials, routines, and everyday content that built a devoted following and a place on the books of ICON Management.
Her audience is young Irish women, which suits beauty, fashion, and lifestyle brands.
16. The 2 Johnnies
@the2johnniesJohnny B and Johnny Smacks are The 2 Johnnies, the Tipperary comedy duo whose podcast topped the Irish charts and led to radio and RTÉ television shows, with a feed built on GAA, small-town Ireland, and characters everyone recognizes.
Their audience is rural and mainstream Irish, which suits drinks, sport, and everyday consumer brands.
17. Keilidh Cashell
@keilidhmuaKeilidh Cashell is Ireland's most-followed makeup artist and the founder of KASH Beauty, a brand that grew from her tutorials into a full cosmetics line stocked across Ireland and Britain.
Her audience is beauty buyers who trust her products, which suits makeup and skincare brands, and puts her among the beauty brands looking for influencers in her own right.
18. Annalivia Hynds
@annaliviahyndsAnnalivia Hynds is an Armagh mother of three whose family and lifestyle content built one of the biggest followings in the north of Ireland, and whose collaboration with BPerfect Cosmetics became that brand's fastest-selling collection.
Her audience is young mothers across Ireland, which suits family, beauty, and home brands.
19. Pippa O'Connor Ormond
@pipsy_piePippa O'Connor Ormond was one of Ireland's best-known models before she became one of its best-known entrepreneurs, building POCO by Pippa from a pair of jeans into a fashion and beauty label with its own stores.
Her audience is Irish women who shop her brand, which suits fashion, beauty, and home brands.
20. Carl Mullan
@carlmullanCarl Mullan is an RTÉ 2FM presenter whose viral comedy sketches and a Dancing with the Stars win made him one of the most-liked broadcasters in Ireland, with a feed of family life and skits.
His audience is mainstream and Irish, which suits family, home, and everyday consumer brands.
Top Irish Influencers at a Glance
Here is the full ranking of the top Irish influencers side by side, sorted by follower count, with each creator's handle, reach, and signature credit. Every profile was confirmed individually, and counts reflect September 2026 figures shown the way Instagram displays them.
| # | Creator | Followers | Known For | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jacksepticeye | @jacksepticeye | 8.0M | Ireland's biggest YouTuber, Forbes Top Creators list, founder of Top of the Mornin' coffee |
| 2 | Maura Higgins | @maurahiggins | 4.3M | Love Island finalist turned presenter, named to the TIME100 Creators list in 2026 |
| 3 | Paul Olima | @olima_omega | 3.7M | Ex-footballer whose fitness-and-comedy skits reach millions |
| 4 | Garron Noone | @garron_music | 3.0M | Mayo comedian whose skits on Irish culture and food went global |
| 5 | Gardiner Brothers | @gardinerbrothers | 2.2M | Five-time World Champion Irish dancers gone viral worldwide |
| 6 | Laura Whitmore | @thewhitmore | 1.4M | Bray-born presenter and author who hosted Love Island |
| 7 | Vogue Williams | @voguewilliams | 1.2M | Presenter and co-host of the podcast My Therapist Ghosted Me |
| 8 | Cian Twomey | @mrciantwomey | 973K | Cork sketch comedian with one of Ireland's biggest Facebook audiences |
| 9 | Conor Moore | @conor_sketches | 812K | Mullingar impressionist whose golf impressions made him a Golf Channel regular |
| 10 | Greg O'Shea | @gregoshea | 776K | Ireland rugby sevens international and Love Island winner |
| 11 | Dami Hope | @damihope | 708K | Microbiologist turned Love Island finalist and creator |
| 12 | Roz Purcell | @rozannapurcell | 690K | Former Miss Universe Ireland, founder of The Hike Life, author and broadcaster |
| 13 | Rob Lipsett | @roblipsett | 665K | Fitness creator and founder of Fuel Cakes |
| 14 | Joanne McNally | @joannemcnally | 652K | Stand-up comedian and co-host of My Therapist Ghosted Me |
| 15 | Charleen Murphy | @charleenmurphy | 615K | Dublin beauty and lifestyle creator |
| 16 | The 2 Johnnies | @the2johnnies | 599K | Tipperary comedy duo behind a chart-topping podcast and RTÉ shows |
| 17 | Keilidh Cashell | @keilidhmua | 502K | Ireland's most-followed makeup artist and founder of KASH Beauty |
| 18 | Annalivia Hynds | @annaliviahynds | 442K | Armagh mother of three whose BPerfect collection became the brand's fastest seller |
| 19 | Pippa O'Connor Ormond | @pipsy_pie | 442K | Model turned entrepreneur behind POCO by Pippa |
| 20 | Carl Mullan | @carlmullan | 433K | RTÉ 2FM presenter and Dancing with the Stars winner known for viral comedy |
Ireland's Creator Map: Where the Top 20 Come From
Dublin supplies a third of the list and the rest of the country supplies the character. Garron Noone's Mayo, the Gardiner Brothers' Galway, Cian Twomey's Cork, and The 2 Johnnies' Tipperary are not incidental: rural and small-town Ireland is where the accents, characters, and in-jokes that travel best come from.
The map also explains reach that Instagram does not show. Cian Twomey has six million followers on Facebook, Jacksepticeye has 31 million subscribers on YouTube, and the Gardiner Brothers are bigger on TikTok, so county and platform together tell you what an Irish creator actually delivers. Our guide on how to find local influencers covers casting by place.
Working With Irish Creators: ASAI Rules, Euro Rates, and the Diaspora Bonus
Ireland regulates disclosure through the Advertising Standards Authority for Ireland, whose influencer guidance requires paid content, gifted products, and affiliate links to be labeled clearly, with the consumer regulator behind it. Rates are quoted in euro, the biggest names here command five figures per post through management, and mid-size creators between 300K and 800K typically land in the low thousands.
The diaspora is the bonus. Irish creators routinely carry audiences in Britain, the United States, and Australia that are larger than their home following, so an Irish booking often reaches three markets. Our Ainfluencer review shows how a marketplace handles the rest, from filtering by country and niche to holding payment in escrow until the content is approved.
Conclusion
From Jacksepticeye at number one to Carl Mullan at number 20, these are the top Irish influencers of 2026, ranked by live follower counts and confirmed one profile at a time. The list spans a gaming giant, a TIME100 creator, comedians and impressionists, champion dancers, Love Island alumni, and the beauty and fitness founders who turned Irish audiences into customers.
Irish creators travel further than their home market. If you are following that reach into the United States, our roundup of the top American influencers is the natural next stop. Pick the county and the platform that match your audience, hit follow, and study how a country of five million keeps producing creators the whole world watches.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is the most-followed Irish influencer on Instagram?
Jacksepticeye leads with 8 million Instagram followers on top of more than 30 million YouTube subscribers, followed by Maura Higgins (4.3M), Paul Olima (3.7M), and Garron Noone (3.0M). Irish actors and athletes have larger accounts, but we focused on creators whose audiences were built on social media or reality television.
How were these Irish influencers selected and ranked?
We shortlisted creators from the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland whose audiences were built on social media, cross-checked against Ireland's own creator index and press, left out actors, musicians, and athletes famous for other reasons, then ranked by live Instagram follower count in September 2026. Only real, public, embeddable profiles were included.
Why are so many Irish influencers comedians?
Because comedy is the national genre online. Half the creators on this list started with a sketch, a character, or a catchphrase, from Cian Twomey's Emily videos to Garron Noone's Follow me, I'm delicious, and Irish humor travels unusually well to Britain, the United States, and Australia, which is where much of their reach sits.
What are the disclosure rules for influencer posts in Ireland?
The Advertising Standards Authority for Ireland requires paid partnerships, gifted products, and affiliate content to be clearly labeled as advertising, and the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission can act on hidden advertising. Brands and creators are both responsible, so the label goes on every commercial post.
How much do Irish influencers charge?
Rates are quoted in euro. The names above a million followers command five figures per post through management, mid-size creators between 300K and 800K typically land in the low thousands, and micro creators under 100K often work for a few hundred euro or gifted product. Diaspora reach in Britain and the United States can raise the price.
How can a brand find Irish influencers on a smaller budget?
Cast by county. Ireland has strong micro creators in every county, from farming and food in Kerry and Cork to fashion and family in Louth and Armagh, and their audiences are local and highly engaged. A free marketplace like Ainfluencer lets you filter creators by country, niche, follower range, and engagement, then hold payment in escrow until the content is approved.
