Irish dads just want to spend time with their children on Father’s Day

Irish fathers are notoriously hard to buy for, but thanks to a new survey we now know to spend some time with dad instead of buying him yet another tacky tie.

Family is a high priority for fathers, according to a survey conducted on 1,000 adults in May by Irish Life. When asked about the best way to spend Father's Day, 'playing in the park' topped the poll, and football was named as the perfect game to play.

If you do want to treat dad to a gift, splurge on a romantic break away for him and his partner. 31% of fathers would consider a weekend away with their wife or partner as the ideal gift, compared to just 4% who would prefer to spend a day golfing with friends.

Irish dads are proud fathers, with 27% of those surveyed say ‘seeing their children grow and develop’ is the best part of being a father.

Some serious issues keep fathers around the country up at night. Children’s health ranks as the main concern for 1 in 3 fathers in Ireland today, ahead of being a good role model. Financial concerns are a concern for 2 in 5, a third worry about providing for their children while a quarter fear not being around for their children.

"Over 1 in 2 households say they either might or would struggle financially in the event of a long term illness or unexpected death," says Brendan Coyle, Protection Marketing Manager at Irish Life.

On a lighter note, Irish Life asked 300 fathers to vote for who they believe are inspiring fathers. The results are surprising.

Walter White, the anti-hero from hit TV show Breaking Bad, has ranked two places above Ireland and Leinster rugby icon Brian O’Driscoll, while Barack Obama topped the poll just ahead of Michael D Higgins.

Most Inspirational Dads

1. Barack Obama

2. Michael D. Higgins

3. David Beckham

4. Walter White (Breaking Bad)

5. Keith Duffy

6. Ronan O’Gara/Jamie Oliver/Brian O’Driscoll