Ronan O'Gara shows off his French skills again in tourism video promoting Cork

Tomas Doherty

Rugby legend and Corkman Ronan O'Gara has shown off his French skills again in a new Tourism Ireland video promoting his home county.

The La Rochelle manager went viral last month after a video of him giving a sweary team-talk in Cork-accented French was shared online.

"L’opportunité est f***ing énorme," he told his players on the eve of a match against Bordeaux.

Building on his reputation for language, the new campaign includes a video of O’Gara visiting various locations in Kinsale and Cork city and narrating his experiences in word-perfect French.

The video will run on Tourism Ireland’s YouTube channel in France and on digital outdoor screens in the cities where the Ireland team will be playing in the Rugby World Cup, including Paris, Nantes and Bordeaux.

As well as showcasing things to see and do on a holiday in the county, the campaign encourages French holidaymakers to fly or sail direct to Cork during the off-season months. The campaign also includes a specially created page on the French version of Tourism Ireland’s website, Ireland.com.

Definitely worth a watch, Ronan O’Gara giving the most Irish team talk while actually speaking French. #rugby pic.twitter.com/TcVJ5i73FJ

— Joe Naughton (@JoeNaConnacht) August 7, 2023

Monica MacLaverty, Tourism Ireland’s manager for southern Europe, said: "We are delighted to have Ronan O'Gara front our new campaign in France. It’s a great opportunity to capitalise on the excitement around the Rugby World Cup.

"The campaign highlights the many great experiences and attractions in Cork city and county, as well as the ease of access from France to Cork and the warm welcome that awaits our French visitors."

Filming for the campaign took place at various locations, including Charles Fort and The Bulman in Kinsale, as well as in Cork city at The English Market, The Farmgate Café, Crawford Art Gallery and Market Lane. The crew also captured footage of musicians from the Cork Jazz Festival and of an oyster experience in Goldie.