BRIEF REPORT Children’s awareness of alcohol sponsorship of sport in Ireland: Munster Rugby and the 2008 European Rugby Cup Frank Houghton • Lisa Scott • Sharon Houghton • Christopher Alan Lewis Received: 12 January 2014 / Revised: 27 April 2014 / Accepted: 8 May 2014 / Published online: 6 June 2014 Ó Swiss School of Public Health 2014 Abstract Objectives Examined children’s awareness of sport sponsorship in Ireland, focussing on the 2008 European Rugby Cup win by Munster Rugby. Methods Following the Munster Rugby win in 2008, a cross-sectional sample of 1,175 children (7–13 years) in 11 National Schools in Ireland were asked which company sponsored ‘‘the cup that Munster won’’ and were then asked to name the product made by that company. Results Significantly higher level of awareness of the sponsor by children in Munster (69.9 %) to those outside Munster (21.5 %). No significant difference in the level of awareness of their product (alcohol) by location (inside Munster 75.9 %, outside Munster 83.6 %). Conclusions These findings support the view for an immediate introduction of legislation banning the spon- sorship of sport. Keywords Alcohol Á Children Á Sponsorship Á Sport Á Ireland Introduction The adverse impact of alcohol is well known (Anderson and Baumberg 2006; Anderson et al. 2012; Babor et al. 2003; Department of Health 2012). The threat posed by alcohol use in Ireland is particularly problematic (Depart- ment of Health 2012; Lyons et al. 2011; Martin et al. 2010, 2011; Mongan 2010; Mongan et al. 2009). Ireland has one of the highest rates of alcohol consumption in Europe (Anderson and Baumberg 2006; Butler 2006; OECD 2011), with the Irish spending more of their income on alcohol than any other Europeans (Anderson and Baumberg 2006; TNS Opinion and Social 2010). Binge drinking and harmful drinking patterns remain a notable problem in Ireland (Morgan et al. 2009; TNS Opinion and Social 2010). Dangerous alcohol consumption patterns in Ireland result in corresponding high levels of self-harm (National Suicide Research Foundation 2011), accident and emer- gency presentations (28 % of injuries: Hope 2008), and acute bed occupancy (2,000 beds every night: Department of Health 2012). Estimates for the year 2007 put the costs of alcohol-related healthcare, crime, lost economic output, and road traffic incidents at €1.2 billion, €1.19 billion, €527 million, and €530 million, respectively (Byrne 2011). In response to the threat posed by alcohol the Steering Group on a National Substance Misuse Strategy concluded that ‘‘the burden of health harms and the social conse- quences of harmful use of alcohol demanded the implementation of further measures to protect and preserve public health’’ (Department of Health 2012). One of the most controversial proposals made by the steering group is a ban on all alcohol sponsorship of both sporting and large outdoor events, as well as a ban on outdoor advertising of alcohol (Department of Health 2012). This proposal echoes an earlier statement by the Joint Committee on Tourism, F. Houghton (&) Á L. Scott Department of Humanities, Limerick Institute of Technology, Moylish, Co Limerick, Republic of Ireland e-mail: Frank.Houghton@LIT.ie S. Houghton Department of Psychology, University of Limerick, Limerick, Republic of Ireland C. A. Lewis Department of Psychology, Institute for Health, Medical Sciences and Society, Glyndw ˆ r University, Plas Coch Campus, Mold Road, Wrexham, Wales LL11 2AW, UK Int J Public Health (2014) 59:829–832 DOI 10.1007/s00038-014-0568-4 123