Rugby now more popular than football AND GAA?!

**tetsujin1979** · 13/07/2018, 3:28 PM

Similar enough numbers watched the Croatia - England game on Wednesday night on RTE as watched the England - Ireland Grand Slam decider in March, with the rugby being watched by more online

Ireland's Grand Slam grabs record audience for TV3

The clash at Twickenham had an average audience on TV3 of 951,000 who were glued to their screens as Garry Ringrose, CJ Stander and Jacob Stockdale all scored tries.

It is the most-watched TV programme on Irish television this year with a further 100,000 viewers catching up via TV3's on demand service.

TV3's Director of Programming, Bill Malone, said: "Ireland's historic Grand Slam win over England at Twickenham on Saturday was the perfect ending to TV3's first NatWest 6 Nations Championship.

"It truly was a national event, and with over 1.3 million viewers tuning in during the course of the game, it is the most-watched television programme this year."

**nigel-harps1954** · 16/07/2018, 10:13 AM

I wonder how many Irish viewers there were of BBCs coverage of the game. I know a fair few who just won't watch RTE coverage of football unless there's no other choice.

**tetsujin1979** · 16/07/2018, 10:18 AM

Originally Posted by nigel-harps1954

I wonder how many Irish viewers there were of BBCs coverage of the game. I know a fair few who just won't watch RTE coverage of football unless there's no other choice.

I did switch over to ITV after the game to watch Roy Keane's reaction!

**seanfhear** · 16/07/2018, 1:32 PM

Originally Posted by tetsujin1979

I did switch over to ITV after the game to watch Roy Keane's reaction!

Was he his usual Happy Self ?

**OwlsFan** · 06/08/2018, 10:04 AM

50k+ at a friendly in the Aviva between Liverpool and Napoli !! Football is by far the most popular sport in Ireland. Alas not Irish football.

**elroy** · 08/08/2018, 8:26 AM

Originally Posted by OwlsFan

50k+ at a friendly in the Aviva between Liverpool and Napoli !! Football is by far the most popular sport in Ireland. Alas not Irish football.

And 40K plus earlier in the week. How anyone would pay the ticket prices for a preseason friendly is beyond me. There is no doubt that football has a massive following in Ireland. Probably the largest following of any sport and certainly the most widespread. However, like all codes, Irish people tend to have an interest in the match day 'experience'. Its not necessarily a case of the football on offer, its the broader appeal which seems to attract. The LOI needs to work on the match day 'experience' and that will only come through investment in facilities.

**Stuttgart88** · 13/08/2018, 9:34 AM

Originally Posted by OwlsFan

50k+ at a friendly in the Aviva between Liverpool and Napoli !! Football is by far the most popular sport in Ireland. Alas not Irish football.

I was in Westport for a week on holidays, along with hundreds of other families especially in and around Westport House. Lots of people wearing sports gear as leisure wear. Obviously time of year and location is a factor but I'd say well over 60pc of all sportswear worn (kids and adults) was GAA. Lots of variety (surprisingly few Mayo county jerseys) but many kids were wearing the Kelloggs / GAA summer camp shirts which were pretty cool. I'd say at least a quarter was soccer, but a small fraction Irish national shirts the rest all European or English. A whole family were wearing Dunne's Stores Irish replica kits, but they were all travellers living in a caravan at the quayside! Liverpool far and away most popular English shirt. Man United's star has certainly waned. Rugby a distant 3rd and often fat ugly blokes

. GAA jerseys most popular among girls, by a long way, with some soccer. I'd say that overall mix would change massively once the Championship season ends and 6 Nations etc kick off in earnest, but even still it was quite informative in a totally non-scientific way.

**OwlsFan** · 13/08/2018, 10:04 AM

I have noticed a lot of kids wearing Dublin replica kits these days which wasn't the fashion back in the day. See a fair few Leinster rugby jerseys but an Irish replica kit or a LoI kit are like hens' teeth. The English kits will become more prevalent now the season is back. Can't be a hypocrite and say that I don't get excited when I see about once every 3 years a Wednesday jersey and generally have a chat with the poor sad case wearing it. I have a fair few Wednesday jerseys, about 7 Irish jerseys (but only ever wear the retro one to the games displaying the logo to the left) and one Shamrock Rovers one. The trouble with the latter is that it is generally mistaken for a Celtic shirt.

**DeLorean** · 14/08/2018, 11:18 AM

Originally Posted by OwlsFan

50k+ at a friendly in the Aviva between Liverpool and Napoli !! Football is by far the most popular sport in Ireland. Alas not Irish football.

Piece on this here - http://www.the42.ie/john-osullivan-c...75022-Aug2018/

**NeverFeltBetter** · 14/08/2018, 6:18 PM

Interesting article on the reduced attendances in the SFC, and how Dublin's recent dominance being one of the reasons is a tad ironic for the GAA (since a senior official once said bluntly in 2004 they needed Dublin to do well for the organisations finances): https://www.rte.ie/sport/gaa/2018/08...dance-problem/

**seanfhear** · 14/08/2018, 6:35 PM

Originally Posted by NeverFeltBetter

Interesting article on the reduced attendances in the SFC, and how Dublin's recent dominance being one of the reasons is a tad ironic for the GAA (since a senior official once said bluntly in 2004 they needed Dublin to do well for the organisations finances): https://www.rte.ie/sport/gaa/2018/08...dance-problem/

Dublin has begun to do well and it has too many advantages . When a ‘Competition ‘ becomes a non competition , Interest dies down , hardly surprising .

**Cheirin** · 14/08/2018, 9:35 PM

Football isn't the most popular sport in Ireland. With a population of �4m, of course a one off match featuring Liverpool or United will draw a crowd of �50k+.

It's light years behind the GAA in terms of membership, participation and interest. Sad, but true.

**OwlsFan** · 15/08/2018, 9:10 AM

At least 45k are turning up for a football match in Cork not involving Liverpool or Man U.

**pineapple stu** · 15/08/2018, 11:01 AM

Manchester United are one of the teams playing?

**Fixer82** · 15/08/2018, 2:18 PM

The provincial rugby jersey is the favoured casual attire of the thirty something, middle class dad of two/three. Fact!

**OwlsFan** · 03/09/2018, 4:48 PM

Originally Posted by pineapple stu

Manchester United are one of the teams playing?

Not really. Isn't it just a hodgepodge of ex-Man U players and other former players from Celtic etc having a kick about for a worthy charity? However, I do wonder if it was something like Cork City vs Shamrock Rovers or some such how many would turn up.

**marinobohs** · 04/09/2018, 2:18 PM

I always find it somewhat amusing when people try to differentiate between followers of Rugby / Soccer / GAA etc. truth is they are often one and the same, Irish people love a success story and will flock to whomever is doing well (or fashionable) irrespective of codes. Hold this same survey on
(1) All Ireland weekend
or
(2) European Rugby Cup weekend
or
(3) champions league weekend, and I suspect you would get different answers on the 'most popular sport'.

For what its worth, IMHO most popular sport in Ireland is - next bandwagon

**DeLorean** · 19/11/2018, 11:43 AM

When Ken Early isn't quoting himself, he's trying to figure out a way of getting Pep Guardiola into the conversation. His up-to-date view of the rugby v football 'war' here - https://www.irishtimes.com/sport/soc...nate-1.3702263

**Stuttgart88** · 19/11/2018, 2:52 PM

I thought it was a good piece nonetheless

**DeLorean** · 19/11/2018, 3:06 PM

It was grand, all fairly obvious points I thought. Incomparable fixtures always seem to be the catalyst for these, well, comparisons. It's too easy.

Clearly rugby is in a better place right here, right now. Things can change faster than people seem to realise though.