Chris O'Dowd and Amy Huberman voted Ireland's best celebrity friends

Almost a third of Irish men would like Chris O'Dowd as their best friend, while 31% of women want to be best mates with Amy Huberman, according to a new survey.

The comedy-acting pair have been known to double date with their other halves Dawn O’Porter and Brian O’Driscoll, cementing their position as the coolest gang of friends in Ireland.

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Jennifer Aniston and Courtney Cox, the original on-screen/off-screen best-mate duo, were voted the ultimate celebrity friends (28%) in the survey by One4all which explores Ireland’s emotional connections with our friends.

The enviable pair have been friends for over two decades with Courtney recently acting as Maid-of-Honour at Aniston’s wedding. Jennifer is also godmother to Cox’s only child, Coco.

According to the survey by One4all, being asked to be best man for their best friend’s wedding was a proud moment for 19% of men whilst becoming godparent to their best friends child was a highlight for a quarter of women.

When it comes to special occasions, men are more likely to spend less than women on gifts for their best friends. Almost half of women (45%) were willing to spend between €25-€50 on a gift for their “bestie”, but a third of men (31%) would spend just €1-€25 on their mates.

Some 45% of survey respondents said they would usually acknowledge a best friend’s birthday or a special occasion with a card and gift, while 12% were most likely to nod to the occasion through social media or instant messaging.

With the shoe on the other foot, 39% said they would most like to receive a gift card as a present from their best friend, followed by a bottle of wine (13%) or a sentimental photograph (10%).

Almost a third of Irish adults (31%) admitted that they count more than five people amongst their closest group of friends.

Overall, 41% of survey respondents said that they were in it for the long-term, with their longest friendships spanning over 20 years.

However, time and distance prove no barrier to great friendships with 42% of survey respondents saying they speak to their closest friends weekly, despite 12% living in a different country.

Commenting on the results, Aoife Davey, group marketing manager One4all Ireland said: “Our survey into friendships is really reflective of modern Ireland with 12% saying their best friends are now living in another country yet nearly half continue to speak weekly.

“Social media and instant messaging allow us to maintain friendships near and far but it’s great to see that the majority still acknowledge special occasions for friends with a traditional gift and a card.”

The survey was carried out among 956 Irish adults (78% female, 22% male).