Conor McGregor is taking over the hearts and the minds of the country’s youth, according to a new survey.
The UFC lightweight champion’s shortlisting for RTÉ sportsperson of the year caused a bit of a stir last week, with Éamon Dunphy dismissing the whole affair as a “scheme”.
In defence of the national broadcaster, it would have been crazy to not include McGregor after a 2016 that saw him become the first fighter in UFC to hold two belts simultaneously.
Dunphy hits out at the RTE "scheme" https://t.co/WUtwziK1yO
— SportsJOE (@SportsJOEdotie) December 9, 2016
Dunphy may not place too much stock in the Crumlin native’s achievements but a new survey suggests a nation captivated with his colourful career.
According to the PSG Sport and Sponsorship Sentiment survey Conor McGregor is the country’s most admired sportsperson, garnering 16% of the 1,000 votes – thanks to his massive popularity among 18-34-year-olds, one-third of whom voted for ‘The Notorious’.
Following McGregor was another fighter, Katie Taylor (14%), the Olympic rowers Paul and Gary O’Donovan (8%), Ruby Walsh (5%), Johnny Sexton (5%), Robbie Keane (5%), Rory Best (4%), Rory McIlroy (4%), Jamie Heaslip (3%) and Robbie Brady (3%).
Dundalk’s European odyssey certainly captured the imagination, Stephen Kenny’s men garnering 15% of the votes in the most admired team poll – ahead of the international team (11%) in a year when Martin O’Neill’s men reached the knockout stages of the European Championships.
Both trailed well behind the international rugby team (31%), who recorded wins over South Africa, New Zealand and Australia in 2016.
Despite this result in the team poll, football remains the favourite sport in Ireland (21%) ahead of rugby and Gaelic games on 17%.
