Sportswear One Word: What It Really Means in Ireland

When people say sportswear, clothing designed for physical activity, often with moisture-wicking or weather-resistant features. Also known as activewear, it's the layer that keeps you moving through rain, wind, and cobblestones in Ireland, they’re not talking about gym-only gear. They’re talking about what you wear to walk the dog, catch the bus, hike the cliffs, or run to the shop in a downpour. In Ireland, sportswear isn’t a category—it’s a lifestyle. And it’s not called sportswear because you’re training for a marathon. It’s called sportswear because it works when the weather doesn’t care if you’re prepared.

The line between activewear, clothing for general movement like walking, hiking, or commuting. Often used interchangeably with sportswear but focused on daily life, not competition and sportswear, clothing designed for specific sports like rugby, GAA, or running, with performance-focused tech. Also known as performance wear is thin here. A hoodie? It’s sportswear if you’re jogging. It’s everyday wear if you’re waiting for the bus. A pair of trainers, the Irish term for athletic shoes, built for wet streets and uneven ground. Also known as sneakers in other countries? They’re not just for the gym. They’re your default shoes—because nothing else survives a Galway winter. You don’t choose sportswear because you’re an athlete. You choose it because the weather forces you to.

What you’ll find in the posts below isn’t a list of brands or trends. It’s a map of how Irish people actually live in their clothes. Why do we call them trainers, not sneakers? Why does a 70-year-old woman wear the same jeans as a 25-year-old runner? Why does a hoodie count as sportswear even when you’re not moving? These aren’t fashion questions. They’re survival questions. The answers are in the fabric, the fit, the weather, and the way people move through this country every single day. You’ll read about what works, what doesn’t, and why the right pair of boots or the right cut of jeans isn’t about looking good—it’s about staying dry, warm, and able to get on with it.