Energia Extends Partnership With The IRFU Until 2029
Cork Constitution's Billy Scannell, Ireland's Sadbh McGrath and Maeve Óg O’Leary, Alana McInerney of UL Bohemian, Ireland's Jack Crowley, IRFU representative Michael Collopy, Energia Managing Director Gary Ryan, and Ireland's Joe McCarthy ©INPHO/Laszlo Geczo
Energia has announced it will renew its partnership with the IRFU for a further five years until 2029, reaffirming its commitment to powering Irish Rugby at all levels and celebrating community heroes.
Energia has been an official partner of Irish Rugby since 2019, serving as a title sponsor of the Men’s and Women’s All-Ireland League competitions, and spearheading a number of initiatives aimed at growing the sport across Ireland.
As part of the continued partnership, Energia will work alongside the IRFU on a number of grassroots and community-driven projects, including the Community Hero Award.
The Community Hero Award celebrates the contributions of figures at club level who help make the grassroots game possible, and will be presented to recipients ahead of Ireland’s Guinness Six Nations home fixtures next year.
Following a successful pilot in the 2023/24 season, Energia has also pledged support to the IRFU to expand the coverage of Energia All-Ireland League games, allowing delivery of high-quality club rugby to a wider audience.
In addition, Energia Rugby for All, an initiative launched with Leinster Rugby last year to make rugby more inclusive for people with physical and learning differences, will be extended nationwide, starting with supporting the IRFU as it recently joined the Hidden Disability Sunflower Lanyard Scheme.
To date, Energia’s partnership with the IRFU has helped deliver success for the growth and development of rugby across Ireland.
Highlights include the launch of the Energia AIL app, helping to support the Ireland Women’s team achieve record crowds in the Guinness Women’s Six Nations, a record attendance figure at the Energia All-Ireland League Men’s Division 1A final in 2023, and the first televised broadcast of the Energia All-Ireland League Women’s Division final in 2022, along with the Energia All-Ireland League 30-year anniversary documentary on TG4.
Energia has contributed €25,000 worth of prizes to the IRFU’s ‘Your Club, Your Country’ Draw, and sponsored The Club Scene Podcast, a must-listen weekly podcast for club rugby supporters.
On Sunday, April 28, the first ever Energia All-Ireland League Men’s and Women’s finals double header took place at the Aviva Stadium.
The AIL top-flight finals day was a historic milestone for Irish club rugby and illustrates the commitment of Energia and the IRFU to ensuring equality across Men’s and Women’s grassroots rugby.
Commenting on the sponsorship renewal, Gary Ryan, Managing Director at Energia, said:
We are thrilled to renew our partnership with the IRFU for another five years. At Energia, we have seen, and continue to see, the endless possibilities that Irish Rugby offers, for both women and men, from grassroots to elite.
“We are very proud of the innovations we’ve brought to the Energia All-Ireland League over the past five years, and look forward to working with the IRFU on a slate of brand new grassroots projects and community initiatives aimed at securing the future of Irish Rugby.”
Michael Collopy, Chairperson of the Commercial & Marketing Committee at the IRFU, stated: “We are delighted to have Energia back on board as official energy partner to the IRFU.
Over the last five years, Energia has offered practical, meaningful support and investment, ensuring that Irish Rugby has continued to flourish and thrive with particular successful support being seen in both the All-Ireland League and with the Women’s national team.
“We are grateful for their ongoing support and look forward to continuing our collaboration over the coming years.”
Energia is committed to investing in Ireland and its communities. In addition to its partnership with the IRFU, it is also a proud partner of Seachtain na Gaeilge, one of the country’s biggest celebrations of Irish language and culture.
A key sustainability objective of the company is to support communities, making a meaningful contribution that adds social value and, to this end, the Group has invested €4.5 million through its windfarm community benefit funds and also through its Greener Possibilities fund which supports charities and organisations to deliver community projects.
These important partnerships are aligned to their core value of being community focused, and to the UN Sustainable Development Goals, in particular SDG 11; Sustainable Cities and Communities.
For more information, please visit Energia.ie.