Grenfell disaster: Kingspan and Ulster Rugby to sever links

By Philip Bradfield
Published 4th Sep 2024, 18:12 BST
People protest outside the Kingspan Stadium in Belfast ahead of the match with Clermont Auvergne on Saturday. Protestors have demonstrated outside the home of Ulster Rugby to demand that the club sever ties with main sponsor Kingspan in light of the Grenfell Tower disaster. Picture date: Saturday January 22, 2022.People protest outside the Kingspan Stadium in Belfast ahead of the match with Clermont Auvergne on Saturday. Protestors have demonstrated outside the home of Ulster Rugby to demand that the club sever ties with main sponsor Kingspan in light of the Grenfell Tower disaster. Picture date: Saturday January 22, 2022.
People protest outside the Kingspan Stadium in Belfast ahead of the match with Clermont Auvergne on Saturday. Protestors have demonstrated outside the home of Ulster Rugby to demand that the club sever ties with main sponsor Kingspan in light of the Grenfell Tower disaster. Picture date: Saturday January 22, 2022.
In the wake of the Grenfell disaster, protestors appeared outside the home of Ulster Rugby - the Kingspan Stadium in east Belfast.

Large scale graffiti was also plastered over the entrance to the grounds, which was formerly known as 'Ravenhill' to rugby fans.

In January the Grenfell disaster’s bereaved and survivors group welcomed the coming to an end of Ulster Rugby’s sponsorship deal with Kingspan.

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After two decades with the club, Kingspan “signalled its intention” to conclude its association with the club on a phased basis by June 2025.

Ulster Rugby had been criticised for their continuing association with the firm following the Grenfell disaster.

Grenfell United, a bereaved and survivors group, welcomed the ending of the sponsorship deal with Ulster Rugby, saying the partnership “sickened” them.

“Thank you to all our supporters, particularly those in Northern Ireland and the fans of the club who stood by us throughout this campaign, your support kept us going,” they said in a statement.

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Ulster Rugby chief executive Jonny Petrie thanked Kingspan for their investment in the club over a number of years, which he said “allowed us to build a strong foundation for the club in the future”.

Kingspan’s global head of marketing Siobhan O’Dwyer wished Ulster Rugby “every continued success in the future” adding that 20 years together felt like “a natural stepping off point”.

Related topics:BelfastNorthern Ireland

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