With close to 11,000 posts and over 4 million engagements, Olytico’s Sport for Business analysis for September 2024 showcases the best of social media from Irish Sport.
The analysis includes more Irish Paralympic success in Paris, victory for the Irish Women’s Rugby team against New Zealand, ODI success for Cricket Ireland’s teams, and a record-breaking appearance for a Leinster legend, to name just a few of the highlights.
We reflect on excellent months for the League of Ireland and Paralympics Ireland accounts, see the results of and the best of ‘Irish Twitter’, and highlight the power of collaborations on Instagram.
X Analysis – Monday
Facebook Analysis – Tuesday
Instagram Analysis – Wednesday
TikTok Analysis – Thursday
In the infographics below, we have ranked each of the organisations across a range of metrics on each network, including the most active, the most engaged with, and the most engaging content as well as engagements per 1,000 followers where possible.
It is important to note that this analysis is based on publicly available data. It does not include any analysis or insight on paid or promoted content. When % figures are used (unless otherwise stated), they refer to the previous month’s figures.
We are also looking to engage with each social media manager responsible for the accounts so that we can plan for the next stage in developing this ever-popular monthly look at what is happening.
September 2024 Highlights on X
Activity on X fell 19% to 4,676 posts, and engagements on the platform decreased 52% to 269,243 versus August.
This is due to twenty-five of the accounts analysed posting less than the previous month, including Team Ireland and Athletics Ireland post-Olympics.
The League of Ireland topped the X activity charts with 654 posts (-16%) as Cork City were crowned 2024 SSE Airtricity Men’s First Division Champions. In second, Dublin GAA (405, +7%) took fans back to 2011 and a memorable Stephen Cluxton point, and in third, Ulster Rugby (287, -1%) remembered Nevin Spence.
Your 2024 SSE Airtricity Men’s First Division champions 🏆#LOI | @CorkCityFC pic.twitter.com/5ZvbBm8EAL
— League of Ireland (@LeagueofIreland) September 6, 2024
On This Day in 2011… 💙#UpTheDubs pic.twitter.com/H9HCoLa1UF
— Dublin GAA (@DubGAAOfficial) September 18, 2024
As long as Ulster Rugby exists, the person and the player, Nevin Spence will never be forgotten 🤍#AlwaysWithUs pic.twitter.com/y1spzAB18w
— Ulster Rugby (@UlsterRugby) September 15, 2024
Irish Squash (16, +433%) are asking for support to send a team to the 2024 World Team Squash Championships in December, and Vision Sports Ireland (35, +75%) celebrated Silver for Katie-George Dunlevy and Eve McCrystal in the Women’s B 3000m Individual Pursuit at the Paralympics.
Support Team Ireland at the 2024 World Team Squash Championships! 📣
Please donate, share the GoFundMe page here below, and spread the word to help them reach Hong Kong 💪🍀
🔗 https://t.co/hg8UYZnP3L pic.twitter.com/T3NfXXC4xk
— Squash Ireland (@Squash_Ireland) September 18, 2024
Silver for Katie-George Dunlevy and Eve McCrystal in the Women’s B 3000m Individual Pursuit🥈
After facing so much adversity over the past weeks and months, what a result from our girls. 🇮🇪☘️@ParalympicsIRE | @CyclingIreland | @Vision_Irl | @sportireland | #VisionSportsIRE pic.twitter.com/sZ4ZKa6ckh
— Vision Sports Ireland (@visionsportsirl) September 1, 2024
Ireland Football topped the X engagement charts with an average of 434 engagements per post (+47%) as Aisling Meehan came on for the WU17 at half-time against Portugal and scored a 13-minute hat-trick (link). In second, Paralympics Ireland (212, +37%) celebrated Orla Comerford’s Bronze, her first Paralympic medal, and in third, Irish Rugby (163, +208%) celebrated an epic win for the Women as they beat the New Zealand Black Ferns in the WXV1 tournament in Vancouver.
When you come on at HT & score a 13 minute hat-trick 🤯😎🇮🇪
Aisling Meehan take a bow 👏
What a win for our WU17 against Portugal this afternoon 💚☘️ pic.twitter.com/tZ1J0AC9ZW
— Ireland Football ⚽️🇮🇪 (@IrelandFootball) September 5, 2024
BRONZE FOR ORLA COMERFORD!
Her first Paralympic Medal! 🥉#TheNextLevel | #TeamIreland | #Paris2024 pic.twitter.com/ncS4YQNlWS
— Paralympics Ireland (@ParalympicsIRE) September 3, 2024
AN EPIC WIN! 💚#IrishRugby pic.twitter.com/Qzi0BoUt5k
— Irish Rugby (@IrishRugby) September 30, 2024
Special mentions to Leinster Rugby (97, +234%) as they bought us this behind-the-scenes footage of Devin Toner presenting Cian Healy with his record-breaking Leinster cap; to Cricket Ireland (59, +211%) as they made history in Abu Dhabi by beating South Africa for the first time in a T20 International; and to the BKT URC (56, +211%) as Scarlets scored a quick-fire try 14 seconds into their match against Cardiff.
“I couldn’t be happier that a more deserving person is breaking my record.” 🤝
Devin Toner presents Cian Healy with his record breaking cap. 🧢💙#LEIvDRA #FromTheGroundUp pic.twitter.com/MJ3oqWeRwl
— Leinster Rugby (@leinsterrugby) September 27, 2024
HISTORY IN ABU DHABI! 🇦🇪
We’ve beaten South Africa for the first time in T20Is!!!#IREvSA #BackingGreen pic.twitter.com/i62XqeKpPe
— Cricket Ireland (@cricketireland) September 29, 2024
🤯 14 SECONDS IN!
It’s a PERFECT start for @scarlets_rugby as Macs Page races away from the opening kick-off! 💨#BKTURC #URC | #SCAvCAR pic.twitter.com/KvU8e62zCE
— BKT United Rugby Championship (URC) (@URCOfficial) September 28, 2024
Paralympics Ireland (1,120) topped the average engagements per 1,000 followers metric as Dunlevy and Kelly won Gold in Paris.
GOLD FOR DUNLEVY AND KELLY! 🥇🥇#TheNextLevel | #Paris2024 | #TeamIreland pic.twitter.com/ACGZIKg5HX
— Paralympics Ireland (@ParalympicsIRE) September 4, 2024
The most engaged with content on X in September came from the Ireland Football account, as they announced Declan Rice had opened the scoring for England – the post has had over 20,000 likes to date and highlights the brilliance of ‘Irish Twitter’ (for reference their second most engaged with post was the update on Jack Grealish’s goal with over 9,000 public engagements).
12′ | Declan Rice opens the scoring for England
— Ireland Football ⚽️🇮🇪 (@IrelandFootball) September 7, 2024
X Analysis – Monday
Facebook Analysis – Tuesday
Instagram Analysis – Wednesday
TikTok Analysis – Thursday
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