Katie Taylor and the Irish men’s rugby team remain the most popular sporting icons in Ireland for 2024.
That is the finding of the annual 2024 Teneo Sport and Sponsorship Index. The annual end of year survey throws out results with varying degrees of questions arising.
While the research was conducted between December fifth and 13th in the Republic of Ireland only. On a sample size of 1,000 with quotas imposed across gender, region, age, and social class.
Taylor is a box office draw and her popularirty is very real. However, just one fight was recorded in 2024. Indeed, in a bumper year where Ireland secured more Olympic medals than ever before and the Irish mixed 4x400m relay team and Ciara Mageean took home European gold.
The Ireland men’s rugby team retaining their Six Nations crown was voted top sporting moment with some 15%.
While, Katie Taylor tops the list as the most admired Irish athlete for an eighth year running taking 15% of the vote. In fact female athletes take the top three spots with Rhasidat Adeleke (11%) and Kellie Harrington (10%) following.
Bundee Aki, Paul O’Donovan and Fintan McCarthy, 7% each take joint fourth place. Rachael Blackmore takes sixth place with 5%.
Harrington seventh most admirred sports person
However, Pádraig Harrington with 4% takes a somewhat surprise seventh place. Harrington now a star of the senior tour, the 53-year-old having last won a major championship some 16-years ago.
Whereas, Gaelic Games takes the place of “What Is Your Favourite Sport” for at least the seventh year-in-a-row. Albeit having tied with soccer in 2021.
Indeed, the editors notes record; Gaelic Games = Gaelic football, ladies Gaelic football, hurling and camogie. Two separate sports as many keen eyed sports fans have highlighted in Gaelic football (men’s and ladies) and hurling/camogie. Or even three separate sports bodies.
This brings the results into question. Whereas, hurling fails to register interest or support in counties such as Cavan, Leitrim and Longford. As does Gaelic football in Kilkenny.
If the question was moved to separate Gaelic football and Hurling/Camogie, could we see hurling outside the top eight? Or Gaelic football down to third behind rugby and soccer?
The Irish Olympic team secured 28% of the vote to take the “team of the year” title. However, this doesn’t seem to have included the women’s 4x400m relay team.
The women’s relay team’s European Championship silver and Olympic Games fourth place saw them take 14% of the vote. Whereas, gold medal Olympic winning team of Fintan McCarthy and Paul O’Donovan aren’t in the top five.
Athletics being the number one Olympic Sport see’s it being removed from the Olympic team!
Event Most Looking Forward to in 2025
Quota and weighing being applied to the event most looked forward to in 2025 have thrown up further questions. Even the report author stating;
“Although the Irish team did not qualify, the Women’s UEFA European Championships ranks fourth with 7%, reflecting the nation's growing interest in women’s sport”.
Thus beating the Ryder cup and Cheltenham by one percentage point. While there is no Irish team in this year’s women’s Euro’s, I doubt there will be a falloff in business activity once Cheltenham gets underway.
Applying formula’s and algorithms to results, tends to get you the result you wanted, not the popular vote.
