The Federation of Irish Sport Industry Awards will be presented on Tuesday, May 19th, in Dublin city centre. You can see all the shortlisted finalists here, and in the run-up to the Awards night, Sport for Business will feature a selection of the awards to highlight the businesses and projects that have been shortlisted.
Rob Hartnett of Sport for Business was one of the judges who gathered last week to determine the shortlists and the winners, but nothing should be read into these reviews of the shortlisted companies, all of which are leading examples of how sport’s impact is continually expanding in areas of business, social impact and participation.
Wednesday: Best New Sports Business
Thursday: Best Sports Business
Monday: Best Initiatives to Promote Disability, Women in Sport and Physical Activity, Inclusion and Sustainability
Tuesday: Best Use of Communications Platform in Sport and Best Commercial Partnership in Sport
Wednesday: The Winners Revealed
Best Initiatives to Promote Disability in Sport and Physical Activity
Special Olympics – Transforming Lives Through Sport
Special Olympics Ireland continues to use sport as a powerful tool for empowerment, inclusion and confidence-building for athletes with intellectual disabilities, creating life-changing opportunities both on and off the field of play.
Kildare Local Sports Partnership – The Kildare Inclusivity Festival
The Inclusivity Festival brings together people of all abilities through accessible sporting experiences designed to remove barriers to participation and create welcoming community environments.
Swim Ireland – Swim Access Project
Swim Ireland’s project focuses on improving accessibility in aquatics, helping swimmers with disabilities access facilities, coaching and participation opportunities in a safe and supportive setting.
Golf Ireland – Golf4All
Golf4All is designed to make golf more accessible to participants with disabilities through inclusive coaching, adaptive opportunities and club-level support aimed at broadening participation across the sport.
Liquid Therapy – Making Waves Project
Liquid Therapy uses surfing and water-based activities to support young people with additional needs, particularly autism, promoting wellbeing, confidence and social connection through the therapeutic power of the ocean.
Best Initiatives to Promote Women in Sport and Physical Activity
Boxing Ireland – LEAP Programme
The LEAP Programme is designed to support and empower women and girls within boxing through leadership, engagement and participation pathways across clubs and communities.
Canoeing Ireland – Bridging the Gap
Canoeing Ireland’s initiative focuses on increasing female participation and retention in paddlesports by addressing barriers and creating more supportive development pathways for women.
Athletics Ireland – Girls Squad Programme
The Girls Squad Programme aims to keep teenage girls involved in athletics through targeted coaching, peer support, and confidence-building initiatives during a key age of drop-off in participation.
Tennis Ireland – Women in Tennis Programme
Tennis Ireland’s programme promotes greater female representation across coaching, officiating, volunteering and participation, helping create stronger pathways for women throughout the sport.
Longford Sports Partnership – Roma Women CVICINES & SASTO Sport & Health Inclusion Pilot
This innovative project works directly with Roma women to promote physical activity, health awareness and community engagement through culturally supportive and inclusive sporting opportunities.
Best Initiatives to Promote Diversity, Equality and Inclusion in Sport and Physical Activity
Laois Sports Partnership – Outdoor Survivalist Camps
These camps provide inclusive outdoor activity experiences for young people from diverse backgrounds, helping build resilience, confidence and social inclusion through adventure and teamwork.
Irish Sailing – Watersports Inclusion Games
Irish Sailing’s programme creates opportunities for participants of all backgrounds and abilities to engage in sailing and watersports, showcasing accessibility and inclusion within marine sport.
Virgin Media, PHD M & Diageo Ireland – Audio Description, Irish Sign Language and Inclusive Production
This initiative has enhanced accessibility in sports broadcasting through audio description, Irish Sign Language integration and more inclusive production standards, improving access for audiences with visual and hearing impairments.
Wicklow Sports & Recreation Partnership & Trail Criú – Building Inclusive Communities Through Trail Running
This partnership uses trail running as a platform to foster social inclusion, community connection and participation among people from varied backgrounds and experience levels.
Best Initiatives to Promote Sustainability in Sport and Physical Activity
Golf Ireland – Drive The Green
Golf Ireland’s “Drive The Green” strategy has positioned the sport as a leader in environmental responsibility, encouraging clubs nationwide to adopt more sustainable practices around biodiversity, energy use, water conservation and long-term environmental planning.
GAA – Green Club Programme
The GAA Green Club Programme supports clubs across Ireland in implementing practical sustainability measures focused on energy, waste, water, biodiversity and transport. The initiative has grown into one of the largest community climate-action projects in Irish sport.
Munster Rugby – A Different Approach to Impact
Munster Rugby’s shortlisted project recognises the province’s broader social and environmental role, focusing on sustainable impact through community engagement, operational responsibility and long-term environmental awareness initiatives.
Clare Local Development Company – LEADER, SICAP and Rural Recreation
This initiative demonstrates how rural recreation and outdoor activity can support sustainable community development, combining sport, tourism, recreation and local environmental stewardship across County Clare.
The Awards will be presented at a special ceremony in Dublin on Tuesday, November 19th.
Almost all of the organisations whose content we have featured here are full members of Sport for Business.
If you would like to be part of the Sport for Business community and see your organisation in our content, on our stages, and in the conversation happening every day around the commercial world of Irish Sport, email us today and let’s see what is possible.
Image Credit: Sport for Business
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