From left: Comedian Alison Spittle, psychologist Enda McNulty, SSE Airtricity Head of Marketing Ronan Brady, and former Ireland star defender Richard Dunne at the launch of the #PowerOfGreen Campaign.
SSE Airtricity, Ireland’s largest provider of 100% green energy, is launching its #PowerOfGreen research findings highlighting the achievements the Irish nation is proudest of, stand-out character traits and the ‘Irishisms’ that people in Ireland most relate to. To celebrate the #PowerOfGreen all customers who switch to SSE Airtricity will receive €120 credit, as well as 10% off their home energy.
“As Irish people we’ve a lot to be proud of, be it the performances of our soccer team in France, our Olympic medallists in Rio, or our collective efforts in battling back from economic hardship. None of these achievements could have happened without the great personal and collective energy we put into realising them. Our willingness to put on the green jersey and pull together for our greater good is what we call the #PowerOfGreen. To better understand this we undertook research to ask Irish people what they felt our biggest achievements are and to identify the character traits and Irishisms which help us realise these achievements. We also spoke to renowned psychologist Enda McNulty and personalities from the world of sport and entertainment to tell us their thoughts on the #PowerOfGreen,” comments Ronan Brady, Head of Marketing and Digital at SSE Airtricity.
This research identifies the collective achievements that people in Ireland take most pride in and reveals that 1 in 5 (22%) Irish people are most proud of being the first nation in the world to introduce marriage equality by populous vote. This was closely followed by 1 in 6 being most proud of Ireland’s beautiful landscape. The impact that Ireland has had on the global map by being the first nation in the world to introduce a ban on smoking in workplaces is still an achievement that people in Ireland are very proud of, ranking in the top 3.
Protecting our environment through recycling, renewable energy and waste reduction, came out as a top priority for the future, again ranking in the top 3. This reinforces the fact that being green is more than a colour to the people of Ireland and that the #PowerOfGreen is part of our identity, our energy and our traditions.
More than 1 in 4 (26%) of us believe we are most known for being a welcoming nation. However, the trait we relate to most as a nation is our obsession with the weather with 1 in 3 people (32%) stating ‘talking about the weather constantly’ as our most relatable trait closely followed by not being able to take a compliment (16%), making a good cup of tea (15%) and adoring our Irish mammies (11%).
Richard Dunne, former Ireland star defender, was in attendance to share his #PowerOfGreen moments and what that meant for him during the course of his career. Stand-up comedian, Alison Spittle, best known for her hilarious Irish story-telling sketches, was in Dublin to give her view on the fact that humour is seen as one of our top three character traits (11%) and how that makes us unique as a nation.
Joining them was psychologist, Enda McNulty, who shared his expert point of view on what drives us as a nation, why economic recovery is at the forefront of our minds, with over 1 in 3 (37%) citing it as the biggest priority for Ireland at the moment, and why we consider Michael D. Higgins (16%) to best represent Ireland alongside Mary Robinson (12%) and Conor McGregor (10%). “As Irish people, we are resilient, we are courageous, and we are at our best when we are facing into adversity. We are a race of team players and leaders who have been through more than most nations, most recently the great recession. Michael D. Higgins, Mary Robinson and Conor McGregor are good examples of how the Irish psyche has been shaped as ruggedly as the Cliffs of Moher.”
For more information on how to switch to 100% green energy from SSE Airtricity and receive €120 credit, as well as 10% off home energy, please visit www.sseairtricity.com