Thursday, 31 August 2023
Known as “The TikToker in Donegal”, Eric Roberts first moved to the county with his family at seven years old and hasn’t looked back. “I fell in love with the place. I’m very lucky to live in Donegal”.
Eric first came to the attention of the nation and the world during the COVID-19 pandemic with his hilarious and relatable content on TikTok. Eric tells us how he took advantage of the opportunity the pandemic presented “It wasn’t the social norm to be posting content. Lockdown took away the sense of embarrassment for people. You were constantly by yourself, so a lot of people started posting about their hobbies and life and turned it into careers. It was a funny time but an amazing opportunity for a lot of people.”
His career in content creation began when Eric started making videos to pass the time at home and it spiralled from there. “I had one viral video and then another and it was a snowball effect. I fell in love with creating content and the response I was getting from people. After a few months, I realised there was a lot of opportunities in this space, and it’s been a hectic couple of years to get to the point where I am now.”
Being from Donegal is a key aspect of the content Eric creates and shares with his followers across the world. “I’m a Donegal man and I’m proud to be from this county.
Supporting and promoting his home county is as much part of Eric Roberts as his love for sports and travelling “This is my county and I get behind it every chance I get. I love living up here and I love showcasing Donegal. I have people from all over the world following me and they love to see content about the lovely scenic areas around the county and I’m so proud of the tourism we offer, we have some of the nicest walks, bars and restaurants in the country. You won’t get a nicer pint of Guinness than in Glen Bar."
"I feel lucky to be able to share the parts of Donegal that mean so much to me.”
Having established a career previously as a Special Needs Assistant in Donegal, working with children with disabilities has always been an important part of his life and will continue this into his future “Autism is a huge part of my content and I have plans in the coming year to bring disabilities to the mainstream”.
The impact of TikTok and social media on Eric has been life altering “My life has changed so dramatically, I don’t have time to sit down and think about everything I’ve been able to do in two years, to process it all.”
Content creation has become a world-wide phenomenon and it’s brought with it a wide range of new and exciting career opportunities for people like Eric not afraid to take the risk. “There isn’t any longevity in content creation. No one knows what the next app is going to be. That’s why I’ve been trying to break into tv, radio, acting, comedy and I’m trying to spread my wings a bit more. I’m aware it might not last and its quite fleeting, so the plan is to grasp new opportunities for growth and exposure.”
The future of content creation and where it will bring him is big and bright for Eric with opportunities for travelling around the world promoting Donegal to a wider audience, most recently supporting the Irish team at the FIFA Women’s World Cup in Australia “I have huge projects coming out at the end of the year. I have projects that I have filmed that I’m so excited to share with everyone.”
Sharing his advice for others across Donegal hoping to follow in Erics footsteps and break into the world of content creation, Eric has the following to say “You have to stay relevant and versatile. Its not all about just posting a few videos for likes."
Do it for the right reasons, whatever it may be. If you’re passionate about it, there is going to be someone out there that wants to see it, that it will resonate with.”
Eric has always been and will continue to be an incredible ambassador for the unique and wonderful opportunities, lifestyle, experiences and culture found in every corner of Donegal which is why he will be supporting this year’s #LoveDonegal Day on September 14th!
Building connections across the globe celebrating the county and sharing what Donegal means to us all.
#LoveDonegal #DúnnanGallAbú
Get involved in #LoveDonegal 2023 & join Eric in celebrating what makes Donegal so special and unique to a global community
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