More people play, or support hurling or camogie in areas outside the capital, than in Dublin.
A new survey has found that only 17% of people aged 18, or over in Dublin engage with the sport, compared with 40% in the country, while 32% of Dubliners engage with Gaelic Football, versus 42% elsewhere.
The research, commissioned by IRS+ and conducted by Empathy Research in May this year, in an online poll of 1,343 adults, aimed to bust myths about what Dubliners and the rest of the country really think of one another.
The study examined attitudes towards GAA, soccer, rugby, religion, spending, socialising, banking, food, social media and smart tech.
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This is the first research of its kind conducted in many years and some of the results confirm long held views but are more likely to explode myths (and show how, sometimes, we’re surprisingly similar). However, differences remain, and they’re fascinating.
Are the Myths true? Do they stack up against the facts? Or is it all just caricature and lazy stereotypes?
Peter Smyth, CEO of IRS+ (www.irsplus.ie) said: “In our business of creatively presenting brands to consumers, understanding your audience is vital. Our previous research on Local Accent Bias proved that local accents matter and that voiceover accents can impact the effectiveness of advertising. That led us to thinking about how people from Dublin and the Country view one another. No one has recently investigated this topic before in terms of meaningful research and it’s tempting sometimes to fall into the trap of imagining that everyone in Dublin and the rest of the country is essentially the same. However, we now have the evidence in “Who Do We Think We Are?” to show that they are NOT the same, and that will help us to tailor and target campaigns to these different groups of people, otherwise brands will miss out.”
The Key Findings
GAA + Soccer
For many sports, the level of engagement is broadly similar in Dublin and the Country. However, there are some eye-catching differences. For instance, the Myth is right – there IS much stronger engagement with Gaelic Football in the country (Dublin 32% v Country 42%) , while engagement with soccer is slightly higher in Dublin (Dublin 54% v Country 49%). And when it comes to Hurling / Camogie, there’s a big gap in popularity (Dublin 17% v Country 40%).
Note – engagement is defined by being part of a club/doing it as a hobby / being a supporter. Technically, if the ‘Myth’ is right it’s no longer a myth. It’s a perception or stereotype….
Dublin the rugby stronghold? Don’t think so……
Here’s a big myth. Despite people both from Dublin and from the country associating rugby with Dublin to a much greater degree, engagement – the research shows – is that perception is way off the mark. In fact, engagement with rugby (as a hobby, club member or supporter) is much stronger outside of Dublin (36% Dublin v 48% Country).
Who’s more religious?
The myth is true – in line with perceptions, there are significantly more people regularly practising religion in the country (Dublin 15% v Country 30%). The split for those who are non-religious and don’t identify with any faith are (Dublin 28%, Country 20%) while those who do identify with a faith but don’t regularly practice are (Dublin 57% v Country 50%).
Big Spenders – but on what?
Both Dubliners and those from the country are spending money, but not always on the same things – Dubs are much more likely to be planning luxury foreign holidays (Dublin 33% v Country 18%) but country people more likely to be planning significant home upgrades worth €25k or more (Dublin 5% v Country 16%). When it comes to plans to buy new cars in the next two years, it’s a pretty similar picture (Dublin 36% v Country 33%).
Better Educated?
Despite often heard claims, it’s a myth those in Dublin are more educated. In fact, the number with 3rd level qualifications among those in Dublin and the rest of the country is equal at 45% and is equivalent at all levels for third level degrees and diplomas and virtually equivalent in Tech / Vocational achievement.
Who knows the Lingo?
The myth that Dublin people are more likely to speak multiple languages is just that – a myth. The research reveals that, including English native tongue, 33% of those in the country speak 2 or more languages v 23% of those in Dublin.
More/ Who Knows the Neighbours?, Potatoes with Everything, Going “Out, Out”…
Who knows the neighbours better?
While a majority feel those in the country are more likely to know their neighbours well, the actual figures are equivalent at close to 8 in10 for both (Dublin 77% Country, 80% ).
Interestingly though, Dubliners are slightly more likely to have keys to their neighbour’s house (Dublin 31% v Country 27%).
Potatoes with everything – or not?
Yes, it’s true that Dubliners ARE more likely to be eating a wider range of cuisines overall, but it is also true that both Dubliners and those from the country are almost equally likely to eat traditional Irish food regularly (53% Dublin v 56% Country).
Here’s a flavour of how other cuisines rank:
Chinese (32% Dublin v 19% Country).
American (44% Dublin v 33% Country).
Italian (31% Dublin v 24% Country).
Indian (13% Dublin v 10% Country).
Also, those from the country are more likely to be using Meal Prep. Services such as Hello Fresh, DropChef etc (Dublin 14% v Country 20%). That’s a surprising finding in itself and speaks to the demands on time where grocery shopping may not always be an option but the need to have great tasting food is a priority and means that delivery of fresh food to your door is another great choice.
Going “Out, Out” in the Country
Socially, there’s a bigger chance of a Big Night Out in the country with the survey finding that for visits to the Bar / Pub / Club nightclub, those in the country average going 2.81 times per month v Dublin at 2.05 times per month. Visiting the cinema (Dublin 1.56 times per month v Country 1.98 times per month) and going to the Theatre / a show (Dublin 0.92 times per month v Country 1.86 times per month).
Visiting friends / family to socialise (Dublin 3.28 times per month v Country 4.06 times per month).
Dinner out at restaurant / bar (Dublin 2.55 times per month, Country 2.84 times per month).
Lunch out of home / on the go (Dublin 4.22 times per month, Country 3.89 times per month).
Takeaway / hot drinks (Dublin 6.27 times per month v Country 5.14 times per month.
More/ Social Media + Streaming Habits, Smart Tech, Banking…
Social Media + Streaming Habits
True, Dubliners ARE more likely to be regularly found on social media (Dublin 77% v Country 68%) and also spend an extra half an hour daily doing so (Dublin 120 minutes v Country 91 minutes). Those living in the capital are also marginally more likely to be listening to podcasts (Dublin 27% v Country 22%).
There’s also a notable gap between the regions when it comes to more time spent watching video streaming (Dublin 71% v Country 61%). Regularly Gaming scores Dublin 14%, Country 18%.
Meantime, the figures for watching Regular TV (70% Country v 66% Dublin) are similar.
Smart Tech
The perception is true – Dubliners have more smart tech overall although not quite to the degree people think.
In terms of who owns what…..
Smart Watch (Dublin 49% v Country 41%)
Smart Speaker (Dublin 41% v Country 31%)
Gaming Console (Dublin 53% v Country 41%)
Ring Video Doorbell (Dublin 26% v Country 19%).
Banking + Financials
There’s an embedded perception by those in the country that Dubliners use digital financial products more. In fact the difference is marginal with Digital Only banking scoring Dublin 19% v Country 16%.
Traditional Banks seem to have a hold on everyone (Dublin 77% v Country 77%) while the Credit Union scores higher in the country (Dublin 53% v Country 61%). Building Society (Dublin12% v Country 8%) and An Post (Dublin 17% v Country 9%).
More / About IRS+, About the research for “Who Do We Think We Are?” …..
With a philosophy of “Powering Brands” and described as media agnostic with an approach of Creative First, IRS+ (www.irsplus.ie) is a dynamic, innovative, centralised media sales and creative marketing bureau, serving independent local and national, broadcast, OOH and digital media channels.
With 21% a collective share of the market, it offers brands a unique opportunity to reach local communities across Ireland through its network of 15 independent radio stations.
Leveraging technology, innovation and exclusive relationships, IRS+ make it easy for clients in finance, retail, grocery, motor and government agencies – to name a few – to maximise their campaign reach.
About the research for “Who Do We Think We Are?” – Methodology
· Fieldwork was conducted in May 2023 through an online survey of n=1,343 adults aged 18+. The sample size of n=1,343 results in a margin of error of +/- 3%
· Quotas were placed on gender, age and social class with weighting applied to ensure final data was representative of these quotas.
· The demographic breakdown of the participant base is similar for Dublin v the rest of the country, so fair comparison of the groups is possible. Rather than a purely nationally representative sample, we recruited a boost sample in Dublin to allow for robust base sizes in the analysis.
· Outside of Dublin however, we have a spread across Munster, Connacht/Ulster and rest of Leinster in line with the respective populations.
