GAA staple O’Neills branches out with kit for Congo
The Congolese Leopards compete in football’s Africa Cup of Nations, which kicks off in Equatorial Guinea today, wearing gear manufactured by the Irish company.
O’Neills’ marketing manager Cormac Farrell is still trying to get his head around how the deal came about.
“It was very unusual,” said Mr Farrell. “Our export department were contacted just before Christmas with an enquiry looking for team kit and leisure wear to be made available in early January.
“We knew the request was coming from the Democratic Republic of Congo, but it was not apparent it was for the team competing the Africa Cup of Nations.
“When we returned after the Christmas break, there was another series of mails and communications and it soon became apparent what the urgency was all about.” Normally, turnaround time on an order like this runs to weeks, but this order had to be produced from scratch in a matter of days.
“It was all hands to the pump. We had to design it, manufacture it and personalise it,” Mr Farrell continued.
“When it comes to tournaments like this, there are a whole series of very, very detailed protocols and regulations when it comes to the sizes and placements of logos and crests. So we were up against the clock, big time.
“The Democratic Republic of Congo football liaison officer has been living in Dublin for the last 15 years. The president of the federation had charged him with making it happen and getting the gear.
“And then one night, one of his kids, who had our gear, said: ‘Dad, why not try O’Neills?’ That’s how we came into the picture.”
So will this be a massive boost for O’Neills’ coffers? “We are not in a contract with them, this is just a once-off supply deal,” said Mr Farrell. “But the DRC has a population of 77m with an estimated 15m in Europe and 2m in the UK. If a fraction of them buy a replica jersey we would be very happy.”
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