The Ladies Gaelic Football Association has announced AirNav Ireland as the new title sponsor of the All-Ireland U-16 Championships, marking the first time the competitions have had a dedicated sponsor.
The three-year partnership will run from 2026 to 2028 and gives AirNav Ireland naming rights to the All-Ireland U-16 Championships across the A, B and C grades.
The announcement comes as 12 counties prepare for the 2026 AirNav Ireland All-Ireland U-16 semi-finals, which will be played across Wednesday, June 24 and Thursday, June 25.
The C semi-finals will take place on Wednesday, with Derry facing Leitrim and Clare meeting Wicklow.
The following evening will see the A and B semi-finals take centre stage. In the B grade, Armagh will play Roscommon, while Tipperary will take on Laois. In the A grade, Cavan face Galway and Cork go up against Kildare.
The 2026 AirNav Ireland All-Ireland U-16 finals are scheduled for Tuesday, July 14 for the C Championship, and Wednesday, July 15 for the A and B finals.
The arrival of AirNav Ireland brings a fresh profile to a competition that has long been a key staging post in the development of young players within Ladies Gaelic Football.
AirNav Ireland is the country’s air navigation service provider, responsible for the safe, efficient and sustainable management of air traffic across Irish-controlled airspace.
The company supports hundreds of thousands of flights each year, connecting people, businesses and communities across Ireland, Europe and beyond. It says its work keeps more than 160 million passengers safe annually, the equivalent of filling more than five Croke Parks every day.
Its teams of air traffic controllers, engineers and aviation specialists operate in a high-performance environment where focus, teamwork, communication and sound decision-making are central every minute of the day.
Those qualities are strongly aligned with those required of young players competing at All-Ireland level, making the partnership a natural fit across performance, opportunity and role modelling.
AirNav Ireland is guided by its SKIES values: safety, people, integrity, environment and service excellence. Through the new partnership, the company will use the platform to support participation and opportunity for young women and girls in communities across Ireland.
“On behalf of the LGFA, I am delighted to welcome AirNav Ireland as the new sponsor of our All-Ireland U-16 Championships,” said Trina Murray, President of the Ladies Gaelic Football Association.
“This partnership represents a significant investment in the future of Ladies Gaelic Football and will help us continue providing meaningful opportunities for young players to develop, compete and thrive.
“We greatly appreciate AirNav Ireland’s commitment to supporting grassroots sport and empowering the next generation. As excitement builds ahead of the semi-finals, I want to wish all competing counties the very best of luck. Enjoy the occasion, play with pride, and create lasting memories for your teams and supporters alike.”
Rachel Martin, AirNav Ireland’s Head of Corporate Affairs and Sustainability, said the sponsorship also gives the company an opportunity to raise awareness of future careers in aviation among young women.
“This sponsorship provides an opportunity to raise awareness among young women of the skills and career opportunities available in air traffic management,” she said.
“Many of the qualities demonstrated by the players competing in these competitions, including teamwork, concentration, decision-making and communication, are also essential for air traffic controllers.
“These professionals play a vital role in managing aircraft flying through Irish airspace and Irish airports. By increasing awareness of the air traffic control profession, we hope to encourage many of the participants to explore these rewarding career opportunities.”
The partnership is a notable addition to the LGFA’s commercial portfolio and another example of a brand looking to connect with sport at the point where participation, performance and future ambition meet.
For AirNav Ireland, it is also a platform to tell a broader story about skills, leadership and careers in an area of national infrastructure that may now become more visible to the young players taking the field under its name.
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Image Credit: LGFA and Sportsfile.com
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