Rugby League Ireland announced today (Tuesday April 14th 2015) the title sponsorship by McGettigan’s for the 2015 season. This exclusive sponsorship agreement sees the McGettigan’s branding across all the teams involved in rugby league in Ireland from the domestic clubs, schools, students, State of Origin, wheelchair and Senior teams. It also sees rugby league coming to the Carlisle Grounds in Bray where the Student 4 Nations will be held at the historic stadium.
Speaking on the announcement, Rugby League Ireland director Richard Egan said “RLI are delighted to announce McGettigan’s as our title sponsor and we are thrilled with the opportunities that this presents us in our development of the game of rugby league in Ireland. McGettigan’s is a company that is expanding around the world and is at an exciting time in its growth and we look forward to this relationship developing into the future and thank Dennis and the team for the support they are showing us. There are also parallels between RLI and McGettigan’s. Rugby League was first played in Dublin around the time that Jim McGettigan opened his first bar in Dublin and now in 2015 both McGettigan’s and RLI are in growth phases and looking to the future. McGettigan’s is an organisation that supports sport and Irish sports people and we are delighted with this partnership and look forward to both bringing rugby league to Bray and representing the McGettigan’s brand across the rugby league community.”
Dennis McGettigan’s, CEO of McGettigan’s added “We are extremely excited to team up with Rugby League Ireland. Sport is a massive part of what we do at McGettigan’s. Having the McGettigan’s logo of the Irish team kits is something we are very proud of! We hope this is the start of a long and wonderful relationship with RLI
The 2015 McGettigan’s All Ireland league will start on the 9th May with the McGettigan’s 9’s tournament and then the McGettigan’s Ulster, Leinster and Munster championships start the following week culminating in the All Ireland final on the 1st August. Bray will host the Student 4 Nations from 14-19th June with teams from England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales competing in the annual student event which has seen stars of the future born. The Royal Hotel Bray will host all teams and the games will take place in the Carlisle Grounds on the Sunday, Tuesday and Friday of that week. Following the domestic season will be the McGettigan’s State Of Origin where the Republic of Ireland Eagles will be looking to retain their title against the Northern Ireland Elks. A Leinster venue will host the game on August the 8th with the return fixture in Northern Ireland the following week. Following these game, the Senior team will play international fixtures. Ireland will see the development of the game and our best domestic talent take a new start when we take on other developing nations both in Ireland and on trips to nations around Europe and this will be followed in November when the European Championship group A resumes and Ireland look to go one better than 2014 and look to win the competition.
About McGettigans –
McGettigan’s Pub was first opened in Ireland in the 1960’s on Queen Street in Dublin by Jim McGettigan. Since that day, the business has grown from Dublin, moved to Dubai and Abu Dhabi and come back home to Donegal and soon Limerick.
2010 saw the very first McGettigan’s Irish Pub open its doors in Dubai at Jumeirah Lakes Towers. Eighteen short months later, the McGettigan’s story in Dubai expanded with the opening of both McGettigan’s Irish Pubs at Dubai World Trade Centre and Dubai International Airport.
Unique décor, delicious Irish food & drink, the best Irish and international entertainment and sporting events are the ingredients that have made McGettigan’s Irish Pubs such a success in the United Arab Emirates.
McGettigan’s in Jumeirah Lakes Towers had an explosive first eighteen months. It hosted major live sporting events, and featured concerts and gigs from the likes of Jason Byrne, The Coronas, Paddy Casey, Damian Dempsey, Mundy and Paul Brady. It also staged a Christmas sellout performance from multiplatinum selling UK boy band East 17.
CEO of the Bonnington and McGettigan group, Dennis McGettigan, said “It’s all about excellent food, beverages, service, entertainment and sport, mixed in with interactive feedback with our customers through social media”.
McGettigan’s proudly wears the tagline “The Modern Irish Experience”, as it reflects modern Irish food, culture, sports and music. The brand is steeped in Irish family history and is using this history and experience to bring a real flavour of Ireland to a global market.
In November 2013, McGettigan’s moved back home to the place where it all started for founder of the business, Jim McGettigan, as the award winning pub opens in Letterkenny, County Donegal.
Jim and Dennis McGettigan see this as an extremely exciting development for the brand. Speaking about the move back to Ireland, Dennis McGettigan said, “Over the past 3 years we feel we have represented Ireland fantastically in Dubai, we have promoted Irish music, culture and cuisine to the global Ex-Pat community in Dubai. Moving back home and investing in the area where it all started for my father is an extremely proud development for us as a family.”
McGettigan’s is expanding globally now as a brand and only recently opened the doors for the very first time in Abu Dhabi. McGettigan’s at the Al Raha Beach Hotel in Abu Dhabi has become an instant hit with local ex-pats and saw over 900 guests arriving to the launch night on May 8th 2014. Dennis McGettigan saw the demand for the pub in Abu Dhabi as a result of speaking with guests in the Dubai pubs who told him that they happily make the journey from Abu Dhabi to Dubai by taxi, simply to have a pint of the black stuff! That taxi journey from Abu Dhabi to Dubai can take up to 1 hour, so this gives you an idea of the demand to sample the McGettigan’s experience.
In June 2014, McGettigan’s opened a brand new pub in Limerick, Ireland. The new pub opened at the Limerick City Hotel on Lower Mallow Street in the heart of Limerick’s bustling city centre.
In total, there are 9 McGettigan’s Pubs in Europe, the Middle East and Southeast Asia located in Dublin, Letterkenny, Limerick, Singapore, Abu Dhabi, Fujairah and 3 in Dubai at Jumeirah Lakes Towers, Dubai World Trade Centre and Dubai International Airport. The very first McGettigan’s in America is due to open in New York City in May, and a another pub will open in Galway in June.
In total the McGettigan’s pub group employs over 250 staff members and with further expansion planned for 2014 and 2015, this figure is set to increase massively.
McGettigan’s – proud history, bright future
