If you're not Irish you will not have had this dubious pleasure.
They paint themselves as the voice of the majority in Ireland. I greet this with a raised eyebrow; their commitment to the truth has not seemed unbreakable of late. They launched a factually inaccurate advertising campaign in which they violated the terms of use in pictures used for their billboard images. They claimed to have seen a surge in support on Facebook, neglecting to mention that 80% of their fans are based in the United States. Most pro-lifers I know regard them as something of an embarrassment.
With this in mind I thought I'd examine the followers of their Twitter account. There are two useful bits of information when tracking Twitter users: time zone and location. Location is ideal, though sometimes must be taken with a pinch of salt. "Hogsmeade & Mordor" counts among its citizens a fan of Youth Defence, as does the Neutral Zone, which I take to be a Star Trek reference.
The time zone is a good secondary source and between them I was able to pin down countries for all but 13% of Youth Defence's Twitter followers. Those in the USA and Canada form 59% of their followers, those resident in Ireland comprise 14% and unknowns make up 13%.
Why are they more popular far from these shores? Is it reasonable to surmise that there are precious few against abortion in Ireland and that they must expand their scope to the new world to find a welcoming ear?
Hardly.
More likely, the only way to like Youth Defence is to live many thousand miles away, and know very little about them.
Source data below, usernames partially obscured for privacy, and later reversed for added obfuscation. If you're trying to verify my work and this is causing you problems sel. You might also enjoy a quick followup piece I did.
| username | Timezone | Location | Country |
| **l*ws**l*g*rf | Central Time (US & Canada) | 405 | USA / Canada |
| y*Jr**f**s**C | Eastern Time (US & Canada) | Eastern CT | USA / Canada |
| *tl**rtn*C | Eastern Time (US & Canada) | Washington Hts, New York, NY | USA / Canada |
| j*rPr*tSgn*d**G | #newfeminism | Unknown | |
| *g*c*hcll*cn*m | 3332 fenton ave bronx ny | USA / Canada | |
| *t*dn*MSHH | A Call to Protect Freedom | Unknown | |
| r**ntr*pn*r | A place called Cork. | Ireland | |
| *d**dn*D | Abuja, F.C.T, Nigeria | Nigeria | |
| n*v*D*rB | Central Time (US & Canada) | Acworth, GA | USA / Canada |
| *l*n*mm*f**n*g | Rome | Agrigento | Italy |
| *r*tn*vdl*hc | Alaska | Alaska | USA / Canada |
| B*n**tr*b*dn*fD | Pacific Time (US & Canada) | Alberta, Canada | USA / Canada |
| 6601n*ll* | Mountain Time (US & Canada) | Albuquerque | USA / Canada |
| 1d*Rm*d**rF | All over the damn place! | Unknown | |
| y*ntr**cpj | Pacific Time (US & Canada) | Alliance Nebraska | USA / Canada |
| ss*c*rP_**D | Quito | America the Beautiful | USA / Canada |
| s*Bs**l*V | Eastern Time (US & Canada) | America the beautiful! | USA / Canada |
| r**t**rC | Dublin | An Bothar Croit | Ireland |
| n*m*Wr*br* | Eastern Time (US & Canada) | Ann Arbor, MI | USA / Canada |
| xGynn*Bx | Eastern Time (US & Canada) | Annandale, VA | USA / Canada |
| l**fdl***r*r | Anti-clerical Ireland | Ireland | |
| ct*sn*cs*cn*rF | Eastern Time (US & Canada) | Aplena MI | USA / Canada |
| s**r*tSn**ll*B1 | Mountain Time (US & Canada) | Archdiocese of Denver | USA / Canada |
| **d*Mm**Rr*pp* | Mountain Time (US & Canada) | Archdiocese of Denver | USA / Canada |
| m*Mc*l*ht*Cl**R | Pacific Time (US & Canada) | Archdiocese of Mobile, Alabama | USA / Canada |
| *r**ml*P*c*C | Santiago | Argentina | Chile |
| *f*L4N*M* | Arizona | Arizona | USA / Canada |
| *f*l4sy*d04ht*b | Arizona | Arizona | USA / Canada |
| dr*fmym* | Central Time (US & Canada) | Arlington, TX | USA / Canada |
| *f*L_4_n*s*J | Arlington, VA | USA / Canada | |
| **hcr*m*b | Eastern Time (US & Canada) | Arlington, VA | USA / Canada |
| yd*rBl*n*dr*C | Dublin | Armagh, of the mind | Ireland |
| tr*g*Sg**rd*P | Áth Cliath Dublin | Ireland | |
| *s*pr*ps*h*f*l | Eastern Time (US & Canada) | ATL | USA / Canada |
| *f*L*rP*sl*P | Atlanta, USA | USA / Canada | |
| F*nn*v*S77 | Central Time (US & Canada) | Austin | USA / Canada |
| sw*Nc**r*H | Austin, TX | USA / Canada | |
| l4sxt | Central Time (US & Canada) | Austin, Tx | USA / Canada |
| C*P*_RDP* | Sydney | Australia | Australia |
| **_m*c_yf*ts*t | Sydney | Australia | Australia |
| *f*L*rP**ss** | New Caledonia | Australia | Australia |
| **l*rts**_LWC | Hawaii | Australia | USA / Canada |
| 98*n*ht*M* | Ballyduff Upper, Co. Waterford | Ireland | |
| 82nywG | Quito | Baltimore, Maryland | USA / Canada |
| *n**m*dr**GVC | Balzan, Malta | Malta | |
| **y**m | Chennai | Bangalore | India |
| ncBV*D | Barcelona - España | Spain | |
| **d*ts*CrF | Barcelona-Spain | Spain | |
| 727_*t**rdn* | Bogota | Barranquilla | Colombia |
| *c*rG*c*rbm**ht | based in Southlake, TX | USA / Canada | |
| *f*L4**r*m*r**L | Bay Area, CA | USA / Canada | |
| c*l*ht*c**r*y*b | Pacific Time (US & Canada) | Bay Area, Ca. | USA / Canada |
| **nr*nn***ll* | Eastern Time (US & Canada) | Beantown, US | USA / Canada |
| **V*Lr**Ps*n**J | Brussels | Belgique | Belgium |
| l**pt*gr*f | Brussels | Belgium | Belgium |
| nn**C*n*r*N | Dublin | belturbet | Ireland |
| dr*w*hl*c*m | Rome | Bergamo/Brescia/Milano | Italy |
| 1*S*w*Ns*r**H | Atlantic Time (Canada) | Between San Francisco and NYC | USA / Canada |
| n*kc*ry*dn*p | Kolkata | bhilai,36garh,patna,bihar | India |
| 01f*m*mc*l*ht*c | London | Birmingham | UK |
| n*r*m*CJy*nd*R | Central Time (US & Canada) | Birmingham, AL | USA / Canada |
| wsl**Cy*W | Central Time (US & Canada) | Birmingham, AL | USA / Canada |
| gn*rtsmr**tt*P | Central Time (US & Canada) | Bismarck, North Dakota | USA / Canada |
| zr*K_tr*b*R | Mountain Time (US & Canada) | Boise, Idaho | USA / Canada |
| 33**V*l**** | bordeaux | France | |
| x*l*f**v*L*hT4 | Eastern Time (US & Canada) | Boston, MA | USA / Canada |
| *f*l*rp*B | Boston, MA | USA / Canada | |
| x*r*k*Z | Central Time (US & Canada) | Boston, MA | USA / Canada |
| n*m*wtr*pp*s* | Boston, MA | USA / Canada | |
| 3y*c*tsn*g*m | Eastern Time (US & Canada) | Boston, MA | USA / Canada |
| z*r**s*l* | Brasilia | Brazil | Brazil |
| 31*rTht*Wgn*v*L | Atlantic Time (Canada) | Brentwood, NY | USA / Canada |
| p*Tn*ht**F | Brisbane Queensland Australia | Australia | |
| ll*Hl*ng*S*hT | Pacific Time (US & Canada) | British Columbia | USA / Canada |
| *W*f*L*rP | Central Time (US & Canada) | Brookfield, Wisconsin | USA / Canada |
| **v*lr**pn*G | Greenland | Bruxelles, Belgium | Belgium |
| 9*r*fhtr** | Central Time (US & Canada) | Bryant, AR | USA / Canada |
| *t*v_*rp | Sofia | Bucharest, Romania, EU | Bucharest |
| *r**rr*ff*ln | Buenos Aires | Buenos Aires, Argentina | Argentina |
| 2691m*rJ | Atlantic Time (Canada) | Burlington, Ontario | USA / Canada |
| 6429Cf*K | Pacific Time (US & Canada) | Burnaby, BC | USA / Canada |
| 0221*n* | Buenos Aires | C. A. de Buenos Aires | Argentina |
| zr*ts*P*f*L | Eastern Time (US & Canada) | CA | USA / Canada |
| *f*l*rP_z*L | Pacific Time (US & Canada) | CA | USA / Canada |
| R*NN*RLL**G | CA | USA / Canada | |
| tVP* | Madrid | Cádiz, España | Spain |
| tb*ws*b*b | Madrid | Cádiz, España | Spain |
| l*tc*x | Calgary, AB, Canada | USA / Canada | |
| RBCn**d*n*C | Calgary, Alberta | USA / Canada | |
| *ltn*mr*hr*dn* | Mountain Time (US & Canada) | Calgary, Canada | USA / Canada |
| tr**Hs*r*hps*hP | Cali | USA / Canada | |
| y*ll**wn**l*gn* | Pacific Time (US & Canada) | California | USA / Canada |
| t*bt*b_l*l | Pacific Time (US & Canada) | california | USA / Canada |
| td*mhcSd*v*D | Pacific Time (US & Canada) | California | USA / Canada |
| *s*R*c*rG*l*L | Pacific Time (US & Canada) | California | USA / Canada |
| r*v*f*lyc*l | Pacific Time (US & Canada) | California | USA / Canada |
| sml*Fn**tc**v*L | Pacific Time (US & Canada) | California | USA / Canada |
| 1111wsj | CALIFORNIA | USA / Canada | |
| t*nlh*S | Pacific Time (US & Canada) | California | USA / Canada |
| Mlr*G**d** | California, USA | USA / Canada | |
| *d*g*z*dhl*b* | Madrid | Calvarrasa de Abajo Salamanca | Spain |
| 321l*v**Wll*B | Cambridge | UK | |
| yksn*l*pc*c | Cambridge | UK | |
| NLCN | Quito | Canada | USA / Canada |
| *f*Lng**pm*C | Quito | Canada | USA / Canada |
| ts*TR**h2TR*2*G | Alaska | Canada | USA / Canada |
| *ksr*l*Pyht*r*D | Central Time (US & Canada) | Canada | USA / Canada |
| r*sn*C**Fp*tS | Pacific Time (US & Canada) | Canada | USA / Canada |
| ntMn*sl*W*htr*B | Canada | USA / Canada | |
| 2*ll*B*cl*D | Canada | USA / Canada | |
| sw*n*lp | Pacific Time (US & Canada) | Canada | USA / Canada |
| *t*S*f*L | Eastern Time (US & Canada) | Canada | USA / Canada |
| nh*jbds | Hong Kong | Canlubang, Laguna, Philippines | Philippines |
| 4891_CPCC | Canon City CO | USA / Canada | |
| *S*f*l*rP | Pretoria | Cape Town | South Africa |
| n*V*d*V*J | Caracas - Venezuela | Venezuela | |
| **c*Rht*v* | Caracas, Venezuela | Venezuela | |
| s*l*W*f*L*rP | Cardiff, Wales. | UK | |
| 89*r**mb | Quito | Carmel, IN | USA / Canada |
| stn**Sgn*s**R | Catholic Church | Unknown | |
| l*v*Br*ht*F | Eastern Time (US & Canada) | Catholic Distance University | USA / Canada |
| m**Qv*D | Catholic Ireland | Ireland | |
| f*r**j | Cebu City, Philippines | Philippines | |
| n*sr*dn*hn*dr*j | Eastern Time (US & Canada) | Centerville, OH | USA / Canada |
| tt*mm*hlc | Eastern Time (US & Canada) | Central Florida | USA / Canada |
| 46VWPJ | Charleston West Virginia | USA / Canada | |
| *f*l*rpss*m | Central Time (US & Canada) | Charlestown, MA | USA / Canada |
| TLCsy*D04 | Charlotte, NC | USA / Canada | |
| n*m*Wr*fsn**tp* | Cherry HIll, NJ | USA / Canada | |
| x_*gd**hTn*m*M_ | Monrovia | cheshire,uk | UK |
| pc*mn**j | Central Time (US & Canada) | Chicago | USA / Canada |
| 7g*rd*r* | Central Time (US & Canada) | Chicago | USA / Canada |
| sdl**fr*n*f | Eastern Time (US & Canada) | Chicago area | USA / Canada |
| *t*Vc*l*ht*C | Central Time (US & Canada) | Chicago, IL | USA / Canada |
| n**tc**f*L*rP | Central Time (US & Canada) | Chicago, IL | USA / Canada |
| stcdrpyps | chichago | USA / Canada | |
| lcr*v*v**hc*r*d | Santiago | Chile | Chile |
| lcr***tz*h | Santiago | Chile | Chile |
| n*n*r*m*t*n | Quito | Chile | Ecuador |
| 999b*s | Cill Dara | Ireland | |
| gr*sl**s2tr**h1 | Quito | Cincinnati, Ohio | USA / Canada |
| n*g*rr*by*s | Mexico City | Ciudad de México | Mexico |
| LFSn**r*lC | Clarion University of Pa | USA / Canada | |
| yr**l*yss*m | cleariestown wexford | Ireland | |
| r*s**Gt**ll* | Eastern Time (US & Canada) | Cleveland, OH, USA | USA / Canada |
| 24*rv*Fyll*hS | Quito | Cleveland, Ohio | USA / Canada |
| r*ht*mr**r*p*s | Cloistered in Dublin | Ireland | |
| p*dr**g*ht | Amsterdam | Co. Kerry, Ireland | Ireland |
| yn*htn*tt*ntr*h | Dublin | Co. Wicklow, Ireland | Ireland |
| yrr*Bzm* | Co.Galway Ireland | Ireland | |
| n*snh*Jybb* | Central Time (US & Canada) | College Station, TX | USA / Canada |
| *n*rr*syt*n | Bogota | Colombia | Colombia |
| *d*v*rP**bm*l*C | Bogota | Colombia | Colombia |
| *mn**d*v | Central Time (US & Canada) | Colombia | USA / Canada |
| lr*G*kS**B | Colorado | USA / Canada | |
| *f*wsy*g*f*l*rP | Colorado | USA / Canada | |
| 1*s*Ryn*bl* | Colorado | USA / Canada | |
| S*HT*LCD*RR*CS | Colorado | USA / Canada | |
| CCPCR | Arizona | Colorado | USA / Canada |
| ht**y*ht4ht*rt | Colorado Springs, CO | USA / Canada | |
| 7r*ll*M*n*r**L | Mountain Time (US & Canada) | Colorado, USA | USA / Canada |
| n*tsr*yr | Eastern Time (US & Canada) | Columbus, OH | USA / Canada |
| *f*l**h* | Quito | Columbus, Ohio | USA / Canada |
| LTRCG | Columbus, Ohio | USA / Canada | |
| **q*rb**n*l*t*C | Santiago | Concepción, Chile | Chile |
| n**D*n*dr*J | Connecticut | USA / Canada | |
| *f*l*rp*f*ly | Eastern Time (US & Canada) | Connecticut | USA / Canada |
| *T*ST* | Corby, Northants, England UK | UK | |
| ts*gs**r* | Buenos Aires | Córdoba, Argentina | Argentina |
| **r*d*l*S**lF | Buenos Aires | Córdoba, Argentina | Argentina |
| 12_n*h*RC | Amsterdam | Cork | Ireland |
| ynn*n*hp*tS | Dublin | Cork | Ireland |
| **r*dn*p | Cork | Ireland | |
| gntl*sn*CyhtCcM | Cork | Ireland | |
| n*c*dn* | Cork | Ireland | |
| kr*cyrr*b | Cairo | Cork and Co.Laois | Ireland |
| s**tt*d*nr*B | Cork City | Ireland | |
| n*tr*cn*k | London | Cork, Ireland | Ireland |
| 8n**rb*f | Cork, Limerick Border | Ireland | |
| n*h*n*l*lhbr**d | Corkish | Ireland | |
| MM*CL*B*LG2K | Eastern Time (US & Canada) | CORNWALL-ON-HUDSON, NY | USA / Canada |
| LTR*S* | Alaska | Corvallis, OR | USA / Canada |
| 28r*mn*d | creeslough | Ireland | |
| **N*tr*b* | Brasilia | Curitiba | Brazil |
| *rp*cn*f*d | Hawaii | Cyber Space | USA / Canada |
| tr*b*hh*c*m | Central Time (US & Canada) | Dallas | USA / Canada |
| tdr*hnr*Bnw*D | Dallas | USA / Canada | |
| stn*d*cc*s*ll*D | Central Time (US & Canada) | Dallas | USA / Canada |
| 6z**qs*vp | Central Time (US & Canada) | Dallas, Texas | USA / Canada |
| c*Sm*hgn*sl*W | Dallas, Texas | USA / Canada | |
| r*s*ldl*r**p | Wellington | Dallas, TX | USA / Canada |
| n**tc*c*n*ps*H | Central Time (US & Canada) | Dallas, TX | USA / Canada |
| *k*wn**tr*b* | Dallas, TX | USA / Canada | |
| *f*Lr*fn**g*L | Mountain Time (US & Canada) | Dallas/Ft. Worth Texas | USA / Canada |
| sr*yM_g**D | Eastern Time (US & Canada) | Dayton, OH. | USA / Canada |
| sc*t*l*psw*nt*M | Quito | DC | USA / Canada |
| rr*h*cc*b | Quito | DC | USA / Canada |
| 12*f**m | Quito | Denton, TX | USA / Canada |
| r**lssn*R | Denver | USA / Canada | |
| *f*lr*f**ls*L | Mountain Time (US & Canada) | Denver | USA / Canada |
| r*n**tstn*lc | Mountain Time (US & Canada) | Denver, CO | USA / Canada |
| *v*l*nc | Mountain Time (US & Canada) | Denver, Colorado | USA / Canada |
| tn*vd*w*n | Mountain Time (US & Canada) | Denver, Colorado | USA / Canada |
| ybr*Dt*n**l*J | London | Derby | UK |
| 61ml*C | Dublin | Derry | Ireland |
| *f*l_n**t*dn**f | Central Time (US & Canada) | Destin, Florida | USA / Canada |
| x*bl**T*n*tn*F | Donegal | Ireland | |
| r*t*k* | London | Dover, England | UK |
| y*lm*c_c | Drogheda, Ireland | Ireland | |
| m*rt**lkc*m | Dublin | Dromahair | Ireland |
| r*dyr_*l*p | Quito | Dubai | Dubai |
| z*bhc*tc*s | Hawaii | Dubai,UAE | USA / Canada |
| *d*l*mmm | London | Dublin | Ireland |
| n***ng**rdm**l | Edinburgh | Dublin | Ireland |
| r**G**rFtl**G | Amsterdam | Dublin | Ireland |
| D88J | London | Dublin | Ireland |
| 4y*rr*M*f*** | Casablanca | Dublin | Ireland |
| n**rb*lr*c | Dublin | Dublin | Ireland |
| 32*n*hc*r*d*F | Dublin | Ireland | |
| nn*m**n*hp*tS | Dublin | Dublin | Ireland |
| r*g***l**p | Dublin | Ireland | |
| p*dgrf | Dublin | Ireland | |
| 68_*kr*lCn*l* | Dublin | Dublin | Ireland |
| *ly*dn**l*k | Dublin | Dublin | Ireland |
| 712*d*n*rG | Dublin | Dublin | Ireland |
| Y*N*L*MRG | dublin | Ireland | |
| dw*d*n*n*r | Dublin | Dublin | Ireland |
| r*w*pl**pnh*j | Dublin | Ireland | |
| g**bg**t*c | Dublin | Ireland | |
| t*ln**tc*l* | Dublin | Ireland | |
| **YS*V*L*TR*B*R | Dublin | DUBLIN | Ireland |
| 27g*ns | Dublin | Ireland | |
| ffl**wy*rgyc*l | dublin | Ireland | |
| 891n*sn*b*Ryt*K | Dublin | Ireland | |
| *g*rd_**n*D | Dublin | Dublin (from Mayo) | Ireland |
| dlr*w*b*g | Dublin | Dublin Ireland | Ireland |
| n*ln*csb*r | Dublin | Dublin Ireland | Ireland |
| *r*Sy*ldn*L | Dublin Ireland | Ireland | |
| *d*s*r*F_n*lb*D | Amsterdam | Dublin, Ireland | Ireland |
| r*hct*PL*c*ss*J | Quito | Dublin, Ireland | Ireland |
| ynn*M*lr** | Casablanca | Dublin, Ireland | Ireland |
| D****rnn* | Dublin | Dublin, Ireland | Ireland |
| g**KcM*S | Dublin, Ireland | Ireland | |
| ll*tr*hsn*yrbrf | Dublin | Dublin, Ireland | Ireland |
| n**t*c*vDC* | Dublin | Dublin, Ireland | Ireland |
| *f*L*rPdn*l*r* | Dublin | Dublin, Ireland | Ireland |
| dr*fr*m*Cxh*r*S | Dublin | Dublin, Ireland | Ireland |
| n*g*hyn*htn* | Dublin | Dublin, Ireland | Ireland |
| nn**q**r*m*nn* | Dublin | Dublin, Ireland | Ireland |
| D*LJ*N | Dublin, Ireland | Ireland | |
| tr**CcM_D | Dublin | Dublin, Ireland | Ireland |
| yh**L_kc*J | Dublin | Dublin, Ireland. | Ireland |
| t*L*r*w*N | Amsterdam | Dublin, Republic of Ireland | Ireland |
| gn*nn*Gd**M | Dublin | Dublin/Sometimes Carlow | Ireland |
| 16**Dyzz*D | Dublin/Wexford Ireland | Ireland | |
| gr*bdn*Lr*ht*F | Dumfries, Virginia | USA / Canada | |
| r*lF_K | Eastern Time (US & Canada) | Earth | USA / Canada |
| *z*g*k* | Nairobi | East Africa | Kenya |
| *n**rCkc*rt*P | East Chezzetcook, NS | USA / Canada | |
| *f*Cr*nr*C*hTt* | Eastern Time (US & Canada) | East Coast | USA / Canada |
| s*s*bhc**t | Pacific Time (US & Canada) | East Hollywood, USA 3rd Rock ☼ | USA / Canada |
| ydd*dsc**s* | Central Time (US & Canada) | East of Tahlequah | USA / Canada |
| KH*D | Eastern Time (US & Canada) | Eastern US | USA / Canada |
| *r*H_*_n**S | EIRE | Ireland | |
| *y*yt*n | Pacific Time (US & Canada) | el ayyyyy - city of angels! | USA / Canada |
| pl*b*lc*rr*s | El Paso, Texas | USA / Canada | |
| yb*g*f*l*rp | Mountain Time (US & Canada) | El Paso, TX | USA / Canada |
| s**rts*n*m*c**v | Eastern Time (US & Canada) | Elkhart, Indiana | USA / Canada |
| ymm*mCST | London | England | UK |
| 9dr*Wn*hp*tS | London | England | UK |
| 1102dyw*l**p | London | England | UK |
| n*ll*m*rdr**d | Dublin | Ennistymon, Co.Clare | Ireland |
| *Nz**rf*d*drh*M | Esfahan | Iran | |
| b*Wm**d*pl* | Greenland | España | Spain |
| r*b*cs**cn*lB | Madrid | España | Spain |
| n*n*ZM | Madrid | España | Spain |
| dpmd*c | España | Spain | |
| **r*t*n*s*c*t* | London | España | Spain |
| s*l*n**s*f*rp | Madrid | España | Spain |
| hcs**gjm | Madrid | España | Spain |
| sn*Pr*f*ts*rC | Madrid | España | Spain |
| DDcNN | Madrid | España | Spain |
| V*Dsg*lB | Greenland | España - Spain | Spain |
| r*v*v**hc*r*d | Madrid | España - Spain | Spain |
| vb*t*T | Greenland | España. | Spain |
| *rht*J*hT | Eastern Time (US & Canada) | Eugene, Oregon, USA | USA / Canada |
| psgn*h*tsr*f** | London | Europa | UK |
| r*z*kc*rt*p | Madrid | Europe/International | Spain |
| 5n**n*f | Eastern Time (US & Canada) | Evansville, IN | USA / Canada |
| t*n*lp*f*l*rp | Central Time (US & Canada) | Everywhere | USA / Canada |
| Pd*nn*lP*k*F | Eastern Time (US & Canada) | Fake Planned Parenthood clinic | USA / Canada |
| z_*_f*_m*m | Atlantic Time (Canada) | Far Right | USA / Canada |
| n*sl*_M_yht*m*T | Central Time (US & Canada) | Fargo, ND | USA / Canada |
| *m*mn*dr*g*c**P | Central Time (US & Canada) | Fargo, ND | USA / Canada |
| *v*lm**shcjd*g | New Delhi | Faridabad | India |
| WVs*nn*D | Eastern Time (US & Canada) | Fayetteville, NC | USA / Canada |
| cll*hs*y*yr*v* | Quito | Florida | USA / Canada |
| d**rb**qc*j | Eastern Time (US & Canada) | Florida | USA / Canada |
| 21kr*lC*ryK | Atlantic Time (Canada) | Florida | USA / Canada |
| n*sd*H**m*r*J | Eastern Time (US & Canada) | Florida | USA / Canada |
| n*dr*jds*m*j | Eastern Time (US & Canada) | Florida | USA / Canada |
| *y*l*l*r*c | Eastern Time (US & Canada) | Florida-USA | USA / Canada |
| *lr*M*dL | Eastern Time (US & Canada) | Following Christ | USA / Canada |
| s*g*nn*F | Dublin | Ford of Water | Ireland |
| p*hStc*d*n*BtS | Quito | Fort Lauderdale, FL | USA / Canada |
| hc**tS*dr*hc*R | Eastern Time (US & Canada) | Fort Myers, FL | USA / Canada |
| kl*TCCP | Atlantic Time (Canada) | Fort Pierce, FL | USA / Canada |
| **V*rPstn**d*t* | Paris | France | France |
| rr*Kc*mr*C | Dublin | Free Derry and Belfast | Ireland |
| ts*cd*P*f*L*rP | Alaska | Fresno, CA | USA / Canada |
| y*dn*H*s*L | Pacific Time (US & Canada) | Fresno, CA | USA / Canada |
| lntn**f*Ln*m*H | Eastern Time (US & Canada) | Front Royal, VA (World HQ) | USA / Canada |
| *r*n*Jnh*J | Front Royal, Virginia, USA | USA / Canada | |
| r*v*v**t**r*d | Madrid | Galicia (España) | Spain |
| l**mf*l*y | Dublin | Galway, TempleBar of the west | Ireland |
| 7891GSSymr* | Eastern Time (US & Canada) | Gastonia, NC USA | USA / Canada |
| sn**t*l*S*f*L*G | Quito | Georgia | USA / Canada |
| 48nn*d* | Eastern Time (US & Canada) | Georgia | USA / Canada |
| kc*bn*sl**hkr*d | Berlin | Germany | Germany |
| m*L**L | Madrid | Gibraltar, UK. | Spain |
| sg*lB*f*L*rP | Mountain Time (US & Canada) | Global | USA / Canada |
| n*m*Wl**q* | Global | Unknown | |
| LPP*f*l*rP | Eastern Time (US & Canada) | God's country | USA / Canada |
| **gcmy*bynnh*j | Dublin | Gombeenland | Ireland |
| bm*wn*s*b*b | Good Question | Unknown | |
| RGsy*d04 | Eastern Time (US & Canada) | Grand Rapids, MI | USA / Canada |
| 5kl*Tt**rtS | London | Gravesend - Kent / London | UK |
| 07r**t*d*r | Paris | Gray, in FRANCE | France |
| **m*T*s*r*T | Eastern Time (US & Canada) | Greater Detriot Area, Michigan | USA / Canada |
| 04nn**qd | Eastern Time (US & Canada) | Green, Ohio | USA / Canada |
| gn*l*rytr*ccmt | Greencastle, PA | USA / Canada | |
| dlr*w_sh*k*B | Greenfield, IN | USA / Canada | |
| *f*Ltr**H* | Central Time (US & Canada) | Greensboro, NC | USA / Canada |
| **RTDN*TS* | Quito | GREENVILLE, SC | USA / Canada |
| 2090*d*y | Guayaq |
6 comments:
Fantastic work! Also worth noting is that I am St*ph*n*nny who lives in Cork and I'm following them to stay up to date with the nonsense they tout. I'd be interested to know how many others are doing the same!
I am against abortion. Youth Defence are one of the best arguments I've heard for switching sides though.
Saoili, I hear where you're coming from, and I certainly don't mean to tar all those who are against abortion with the same brush. I recognise that they're just a vocal minority and not representative.
Geoff, Ireland DOES have a prolife majority - how many likes or followers YD get from Ireland is not a safe estimate of Ireland's safe population!! Can I also just say regarding this article, that taking a list of twitter followers is not a reliable or trustworthy count of how many Irish follow YD. For one, there is 1,285 twitter followers compared to 63,178 facebook likes (i'm not implying these are all Irish!). Secondly, Not all twitter users have 'followed' YD - i for one did not realise it existed until 3 months ago! My sisters nor many of my friends haven't followed either! This has an impact on your 'research'. on a final note (it's over after this!!;) ) I know you have to provide backup for your claims, but it is not fair to those you have listed above that you have done such a bad job in covering their name and location!! I recognised so many people from the list, their names were so easily recognised!! *Rant over*
*pro-life population, sorry!!
Hi Kat,
Thanks for commenting. While I welcome all comments I'm always especially pleased to see one from someone with whom I don't agree fully - they often lead to more interesting conversations.
To tackle your points in reverse order: The information on Twitter followers is publically available. You can easily see a list of @YouthDefence followers by clicking the followers link on their page. It's true for all Twitter accounts - you can even see mine if the urge takes you.
You've correctly observed why I put the information in the post - I'm a skeptical sort of chap, and if I saw a pie chart like mine without source data I'd be inclined to be dubious. I hope you would too! That's why the information is there - so other bloggers and interested parties can confirm for themselves that the information I presented is correct. I felt that replacing the vowels with stars allowed a measure of anonymity (greater than that offered by Twitter) while still allowing verification.
That said, your request is not unreasonable, so to further obfuscate the data I've reversed all the usernames. What was once G**ffssh*rts is now str*hssff**G. We may not yet see eye to eye on this point, but I hope you view it as an improvement.
On to your more substantive point - does Ireland have a pro-life majority? That to me wasn't the point at hand. I was discussing Youth Defence's claim to be the voice of the majority. Most pro-lifer's I know do not support Youth Defence's methods or approach, and would be horrified if others thought that Youth Defence was representative of pro life folk in Ireland. I've even had a comment to that effect on this post from a pro life reader. I'll think about how this could be worded more clearly and adjust. I may need more tea first.
You mentioned the 63,178 Facebook likes (and correctly noted that not all are necessarily Irish). You may be interested to know that according to the Facebook ad-buying interface the vast majority of those come from the United States.
But I don't feel this is the crux of your point - if I'm reading you correctly, you're saying that there's nothing inconsistent with being pro life and never having heard of Youth Defence (or indeed their Twitter account). On this I'm happy to agree with you.
I really appreciate the feedback, you have helped me see how I can express myself more clearly. I hope these answers helped clarify somewhat.
Best wishes,
Geoff
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