If there’s one social media stream we love to lose hours to, it’s Instagram. Like a mini-blog, Instagram reveals realtime snippets of life from our favourite online personalities. Are their photos an accurate depiction of their day-to-day? Maybe and maybe not. Life tends to be a bit messier than a picture-perfect Instagram feed, but we still enjoy the illusion – it gives us something to aspire to!

Here are some Irish Instagram personalities who not only give us intense country living envy with their beautiful photos, they have managed to use the social network as a way of building businesses, making profound connections and sharing their lives and cultures with the world.

Katie Gleeson, Tipperary

Follow: @katieinthecountry

A stay-at-home mam of three, Katie turned to Instagram as part of her photography hobby and quickly garnered attention for her unique captures of life on her family’s dairy farm. In two short years, Gleeson has gone from amateur Instagrammer to an award-winning local photographer who often works with unique Irish brands. We love her vibrantly lush images of the Tipperary countryside.

“On Instagram, I found a community of like-minded people who inspired and encouraged my aspirations as an amateur photographer. It gave me the opportunity to connect and collaborate with small shops and brands that I, being rurally-based, would not otherwise have had.”

Gleeson also enjoys the aspect of being part of a larger online community – something all parents can relate to.

“Sometimes you can feel in a bit of a bubble as a mother to young children in the countryside – the Instagram community helps me keep in touch with the wider world. I love taking photographs of our beautiful farm – it has an ever-changing perspective. It’s nice to share and see the enjoyment others get from my photos!”

Jane Shackleton, Cavan

Follow: @janeshack

The Irish Farmers Journal’s own Jane Shackleton shares photos from her organic farm in Co Cavan. A woman who wears many hats – from her work with Bord Bia to her Airbnb rental and, obviously, the many farm animals she cares for – we aren’t sure how Shackleton finds the time to create such an interesting, diverse Instagram feed; we’re just glad she does.

“I love the simplicity of Instagram and the fact it’s image based – it’s probably my favourite social media platform as it’s a generally pretty positive place if, perhaps, a little filtered!”

She also praises the social network for giving individuals a solid connection to those growing and rearing top-quality food in Ireland.

“As well as farming full time, I offer holiday rentals on the farm. Instagram helps to build an attractive image of our farm while connecting with guests. There is a shift towards consumers wanting to know where their food comes from and I have seen a growth in guests staying because of the fact we have an organic farm; they can collect eggs in the morning, pick their own vegetables from the garden or buy lamb reared on the farm.”

With so many other farmers using Instagram as a networking and information-sharing tool, Shackleton admits she also likes to see what other farms are doing.

“It’s useful for connecting with other farmers around the world and seeing how they are doing things – farm envy I call it!”

Catherine Drea, Waterford

Follow: @foxglovelane

A native of the Waterford countryside, award-winning photographer Catherine Drea has made a name for herself as one of the region’s top creative minds.

Her website, social media feeds and weekly column in the Waterford News and Star are chock-full of insightful thoughts and images. They not only make you appreciate country life; they can make you ponder the greater meaning behind it. Her Instagram feed is, unsurprisingly, saturated with stunning imagery from her coastal home.

“I try to share photos of the ordinary (yet extraordinary) world right outside my back door. I find using Instagram gives my followers a moment of quiet pause in their day. Just yesterday I posted a picture of a young robin and someone commented that it made them feel homesick for Ireland. Instagram can allow space for that kind of emotion and intimacy. It goes way beyond just shopping and selfies!”

Séan Mac an tSíthigh

Follow: @buailtin

This Kerryman has an Instagram feed full of broody landscapes and natural wonder. A video journalist for RTÉ, Mac an tSíthigh has an eye for capturing the raw beauty of rural Ireland. He says that Instagram makes it easy for him to share his culture, the Irish language and art with his followers around the world.

“I’m fortunate to live in a beautiful place with rich linguistic heritage. I enjoy Instagram as it gives us the opportunity to merge landscape, language, folklore and identity, and share with others. It’s a visual, multi-layered celebration of place. The platform also allows me to connect and engage with people with a similar love of landscape elsewhere in the world.”

Ailis Mangan, Mayo

Follow: @ailismangan

Mom-of-one Ailis Mangan Instagrams from her picturesque farm in Co Mayo. Featuring snaps of her family’s daily life, Mangan loves to share photos of their animals – particularly of late, their four beautiful Highland cattle. Mangan loves the feeling of interconnectedness that comes along with sharing her photos on Instagram.

“It’s a fabulous platform for someone like me who has a love of photography. I can scroll through amazing photos from all over the world so easily and I also get to share my photos of the beautiful place that we get to live in and of the animals we care for.”

She maintains that Instagram is a great social network for farmers and farming families – whether for sharing techniques and best practices or simply showing off family life.

“A plus side to (Instagram) is that I also get to connect with people who share my own interests and are at a similar stage in their lives. I have connected with many farming mothers at home and abroad and it is great to be able to compare things and share tips with each other. It is nice that while I live in rural Ireland, I don’t have to feel so isolated being at home with my first child.”

While Mangan’s feed gives us major farm envy, she admits that Instagram is also a source of inspiration in other areas of her life.

“We’re in the middle of building a new home, so Instagram also allows me to indulge in my love of interiors and see where I might pick up my next bargain!”