Ireland is a nation that loves Euro-trash pop, a life on the ocean wave, and galaxies far, far away, according to the latest search results from search-engine company Google.
Ireland's glory days in the Eurovision may be a thing of the past, but the love affair lingers on, with both "Eurovision 2009" and "eurovision" among the most searched for terms in Google search last month, an increase of over 1,000 per cent on April for both terms.
Sporting matters also featured large, with the Volvo Ocean race (up 350 per cent), currently enjoying a stopover in Galway, and the European golf tour (up 200 per cent) prominent among requests.
The Volvo Ocean race festival lured more than 110,000 people to Galway on Saturday, while the surge in golf searches can be attributed to users following the stunning success of 22-year-old Offaly amateur Shane Lowry who won the Irish Open following a play-off and has since turned professional.
Trekkies also boldly went where others have gone before, as searches for "Star Trek" rose 140 per cent amid the release of JJ Abrams movie of the same name, which has drawn rave reviews.
It's June, there's - at long last - sun outside and the faint whiff exam stress so it's no surprise searches for "examinations" have risen 70 per cent over the past month, and students are also turning to "examinations.ie" (up 100 per cent) as they look for timetables and other terms and conditions.
The Irish obsession with the weather continues online (up 70 per cent), as does the belief in living lottery ever after, with euromillions queries up 50 per cent and Britain's Got Talentup 80 per cent.
