Rallying call from Irish sports stars to nation to Unite by Staying Apart

Sporting icons support national efforts to combat COVID-19 in new video campaign

Sixteen of Ireland’s most iconic sports stars have joined forces to send a video message to the nation as our country continues to tackle the COVID-19 challenge. 

The message is a rousing, rallying call to the Irish people to come together as a nation and adhere to the HSE and government guidelines on staying at home and social distancing, as we try to slow the spread of the COVID-19 virus in our communities.

In the powerful and emotive video, the stars plead with the Irish people to Unite by Staying Apart, while paying tribute to our medical practitioners, doctors and nurses on the frontline as the real heroes of our time.

The video launched across multiple social media platforms at 4pm on Tuesday, 31st March, 2020.

The video features the following 16 Irish sports people:

  • Bernard Brogan (All-Ireland football winner with Dublin)
  • Joe Canning (All-Ireland hurling winner with Galway)
  • Seamus Coleman (Irish football captain)
  • Colm Cooper (All-Ireland football winner with Kerry)
  • Pádraig Harrington (2020 Ryder Cup captain & 3-time Major winner)
  • Robbie Keane (former Irish football captain)
  • Shane Lowry (The 2019 Open Champion)
  • Kate McCabe (Irish women’s football captain)
  • Paul McGrath (former Irish footballer)
  • Katie Mullan (Irish women’s hockey captain)
  • Annalise Murphy (Irish Olympic athlete)
  • Paul O’Connell (former Irish rugby captain)
  • Brian O’Driscoll (former Irish rugby captain)
  • Peter O’Mahony (Munster captain & Irish rugby player)
  • Derval O’Rourke (former Irish Olympic athlete)
  • Henry Shefflin (All-Ireland hurling winner with Kilkenny)

The campaign video was curated and produced by Conor Ridge (Horizon Sports Management) and Irish film director Ross Whitaker (Katie; Shane Lowry – Open; The Boys in Green) with the objective of re-enforcing the important role each Irish person can play in stemming the spread of COVID-19 while sending a passionate message of solidarity and hope to the people of Ireland through some of our most iconic sportspeople.

Please feel free to share the video on websites and social media platforms, using the hashtag #UniteByStayingApart