As part of Women in Sport Week, Sport Ireland hosted the Same Energy- Same Visibility event at the Sport Ireland Campus, bringing together athletes, media representatives and sporting organisations to discuss the progress of women in sport and the work still to be done. Irish Sailing was proud to attend and support the initiative.
Paralympic champion swimmer Ellen Keane hosted the event, speaking passionately about advocacy for both women and athletes with disabilities in sport. Chairperson of Sport Ireland John Foley highlighted the importance of celebrating progress while continuing to push for greater visibility. He noted that currently only 18% of Irish sports media coverage focuses on women’s sport, with 75% of coverage concentrated on just five sports, underlining the need to broaden representation across the sporting landscape.
Nora Stapleton presented new research examining coverage of women’s sport across newspapers, radio, television and online media. The report found that women’s sport accounts for 18% of sports news coverage and 22% of radio sports programming, while also highlighting the importance of diversity in sports media. Female journalists, the analysis found, are more likely to cover women’s sport.
A highlight of the event was a fireside chat between Erin King and Keane. King spoke about leadership, the power of role models and the growing role of social media in helping athletes connect directly with supporters and build momentum behind major competitions.
The event concluded with a panel discussion featuring media and sporting representatives who reflected on the progress made in recent years while emphasising the continued importance of visibility, partnerships and storytelling in growing women’s sport.
Irish Sailing continues to advocate for women and girls in sailing through its Women on the Water initiatives. Across clubs and training centres nationwide, programmes such as Women in the Lead, She Sails, Take the Helm and Grassroots are helping to create stronger pathways for female participation and leadership.
This progress was reflected at the recent Irish Sailing Awards, where six of the eleven individual awards were presented to women. Role models such as Eve McMahon, currently ranked world number one, continue to inspire the next generation by demonstrating what can be achieved on the international stage.
Irish Sailing extends best wishes to all members of the sailing community- and the wider sporting community- on International Women’s Day, celebrating the achievements of women in sport and continuing the momentum toward greater visibility and opportunity for all.