GAA+ season pass
The fixtures for GAA+ have not been released yet but approximately 40 games in the GAA football and hurling Championships this year will be on the GAA’s streaming platform. No matter which county you support, there is bound to be at least one game of note on the service in 2026, with two All-Ireland football quarter-finals guaranteed and Leinster and Munster hurling championship games. With an early bird pass, you can get the year’s offering for just €79, which works out about €2 per game. gaaplus.ie/fixture/pass-ie
League of Ireland season ticket
Support your local club in next year’s League of Ireland with a season ticket before the new league season kicks off in February. Prices vary between clubs and for the type of seats, with several concession categories to take advantage of too, but for an adult the prices generally range from anywhere between €200 and €350. A new season ticket for champions Shamrock Rovers is €275 for the year, while newly promoted Dundalk have early bird 10 per cent off all categories if you buy before December 24th. dundalkfc.com/season-ticket-new-buyers
Golf lessons
Rather than blow all your money on a new driver that more than likely won’t transform your golf game, why not gift your friend or family member a lesson with a PGA professional and truly iron out those swing flaws? The prices vary between coaches and what area of the country you live in, but one example is a gift voucher with the Golf Ireland Academy for a two-hour clinic in Maynooth, Co Kildare, where you can choose between Long Game with Trackman, Greenside and Bunker Play or Pitching and Wedge Play with Trackman for €90. bettergolf.voucherconnect.com/product/7099
Personalised hurleys
Surprise the hurling fan in your life with a personalised Murphy’s Wexford Ash hurley/hurl (whichever your preference) through O’Neills. You can choose your preferred size, the personalised text you want to select and your favourite county’s crest for just €35. oneills.com/murphys-wexford-ash-hurling-stick-acc-beige-pers.html
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Munster home jersey
Adidas may make the nicest sports jerseys of any international sports brand; add that to the striking red-and-black colour combination, and Munster’s shirt may be the most aesthetically pleasing in Irish rugby. A kids’ jersey is €70 in Lifestyle Sports, while you can get a snazzy half-zip top for €75. Manchester United and Liverpool’s kids’ shirt offerings are €55 in Lifestyle, while if you can’t stick the sight of the red of Munster and prefer blue, you can get Leinster’s Castore kids’ replica shirt for just €50, 37 per cent off in Lifestyle on sale. lifestylesports.com/ie/
Sports video games
The sports video game market is more condensed than it once was, with EA Sports FC 26 unsurprisingly still top of the lot. The annual soccer game may have lost the Fifa branding but it still goes strong as the bestselling sports game in Ireland and beyond, and its most famous online mode, Ultimate Team, gets day-by-day updates, tournaments and new players to keep the football fanatic in your life busy. NBA 2K26 sets the standard for realism in basketball games, while Gran Turismo 7 is a beautiful racing simulator that continues the legacy of a series running for almost 30 years. You can play as New Orleans Saints kicker Charlie Smyth in Madden NFL 26, and Tony Hawk gets a remaster with Pro Skater 3+4 bringing nostalgia with shiny new graphics. smythstoys.com/ie/en-ie/video-games
Dartboards
Inspired by the World Darts Championship, start off as the next Luke Littler with a dartboard at home. One good option is the Harrows Pro Choice Complete Set for €100 from Elverys which includes a rosewood finish cabinet, scoreboards inside the doors, an official competition bristle dartboard, two sets of darts, chalks and dusters. Steel tip darts ensure you have an accurate throw, as well as added durability to prevent bending or snapping. elverys.ie/products/harrows-pro-choice-complete-set
