First, a caveat. Long-term research of this nature is most valuable when viewed as part of a broader trend rather than through the lens of a single year.
Some of the headline figures in the latest Irish Sports Monitor, published yesterday, including a slight percentage decline in activity levels and a widening gender participation gap, merit attention; they should be interpreted within the wider context of sustained growth over almost two decades of tracking.
As part of that, if we use these figures to cheer when they are going in the preferred direction of travel, we must be willing to interrogate them with equal vigour when they are not.
The value of the research lies in informing long-term planning, investment, and policy execution, rather than prompting short-term reactions or the conclusion that participation has somehow plateaued.
The absolute numbers are still rising within an expanding overall population. Now that Sport Ireland is a statutory referral body for development and Local Authority planning, these figures and information on activity should prompt the inclusion of sports facilities within developments. How many is a question we need to ask?
With 60,000 housing units needed each year to accommodate 150,000 people, we need to factor sport into the comparable creation of a new Limerick City each year. That’s TUS Gaelic Grounds, Thomond Park, UL Sports Campus, Adare Manor Golf Club, a West Limerick Sports Complex, hundreds of pitches, and perhaps a dozen swimming pools. Every year.
That is the answer if you look at the numbers. This is important.
So let’s dive into the numbers.
Participation Reach
More people than ever before are taking part in sport every week in Ireland. Though the percentage of the population doing so has dipped from 48.6% to 48.4%. The target for 2027, the concluding year of the current National Sports Policy, remains at 50%. It looks a little further today than it did yesterday, but Sport Ireland Chair John Foley said that the early figures for this year are positive, and it is still attainable.
Is that the right number to hang our hat on, though? Well, it is one of them. In absolute terms, more than 2.12 million people are now participating in sport on a weekly basis — the highest number recorded since the research began in 2007. In 2024, that number was 2.09 million. In the first year back after Covid, in 2021, it had dipped to 1.6 million and only 40%. That is a number to celebrate, and also worry about how to serve the clear desire.
Personal exercise continues to drive participation growth, with one in five adults now taking part in activities such as gym work, fitness classes and individual training sessions each week.
Swimming remains the second most popular activity at 8 per cent, followed by running at 7 per cent, both of which have stayed constant and so added real numbers.
Cycling, which has dipped slightly, and weight training stand at 4 per cent each. Gaelic football, soccer, dancing, yoga and pilates all stand at 3 per cent participation, with golf at 2 per cent.
Participation rates across almost every age category have increased significantly since 2017, typically by between five and seven percentage points. The exception is the 16-24 age group, where participation remains high at 70 per cent, broadly in line with the 69 per cent recorded eight years ago.
The report notes that recreational walking has declined by 4 percentage points from 2024, returning to levels more consistent with the pre-pandemic period. That reduction has influenced wider physical activity measures, including a slight fall in the proportion of people classified as highly active and a corresponding increase in sedentary behaviour.
Two out of every five people remain highly active through a combination of sport and recreational walking, while 38 per cent of the population meet national physical activity guidelines through those activities alone, down from 40 per cent in 2024.
We will dive into more of the figures, including those relating to Disability and Gender participation, social participation, including a dip in volunteering and a rise in club membership, the widening gap in socio-economic participation and more over the coming days.
Reactions
Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport, Patrick O’Donovan, said the research continued to provide critical evidence for shaping sports policy and investment.
“Since 2007, the Irish Sports Monitor has been crucial in driving our ambition to get more people active,” he said.
“Today’s findings — showing more people are active in sports than ever before — are a powerful signal that our investment and the work of Sport Ireland and its partners is making a real difference in people’s lives. All of us are committed to making sure that sport is genuinely accessible and meaningful for everyone in Ireland.”
Minister of State for Sport, Charlie McConalogue, highlighted the value of the long-running dataset in guiding decision-making across Irish sport.
“Since it started, the ISM has given the Government, Sport Ireland, National Governing Bodies, and Local Sports Partnerships the evidence needed to make better decisions, target investment more effectively, and build a stronger sports sector,” he said.
“The results highlighted here are a great reflection of the fine work of thousands of clubs, coaches, and volunteers across Ireland. They deserve our thanks.”
The survey also points to areas where further progress remains necessary. The participation gap between men and women widened slightly in 2025 to four percentage points, while the socioeconomic participation gap increased to 22 percentage points, up from 19 in 2024 and 16 in 2017.”
Sport Ireland CEO, Dr Úna May, said the broader direction of travel remained positive.
“These figures tell a positive story — more people in Ireland are active in sport than ever before,” she said.
“When people are active throughout their lives, the benefits extend to their physical health, their mental wellbeing, their social connections, and their communities. At Sport Ireland, we’re committed to extending these benefits to as many people as possible through implementing evidence-based strategies.”
Sport Ireland Chair John Foley said the challenge now was ensuring that participation growth remained sustainable and inclusive.
“The gap in active sports participation between higher and lower socioeconomic groups has widened to 22 points,” he said.
“This trend is a significant challenge and demands a targeted, evidence-based response.”
Sport Ireland Director of Research and Innovation, Benny Cullen, said the research would continue to shape future participation strategies.
“The data shows us where participation is growing, where gaps remain, and where we need to do more,” he said.
“It’ll be important in work towards promoting sport participation and physical activity in society. While much work remains to be done, it is pleasing to see growth in several areas.”
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Image Credit: Sport Ireland and Seb Daly, Inpho.ie
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