Sport has long been one of the most effective and understated tools of soft power, offering countries a way to project values, build relationships and deepen mutual understanding beyond the reach of formal diplomacy.
Its influence lies not in coercion, but in attraction: shared experiences, emotional connection and a sense of fair competition that transcends borders.
Ireland will take on the Presidency of the European Union in the second half of this year but the preparation for that began a long time ago and is evidenced today by Minister Patrick O’Donovan’s engagement with France this week, built around France Vs Ireland in the Guinness Six Nations in Paris tonight.
The game sits naturally alongside culture, heritage and technology as a pillar of Ireland’s international outreach.
There is a reception at the Embassy of Ireland, hosted with the Irish Rugby Football Union and the Fédération Française de Rugby, celebrating more than a century of rugby rivalry between the two countries.
The unveiling of a new France-Ireland Solidarity Trophy is also taking place. Jointly conceived by both unions, the trophy symbolises partnership off the field and spirited competition on it. The projection of images from the Centre Culturel Irlandais’s Rugby World Cup exhibition reinforces how sport can be woven into broader cultural storytelling, linking athletic endeavour with history, art and shared memory.
Minister O’Donovan’s programme also includes visits to Notre Dame and the Basilica of Saint-Denis, landmarks that speak to European heritage and collective responsibility.
He will meet with French counterparts, including Rachida Dati and Anne Le Hénanff, and will address contemporary issues such as online safety and the responsible use of emerging technologies. Against this backdrop, sport acts as a trusted entry point — an area of established goodwill that creates space for deeper policy dialogue.
Crucially, sporting relationships endure beyond electoral cycles or shifting political priorities. The Franco-Irish rugby connection has survived wars, economic upheaval and social change, precisely because it is rooted in people-to-people contact: players, supporters, volunteers and communities.
That longevity gives sport a credibility that formal diplomacy sometimes lacks, allowing governments to engage with authenticity and warmth.
For Ireland, a country whose global reputation is built as much if not more on culture and community as on economic strength, sport is a natural soft-power asset.
Our use of sport as a strategic tool for global engagement took a step forward in November as the Government hosted a landmark International Sports Diplomacy Conference at the Sport Ireland Campus.
Image Credit: Inpho.ie
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