KNOWN to many as ‘Teacher Tadhg’ on TikTok, a 29-year-old science teacher from Bandon has been giving young people a reason to smile, with his hilarious videos.
Tadgh O’Donovan, who teaches in Carrigaline Community School and is a former student of St Brogan’s College in Bandon, not only makes his own funny videos, but he also has a podcast with his girlfriend Chelsea, titled ‘T’s & C’s apply.’
With over 320,000 followers on TikTok and 149,00 on Instagram (both are @teachwithtadhg), chances are that any social media-savvy teenager knows Tadgh.
Such is the teacher’s popularity that brands have also reached out to him, including AIB, who got him on board to promote their Future Sparks programme.
‘I had been teaching in London for about five years, but came home in August during the first lockdown. While at home awaiting my teaching papers to teach here, I started posting science lessons on TikTok and it got very popular over a short period of time,’ said Tadhg, who started teaching in Carrigaline last November.
‘I wouldn’t have been into social media that much due to my profession, but I did find in London that a lot of my students spent their time scrolling on TikTok instead of being on Google Class. I had a moment then and decided if they won’t come online for class, I’d go on TikTok to remind them we are here.’
It wasn’t long before his students reached out because Tadgh was willing to go where they were.
‘When I started in Carrigaline I told my bosses about my videos and they were happy for me to continue doing them,’ he explained.
‘The funny videos, which I shoot in the classroom, really took off and it was all about letting my students have a bit of a laugh and a reason to smile during the lockdown.’
Tadhg said making the videos is straightforward enough and it’s about creating content for his community and it’s something he loves doing.
‘I really enjoy the teaching, too, though, so I won’t be leaving it anytime soon and because I teach resource too, I like the one-to-one lessons with students. It’s added a new facet to my job.’ When Tadhg has the time, he also goes live on Wednesdays for an hour, to teach a science class.
And if he wasn’t busy enough, Tadhg is about to start the second season of his joint podcast with his Offaly-based girlfriend, Chelsea, who is also a TikTok-er.
‘We wrapped up the first season in March and we really enjoy doing it.
‘The topics we talk about can range from relationships to true crime and it’s very enjoyable.
‘We plan to make a big push the second season now, which we will start very soon and use more videos in it.’
