What Countries Call Shoes Trainers? A Guide for Ireland and Beyond

In Ireland, you’ll hear people say trainers more than anything else when they’re talking about casual athletic shoes. Walk into a shop on Grafton Street in Dublin or browse the racks at Dunnes Stores in Galway, and you’ll see racks labeled ‘Trainees’-not sneakers, not athletic shoes, not gym shoes. Just trainers. It’s the word that’s been used for generations, passed down from parents to kids, from schoolyards to weekend hikes on the Wicklow Mountains. But if you’ve ever traveled abroad-or scrolled through an online store-and seen ‘sneakers’ instead, you might’ve paused. Why do some countries say one thing and others say another? And where does Ireland fit in?

Why Ireland Says ‘Trainers’

The term ‘trainers’ comes from the original purpose of these shoes: to train. Back in the late 1800s, rubber-soled shoes were first made for athletes to use during physical training. By the 1920s, British and Irish manufacturers like Clarks and Bata were mass-producing them for schools and sports clubs. The name stuck. Unlike the U.S., where the word ‘sneaker’ emerged from the quiet rubber soles that let you ‘sneak’ up on someone, Ireland’s linguistic roots stayed tied to the British Isles. That’s why you won’t hear ‘sneakers’ used in Cork or Sligo-not in everyday speech, anyway.

Even today, Irish kids buy their first pair of trainers for PE class. Brands like Adidas, Nike, and New Balance dominate the market, but local favorites like Puma and Karrimor still show up in second-hand shops in Limerick and thrift stores in Belfast. Parents know exactly what to ask for: ‘Do you have the black Nike trainers with the white stripes?’ Not ‘sneakers.’ Not ‘athletic shoes.’ Just ‘trainers.’

Where Else Do People Say ‘Trainers’?

Ireland isn’t alone. Across the UK, the word ‘trainers’ is universal. Walk into a shop in Manchester, Edinburgh, or Cardiff, and you’ll get the same response. Australia and New Zealand also use ‘trainers’ regularly, though younger generations there are starting to mix in ‘sneakers’ thanks to American pop culture. In South Africa, it’s common too-especially in urban areas where British colonial influence shaped language habits.

But outside the Commonwealth, it’s a different story. In the United States, ‘sneakers’ is the go-to word. Ask for ‘trainers’ in a store in Chicago or LA, and you’ll likely get a confused look-or someone pointing you to the ‘athletic shoes’ section. Canada is split: older folks might say ‘runners,’ especially in Ontario, while younger people say ‘sneakers.’ In France, they say ‘baskets’; in Germany, ‘Turnschuhe’; in Spain, ‘zapatillas deportivas.’ None of those translate directly to ‘trainers,’ but they all mean the same thing.

What About ‘Sneakers’? Why the Confusion?

The word ‘sneaker’ started in the U.S. in the 1880s, referring to the quiet rubber soles that let wearers move silently. It caught on fast, especially after World War II, when American soldiers brought the style home and brands like Converse and Keds exploded in popularity. By the 1980s, with Michael Jordan and Air Jordans taking over, ‘sneakers’ became cultural shorthand for performance, style, and status.

In Ireland, that American influence exists-but it’s surface-level. You’ll see ‘sneakers’ on Instagram ads, on Nike’s website, or in fashion blogs targeting Gen Z. But ask a 60-year-old woman in Drogheda what she wears to the supermarket, and she’ll say ‘trainers.’ Ask a teenager in Bray what they wore to the football match last weekend, and they’ll say ‘trainers’ too-unless they’re trying to sound cool online. The real divide isn’t age, it’s context: local vs. global, spoken vs. digital.

What Do Irish Brands Call Them?

Irish retailers don’t use ‘sneakers’ on their shelves. Dunnes Stores, Penneys (Primark), and even high-end Irish labels like Orla Kiely or Grafton Street’s own boutique shoe shops all use ‘trainers.’ Even when they stock American brands, the labels stay in local language. You won’t find a sign that says ‘Sneaker Sale’ in a Dublin mall-you’ll see ‘Trainee Sale.’

And if you’re shopping online from Ireland? Try searching ‘sneakers’ on Amazon.ie or ASOS.ie. You’ll get results-but the filters often default to ‘trainers’ as the main category. The algorithm knows its audience. Even tech companies tailor their search terms to local usage. In Ireland, ‘trainers’ is the keyword that converts.

Why This Matters for Tourists and Expats

If you’re visiting Ireland and you’re looking for comfortable walking shoes, don’t waste time asking for ‘sneakers.’ Head to a shoe store and say ‘trainers.’ You’ll be understood instantly. Same if you’re buying for kids: ‘What size trainers do they wear?’ works every time. If you’re an expat who moved here from the U.S., you might catch yourself saying ‘sneakers’ out of habit. Don’t worry-it’s not wrong. But you’ll blend in faster if you switch to ‘trainers.’

And if you’re shopping online from outside Ireland? If you’re trying to buy Irish-made shoes or browse local stock, use ‘trainers’ in your search. You’ll get more accurate results. Use ‘sneakers’ and you might end up with U.S.-only shipping options or listings that don’t even carry the styles you see in Galway.

When Do Irish People Use Other Words?

There are exceptions. In sports contexts, you might hear ‘running shoes’-especially if someone’s training for the Dublin Marathon or the Great Loughrea Run. ‘Gym shoes’ pops up occasionally in fitness centers, but it’s rare. ‘Athletic shoes’ sounds too formal, like something you’d read in a manual. And ‘plimsolls’? That’s an old-fashioned term, mostly used by grandparents to describe the canvas shoes they wore in school back in the 1950s. You’ll still see them in vintage shops in Cork, but they’re not worn anymore.

One thing’s clear: in Ireland, ‘trainers’ isn’t just a word. It’s part of the cultural fabric. It shows up in songs, in TV shows like ‘Derry Girls,’ in local slang like ‘I’m off to the shops in my new trainers.’ It’s tied to identity, to everyday life, to the rhythm of walking to school, to the bus stop, to the pub after work.

What’s the Global Picture?

Here’s a quick breakdown of how different countries refer to what Ireland calls ‘trainers’:

So if you’re in Ireland, stick with ‘trainers.’ It’s not just correct-it’s natural. It’s how your neighbor, your teacher, your barista, and your grandparent say it. And if you’re trying to buy, sell, or talk about footwear here, using the right word makes all the difference.

Final Thought: Language Is Local

Words change depending on where you are. What’s obvious in London isn’t in Los Angeles. What’s normal in Dublin might sound strange in Sydney. In Ireland, ‘trainers’ isn’t outdated-it’s alive. It’s worn on the streets of Galway, in the halls of Trinity College, on the paths of the Burren. It’s part of the landscape.

So next time you’re in an Irish shop and someone asks, ‘What size trainers do you wear?’-don’t overthink it. Just answer. You’re already speaking the local language.