Irish Life renews GAA Healthy Clubs partnership through to 2030
Irish Life has renewed its sponsorship of the GAA Healthy Clubs Programme through to 2030, extending a partnership that has already spanned a decade and reinforcing a long-term commitment to community health and wellbeing across Ireland.
The renewed agreement comes as new data from the 2025 Irish Life GAA Healthy Clubs Steps Challenge highlights the programme’s growing social and health impact, with almost 90 per cent of participants reporting a stronger sense of connection to their local community after taking part.
The partnership between Irish Life and the GAA has supported the development of the Healthy Clubs Programme since 2015, positioning GAA clubs as hubs for physical activity, mental wellbeing and social inclusion, well beyond their traditional sporting role.
The 2025 Steps Challenge, a flagship activation within the wider programme, achieved its highest-ever engagement levels. A record 1,100 GAA clubs and 39,000 participants nationwide collectively logged more than seven million kilometres of walking.
Beyond participation figures, the behavioural outcomes were significant. Nine in ten participants said they felt more connected to others on completing the challenge, a 16 per cent increase on the previous year. Participants also increased their average number of active days per week from 4.5 to 5.5, underlining the effectiveness of simple, accessible challenges in driving sustainable changes in activity levels.
Stacey Machesney, Head of Health and Wellbeing at Irish Life, said the renewal reflects the programme’s proven impact at the community level. She pointed to Irish Life’s Health of the Nation research, which shows that 35 per cent of Irish adults fall into ‘fair’ or ‘poor’ health categories, as evidence of the continued need for initiatives that promote everyday movement, stress management and social connection.
GAA President Jarlath Burns described the extension of the partnership as a significant vote of confidence in the organisation’s Community and Health work. He said the Healthy Clubs Programme demonstrates how GAA clubs support people on and off the field, delivering tangible physical and mental health benefits with positive knock-on effects for the communities they serve.
Irish Life CEO Declan Bolger said the decision to extend the sponsorship was grounded in the programme’s measurable outcomes, noting that participants in the Healthy Clubs and Steps Challenge record health scores significantly above the national average.
Irish Life GAA Healthy Clubs ambassador Rory O’Connor highlighted the programme’s role in supporting mental wellbeing and connection, particularly during the winter months, describing it as a powerful way for clubs to bring people together in a supportive, inclusive environment.
Registration is now open for the 2026 Irish Life GAA Healthy Clubs Steps Challenge. The initiative is open to all residents aged 18 and over on the island of Ireland, and participants can track progress through Irish Life’s MyLife app.
The Sport for Business Perspective
We love this partnership and the measurable benefits it has enabled for so many.
From a brand side, the programme provides credible access to communities nationwide, backed by data that demonstrates real improvements in activity levels, wellbeing and social connection. For the GAA, the security of a multi-year commitment allows strategic planning and sustained investment in community health initiatives.
It is a great case study in how sport can act as a scalable platform for preventative health, while giving the sponsors a meaningful role in addressing national challenges, and at the same time promoting their own place within that sphere.
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