A group of social media enthusiasts have launched a social media campaign on Facebook aimed at restoring national pride and positivity by enabling users to add a shamrock stamp to their Facebook profile pictures.
The initiative called ‘Shamrock Urself!’ allows Facebook users to add a Shamrock stamp to their profile pictures through a specially developed application that is available online.
“Ireland has been in the doldrums since the financial crisis broke and we have received plenty of negative attention both here and abroad,” Jon-Paul Bruce, one of the organisers, explained.
“Ireland is still a great place to live and by connecting people and harnessing pride in our culture and abilities we can leverage this positivity to lift our chins up. Shamrock Urself’s aim is to make it simple for Irish Facebook users to express their Irishness in the run up to St Patricks Day while encouraging the wider global community to show solidarity and affinity with Ireland.”
In addition to the Shamrock Urself application, the campaign is also encouraging people to post photos, stories and videos of themselves – from face painting shamrocks, lying on a bed of shamrocks to kissing giant shamrocks – on the Shamrock Urself Facebook page.
Unity of purpose
“We are hoping that as many people as possible will show unity of purpose by changing their profile but as a creative nation we are really looking forward to seeing what ideas the global Irish community can dream up centred around shamrocks. Participation can be as simple as liking on Facebook or producing spirit-rousing shamrock videos.”
Irish companies, including the media who have Facebook pages, are also encouraged to take part by liking the Shamrock Urself! campaign page and by encouraging their fans to Shamrock Urself through a status update.
