Sam Maguire’s homecoming tour of Mayo sparks spending spree

The Bank of Ireland Spending Pulse – which analyses debit and credit card spending - has revealed that Mayo’s All-Ireland football final victory led to significant spending across the county for a week.

From Sunday, July 26 (the day of the final), until the following Sunday (August 2), pub spending was more than two-and-a-half times higher in Castlebar (+168%) and more than double in Westport (+120%) compared to the same period last year.

Over that week, Mayo footballers and supporters continued homecoming celebrations, travelling through towns and villages throughout the county.

As previously reported, spending in Castlebar pubs surged by more than 1,000% on the All-Ireland final weekend itself.

Restaurants fed the hungry supporters, with spending increases in Castlebar (+59%) and Westport (+34%) across July 26 to August 2 comparative to the same week last year.

The celebrations also boosted spending in supermarkets, with transactions across Mayo up 90% compared to the same period last year.

Owen Clifford, Head of Retail Sector, Bank of Ireland, commented: “The week-long celebrations across Mayo highlight the positive societal impact of sporting occasions on communities and businesses. The Spending Pulse data demonstrates the real time impact on the hospitality and retail sector.

“From July 26 to August 2, as supporters came out to greet Sam Maguire on his tour of Mayo, the spending trends balanced out across the county, with smaller towns and villages benefiting from these unique celebrations.”