This article reflects on Conor McGregor's meteoric rise to fame and his impact on Irish sport and culture. It highlights his unique ability to capture the zeitgeist and become a global sensation, contrasting his influence with previous generations of Irish sporting icons.
This used to be the future. Conor McGregor was the man of the moment. The figure in Irish sport who was most keenly tuned into the zeitgeist. In a world where you can become a multi-millionaire by filming yourself playing video games on YouTube, McGregor was the poster boy. You could be sure that Love Islanders - in between applying fake tan and waxing, and that's just the men - followed him on Instagram.
Influencers queued up to touch the hem of his garments, hoping for a bit of the stardust that made him the most famous Irishperson of the 21st century. Those of us with grey in our beards scrambled frantically, trying to get a grip on what was happening. At the 2018 Pendulum Summit in Dublin, McGregor and Virgin boss Richard Branson were two of the keynote speakers. Branson was finishing up his speech when McGregor walked on to the stage. Both men took off their tops and squared up to each other barechested. The audience - which included many top businesspeople in Ireland who had paid a serious whack for tickets - whooped and hollered in delight. The generation gap was never starker than with the rise and rise and rise of Conor McGregor. A chat with a barber before Christmas, 2016, led to a nugget about how he'd been snowed under before the Dubliner's last fight in Vegas. So many wanted to get their hair and beards styled like McGregor before heading Stateside. That is something new, something those of us with mileage on the clock find hard to fathom. During the glory days of everyone from Barry McGuigan to Liam Brady to Eamonn Coghlan, the hero-worship didn't go so far as to try and look like them. No sportsperson ever had media coverage like McGregor, though. In 2015, the American website Deadspin released their annual list of the worst sportswriting of the year, and two thirds of it was about Conor McGregor
Conor Mcgregor Irish Sport Celebrity Culture Media Influence Generation Gap
Ireland Latest News, Ireland Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Conor McGregor Trial: Woman claims McGregor’s version of events is 'a made-up story'The woman who has taken a lawsuit against Conor McGregor over an alleged rape has described his version of events as “a made-up story”.
Read more »
Conor McGregor trial: Every update from day seven as McGregor tells court he was 'beyond petrified'Updates from the seventh day of a civil case against Conor McGregor at the High Court in Dublin, where Nikita Hand is seeking damages
Read more »
Conor McGregor congratulates Jazzy after breaking Irish streaming recordMcGregor took to social media to congratulate his fellow Crumlin native.
Read more »
UFC star would 'fight Conor McGregor tomorrow' if given the opportunityPaddy Pimblett is hell-bent in securing a fight with Conor McGregor one day.
Read more »
Conor McGregor sent blunt warning after bold claimConor McGregor has been sent a warning by Ilia Topuria over recent comments
Read more »
McGregor backed for career change after responding to retirement suggestionConor McGregor has not fought in over three years
Read more »