Accuracy Research conducted a fully representative survey with 1000 members of the Irish public to gauge the factors that encapsulate our unique sense of Irishness.

1. THIS ISWHATWE’RE MADE OF
04/9/2017

2. • To generate interesting facts and statistics about what it feels like to be Irish in 2017 to
support the GSK communication’s campaign “What we are made of”
• To examine the general public’s perception of living in Ireland in 2017 and if and how it
has changed in the last 10 years
• In particular:
• What characteristics make up the unique Irish personality?
• What events over the last 10 years made people most proud to be Irish?
• Who (ie Irish personalities) best defines what it means to be Irish?
• Who would be the best spokesperson for Ireland?
• What quirky habits best define “being Irish” ?
• We have summarised the key findings for this report in line with the stated objectives and
we have also provided an Appendix with additional detail
Background & Objectives

3. • The survey was conducted using Accuracy’s digital panel of 30,000 + Irish people
• Survey results are based on a sample of 1000 adults 18 years+, quota controlled by
age, gender, household income and region to reflect the Irish population
• All surveys were completed between 1st – 4th September 2017
Methodology

4. 20
51
20
18
49
32
20
27
38
20
26
29
20
29
Age %Gender % Household income % Region %
Male
Female
18-34
35-54
55 +
<20k
21-35k
36-54k
55-88k
88k+
Dublin
Rest of
Leinster
Munster
Conn/Ulster
(Base: All Respondents: 1000)
Sample

5. Key Findings
“We sort through the noise - so you don’t have to”

6. Changing Irish Society
38
39
40
47
56
82
(Base: All Respondents: 1000)
Q1. Thinking about Ireland today as a society in 2017 compared with 10 years ago, are we…
34
50
52
54
76
88More culturally diverse
More open
More confident
More inclusive
More active
More friends focused
Less spiritual
Less community minded
Less locally minded
Less welcoming
Less nationally minded
Less family focused
More Less
(%) (%)
We see ourselves as more open, culturally diverse and confident than before

7. Our Unique Irish Personality
(Base: All Respondents: 1000)
Q2. What is Unique about Our Irish Personality
Punch above our weight
(8%)
Gift of the Gab
(12%)
Begrudging
(10%)
Self-deprecating
(6%)
Tendency to
exaggerate
(8%)Charming
(9%)
Resilient
(10%)
Diplomatic
(5%)
Love the Craic
(20%)
Community /family focused
(13%)
Having a laugh is a central
part of being Irish

8. (Base: All Respondents: 506)
Q3. Which if any of the following events in the last 10 years made you most proud to be Irish?
Events that have made us Proud
(Base: All respondents:1000)
10%
9%
28%
33%
36%
39%
41%
43%
57%Passing of gay marriage referendum in 2015
Visit of President Obama to Ireland in 2011
Irish rugby team winning Grand Slam in 2009
Katie Taylor’s gold medal in 2012 Olympics
1916 Celebrations
Having a second female Irish President
Visit by Queen Elizabeth to Ireland in 2011
Conor McGregor’s fight against Mayweather in 2017
Other
The passing of gay marriage emerges as the event that we are most proud of in the last 10 years

9. (Base: All Respondents: 506)
Q4. Which of the following people best defines what it means to be Irish?
Who defines what it means to be Irish?
(Base: All respondents:1000)
38%
44%
49%
50%
62%Michael D Higgins
Mary Robinson
Seamus Heaney
Paul O’ Connell
Katie Taylor
People who least define what
it means to be “Irish”
• Amy Huberman (12%)
• Miriam O Callaghan (12%)
• Marty Morrissey (16%)
• Conor McGregor (18%)
• Bono (20%)
Michael D Higgins is seen by young and old alike, to embody what it means to be Irish

10. (Base: All Respondents: 506)
Q5. Of the following list of people, which single individual would be the best spokesperson for Ireland?
Best Spokesperson for Ireland?
(Base: All respondents:1000)
Michael
O’ Leary
Brian O’ Driscoll
Miriam O’Callaghan
1st: 18%
2nd: 15%
3rd: 14%
Michael O Leary’s no nonsense style and entrepreneurial spirit assures the Irish public that he is an
ideal spokesperson for Ireland

11. Q6. Which of the following quirky habits best define “being Irish”?
Quirky Irish Habits
(Base: All respondents:1000)
35%
41%
51%
68%
68%Offering a cup of tea to solve any problem
Using the word “grand” as an answer to everything
Taking advantage of the “good drying weather”
Turning on/off the immersion to save electricity
Smuggling sausages, tea and crisps when
travelling abroad
Serving tea as a remedy for all ills and our unconventional use of language marks us out as being Irish

12. • We see ourselves in 2017 as more open, confident and culturally diverse than 10
years ago but at the same time less spiritual, welcoming and community minded
• “Having the craic”, family, community and our gift for story telling remain part of
our DNA and what is unique about our Irish personality
• The passing of the same-sex marriage referendum is a source of pride and a
landmark in Irish consciousness as we pass from “old Ireland” (insular mentality)
to “new Ireland”(open, confident and inclusive)
• Current and past Presidents (Michael D and Mary Robinson) together with
sporting giants like Paul O’ Connell and Katie Taylor best embody what it means
to be Irish in 2017
Summary

13. • Michael O Leary’s ability to cut through red tape and entrepreneurial drive are
attributes that modern Ireland admires and that is why he is viewed as an ideal
spokesperson for Ireland
• Although confident, open and culturally diverse, we would not be ourselves
were it not for our quirks and idiosyncrasies, in particular…..
• Our penchant for seeking solace in a single cup of tea as a remedy for life’s
“slings and arrows”
• Our eccentric use of the word “grand” as a descriptor for almost everything
• Our entrepreneurial and resilient sprit to use nature’s elements to our
advantage
And our willingness to go to great lengths to bring part of Ireland with us in
little creature comforts such as smuggled sausages, tea and crisps
Summary

14. Appendix
“We sort through the noise - so you don’t have to”

15. Changing Irish Society
Base all respondents
1000
More Less Same
Culturally Diverse 88% 6% 6%
Open as a Society 76% 16% 7%
Confident 54% 28% 19%
Inclusive 52% 30% 17%
Active 50% 35% 15%
Friends Focused 34% 26% 40%
Welcoming 31% 40% 28%
Family Focused 31% 38% 32%
Nationally Minded 30% 39% 31%
Locally minded 29% 47% 24%
Community Minded 24% 56% 20%
Spiritual 8% 82% 9%
Q1. Thinking about Ireland today as a society in 2017 compared with 10 years ago, are we…

16. Changing Irish Society
Base all respondents
1000
Total Male Female Dublin ROL Munster Conn/Ulster
Love the Craic 20% 19% 21% 21% 19% 20% 20%
Community/
Family Focused
13% 11% 14% 11%* 13% 15% 11%*
Gift of the gab 12% 11% 13% 10%* 13% 12% 12%
Resilient 10% 9% 11% 10% 10% 10% 11%
Begrudging 10% 11% 10% 10% 10% 10% 11%
Charming 9% 10% 9% 10% 9% 10% 10%
Tendency to exaggerate 8% 9% 7% 9% 8% 7% 8%
Punch above our weight 8% 10% 6% 7% 9% 8% 8%
Self Deprecating 6% 6% 6% 7% 6% 6% 6%
Diplomatic 5% 6% 4% 5% 5% 5% 4%
Q2. What is Unique about our Irish personality
Note all % are rounded up or down to the nearest whole number

17. Changing Irish Society
Base all respondents
1000
Total Male Female Dublin ROL Munster Conn/Ulster
The passing of the gay
marriage referendum
57% 45% 68% 59% 57% 54% 57%
The Irish Rugby team
winning the grand slam
43% 44% 42% 42% 47% 41% 43%
Katie Taylor winning gold
in the Olympics
41% 38% 44% 35%* 47% 42% 41%
1916 celebrations 39% 39% 40% 39% 43% 39% 34%*
Having a 2nd female
President
36% 24% 47% 35% 35% 37% 37%
Visit by Queen Elizabeth II 33% 31% 34% 30% 34% 33% 33%
Visit by Barack Obama 28% 26% 29% 23% 29% 30% 27%
Conor McGregor’s fight
with Floyd Mayweather
9% 7% 11% 10% 9% 9% 11%
Q3. Which if any of the following events in the last 10 years made you most proud to be Irish?
Notes significance
Irish women take more pride than men in the passing of the same-sex marriage referendum,
Katie Taylor’s gold medal win and in Ireland securing a 2nd female Irish President in the last 10 years

18. Who defines what it means to be Irish?
Base : 906: all who selected a
candidate from the list
Ranked Ranked
Michael D Higgins 62% Gay Byrne 28%
Mary Robinson 50% Imelda May 26%
Seamus Heaney 49% Michael O Leary 23%
Paul O Connell 44% Bono 20%
Katie Taylor 38% Conor McGregor 18%
Brian O Driscoll 37% Marty Morrissey 16%
Dara O Briain 33% Miriam o Callaghan 12%
Maeve Binchy 31% Amy Huberman 12%
Q4. Which of the following people best defines what it means to be Irish?
*Note: respondents (94) who did not opt for a candidate from the list are excluded from the analysis

19. Base all respondents
1000 (top 8)
Total Male Female Dublin ROL Munster Conn/Ulster
Michael D Higgins 62% 58% 66% 66% 57%* 61% 68%
Mary Robinson 50% 44% 55% 50% 52% 46% 53%
Seamus Heaney 49% 47% 51% 49% 51% 48% 50%
Paul O Connell 44% 50% 39% 40% 48% 46% 42%
Katie Taylor 38% 33% 43% 33%* 49% 36%* 34%*
Brian O Driscoll 37% 36% 37% 35%* 47% 30%* 35%*
Dara O Briain 33% 32% 33% 35% 30% 32% 33%
Maeve Binchy 31% 23% 38% 31%* 42% 26%* 22%*
Q4. Which of the following people best defines what it means to be Irish?
Notes
significance
Who defines what it means to be Irish?
More Irish women than men see Michael D and Mary Robinson as best defining what it
means to be Irish. While more men see Paul O’ Connell as embodying our Irish character

20. Best Spokesperson for Ireland?
Base: All Respondents (1000) Ranked
Michael O Leary 18%
Brian O Driscoll 15%
Miriam O Callaghan 14%
Blindboy Boat Club 9%
Saoirse Ronan 8%
Bono 6%
Roy Keane 5%
Dustin the Turkey 4%
Imelda May 4%
Packie Bonner 3%
Larry Gogan 3%
Conor McGregor 2%
Ruby Walsh 2%
Marian Keyes 2%
Michael Healy Rae 2%
Katherine Lynch 1%
Q5. Of the following list of people,
which single individual would be
the best spokesperson for Ireland?

21. Base all respondents
1000 (top 6)
Total Male Female Dublin ROL Munster Conn/Ulster
Offering a cup of tea to
solve any problem
68% 58% 77% 62%* 74% 68% 69%
Using the word “grand” 68% 63% 74% 67% 73% 68% 64%*
Taking advantage of
“good drying weather”
51% 41% 60% 39%* 55% 54% 58%
Turning on and off the
immersion
41% 35% 46% 37% 42% 42% 43%
Smuggling sausages, tea
and crisps when travelling
abroad
35% 30% 41% 36% 39% 33% 32%
Notes
significance
Q6. Which of the following quirky habits best define “being Irish”?
Quirky Irish Habits
In particular Irish women are quick to acknowledge our quirky habits such as offering a
cup of tea as a cure for all ills, using the word “grand” as an answer to everything and
turning on and off the immersion to save on heating bills
While those of us living outside of Dublin are more likely to acknowledge our tenacity in
taking advantage of “good drying weather”