The undisputed women’s world lightweight champion boxer Katie Taylor has emphatically defended her status as Ireland’s most admired sports personality, sponsorship agency Onside reports. Ireland rugby legend and pundit Brian O’Driscoll has climbed back up two places to second spot, while one of this year’s main movers, rugby’s Johnny Sexton, is third.
Onside CEO John Trainor said Katie Taylor’s appeal among the Irish public is on the rise with the Bray woman’s net volume of support up 58 per cent year-on-year alone. As the push for more recognition of women in sport in Ireland makes strides, it is encouraging for initiatives like 20 x 20 to see that Taylor’s biggest support comes from Irish females aged 18-34.
Trainor believes there is still some road left to travel to win more admiration levels for female Irish athletes, with just seven per cent of the sports stars named being female. Next year’s Olympics and Paralympic Games are a big stage for stars like Annalise Murphy, Sanita Puspure and Ellen Keane to take their public support to the next level.
Golfer Shane Lowry, who won the 2019 Open, shot his way into the top five for the first time this year, while Rory McIlroy returned at number 10 after a year outside the poll’s top table. Roy Keane again made the top five, while Sonia O’Sullivan remains in the pack as a top 10 sports star which the Irish public continue to hold in high esteem.
Conor McGregor’s absence from the octagon has seen his standing drop from third to ninth place, while former footballer Robbie Keane drops just outside the top 10, alongside Ireland manager Mick McCarthy. Team managers received the highest accolade in the GAA arena, with Dublin football’s Jim Gavin and Wexford hurling’s Davy Fitzgerald tops.
Five-in-a-row Dublin goalie Stephen Cluxton won the highest GAA player star recognition.
Outside of sport, the Onside Star Track 2019 study found that Ryan Tubridy retained the top spot as the most admired TV or radio personality for a seventh consecutive year, with Gay Byrne second, followed by Ray D’Arcy, Joe Duffy, Pat Kenny and Dáithí Ó Sé. Among 18-24 year olds, Graham Norton, Tommy Tiernan and Doireann Garrihy got most votes.
Trainor singled out footballer Ronaldo as the highest profile example, with his move to Juventus helping double the club’s Instagram following in five months and boosting the club’s sponsorship income. Ronaldo’s own social media following is greater than the club’s and gives him a direct-to-consumer channel that has been unrelentingly exploited.
Katie Taylor pictured above with Lisa Browne, Electric Ireland and golf’s Paul McGinley
