Guinness and Three have been named as Ireland’s top sponsors as the number of sponsorship deals rose 29 per cent year-on-year in the first quarter, according to data from consultancy firm Onside.
The group, which announced the top sports and non-sports sponsors in its quarterly review on Tuesday, said the GAA had a “very active first quarter”, with renewals from long-standing sponsors Centra, SuperValu and Allianz.
The group, which has been running the reviews since 2016, said horse racing and soccer were also “very active categories”.
Guinness secured the “most appealing sponsor” position in sports, driven by the success of the Guinness Men’s and Women’s Six Nations Championships.
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Vodafone, a long-standing partner of the IRFU, claimed second place, followed by Lidl for its sponsorship of the Women’s Gaelic Football Association (LGFA).
Telco company Three emerged as the top non-sports sponsor, recognised for its music and venue naming rights strategy with the 3Arena and the 3Olympia.
Electric Ireland, for its partnership with Pieta and Darkness Into Light, secured second place, while SuperValu rounded out the top three for its Tidy Towns sponsorship.
Onside said the research shows the “enduring appeal” of rugby as a sponsorship platform in Ireland. Five of the top 10 most admired sports sponsors have prominent partnerships in the sport.
“Despite a disappointing result for Ireland in the 2025 Guinness Six Nations, the review highlights the mass appeal of rugby for consumer-facing brands,” the group said. “Leading IRFU sponsors Guinness, Vodafone, Aviva, Bank of Ireland and Aldi all feature prominently among the top sports sponsors.”
Connacht rugby star Bundee Aki was named as the “most recognisable, admired, trustworthy, and influential” Irish rugby personality, followed by Leinster’s James Lowe and Caelan Doris.
Other appealing sports sponsors included Allianz as the top sponsor of Paralympics Ireland and the Olympic Federation of Ireland, and as a sponsor of the GAA Football All-Ireland Senior Championship.
Elsewhere, notable sponsors named were Sky as primary partners of the women’s and men’s national football teams, as well as AIB which sponsors four codes in GAA.
“The sponsorship landscape is constantly evolving, and our review highlights the power of authentic partnerships that resonate with the Irish public,” says Kim Kirwan, director of intelligence and insight at Onside.
“Rugby’s continued dominance demonstrates its ability to connect brands with consumers, while the success of non-sports sponsorships like Electric Ireland’s Darkness into Light shows the importance of aligning with meaningful causes.”
