• Six in every 10 cite iconic tune as go-to chant
• Over a quarter of fans admit to naming their pet after their favourite team/athlete
• Rallying call to nation to get behind Team Ireland in countdown to Paris
Olé Olé remains the top tune for Irish sports fans with over six in every ten* citing it as the go-to song when cheering on their favourite team or athlete, according to new research released by Nestlé Cereals, ‘Official Breakfast Partner to Paralympics Ireland’. The Fields of Athenry comes in a close second (59%) and the Tina Turner classic Simply the Best (55%) takes bronze in the line-up of the nation’s favourite sports anthems.
A rallying call has been issued to the nation to “Bring the Cheer” for Team Ireland as they put it all on the line in the pursuit of glory at one of the world’s biggest sports events. This time around, athletes will be able to enjoy the invaluable support of family, friends and fans cheering them on from the stands, in stark contrast to the previous games in Tokyo with Covid-19 preventing attendance.
The unwavering love of Irish fans for their team or athlete knows no bounds with over a quarter (26%) admitting to naming their pet and over one in 10 (16%) naming their child after a favourite team/athlete while 7 percent have dyed their hair in honour of their sporting idols.
Demonstrating the importance of support, over half (51%) of survey respondents claimed it provided energy and momentum while four in every ten (41%) attributed a sense of recognition to support. Women scored higher than their male counterparts, with five in every 10 (53%) citing the personal energy boost in contrast to over four in 10 men (49%).
Interestingly, those aged 18-24 said that seeing an Irish athlete on the sporting stage had a hugely positive impact on their own sense of motivation (35%) while over a fifth (21%) of people aged 55-64 claimed to feel inspired!
To celebrate the partnership, specially created cereal boxes, featuring Nestlé Cereals Ireland Ambassadors para-table tennis champion Colin Judge and para-cyclist Richael Timothy are in-store nationwide. In a first for the brand, the boxes also carry a message of support to the team ‘as Gaeilge’.
Jennifer Walsh, Country Category Manager, Nestlé Cereals, said: “Irish fans really do love to go that extra mile when it comes to supporting their team or athlete. Whether it is belting out ‘Olé Olé’ from the stands or in front of the tv to naming their pets and children, it demonstrates the sense of passion and excitement for our sports stars and the sense of anticipation that grips the nation when big sporting occasions come around.
“Our survey demonstrates how support can contribute to a greater sense of energy and momentum. As our Irish athletes will enjoy the power of in-person support in Paris, we hope that each of them will be spurred on with the support of Irish fans ringing in their ears and that it will give them that extra push. Hopefully, there will be plenty of chants of ‘Olé Olé’ ringing around Paris in the weeks ahead.
“As the official ‘Official Breakfast Partner to Paralympics Ireland’ we are delighted to play our part and pledge our support to Team Ireland for Paris 2024. Our Paralympians have been working, training and planning for this moment for many years and now with only a few days to go it is more important than ever that we ‘Bring the Cheer’ and power Team Ireland to glory.”
Stephen McNamara, CEO Paralympics Ireland said: “Enda McNulty, High Performance Coach said that the research confirmed his lifelong belief that support, and cheer positively impacts performance.
“It really demonstrates the power of support and the energy it provides when you see that over half of those surveyed highlight the incredible momentum that comes from being cheered on and supported. It provides a significant boost, both physically and emotionally.
“We can also see the many ways that sport binds us and brings us together- whether it is watching together or joining in song. It’s no surprise that “Olé Ole” is top of the sporting charts- the soundtrack to so many memorable Irish sporting moments. In fact, some of my earliest memories were supporting Jack’s Army, and some of my fondest memories were supporting Sean Kelly, Jason Smyth and Katie Taylor.
“In these moments we all become one huge tribe of Irish people supporting our heroes. The research confirms what we as a nation have always known; that we are at our greatest when we bring our best energy in support of those who represent us.”
* Conducted by Empathy Research through an online survey across a nationally representative sample of 1,000 adults aged 18+ between 22nd – 25th April 2024.