The Daily Star Ireland
The number of retail outlets halting sales of alcohol brands associated with MMA fighter Conor McGregor is on the rise. This development follows a High Court jury’s verdict last week that found McGregor guilty of assaulting hair colorist Nikita Hand, resulting in a €248,603 damages payment to Ms. Hand.
DAA, which operates Dublin and Cork airports, announced it has ceased selling Proper No. Twelve whiskey and Forged Irish Stout at its duty-free shops. DAA media relations manager Graeme McQueen confirmed that both products were removed from sale over the weekend and are no longer available in any bars at these airports.
A Belfast pub that had promoted Forged Irish Stout informed The Irish News that it has stopped selling the drink and will remove a mural advertising it. The pub, Filthy McNasty’s, had hosted a launch event for the stout last year, which was branded as the “Forged Irish Stout Belfast City Takeover.” A mural outside the bar, featuring a pint of the stout and the slogan “Here To Take Over,” will also be taken down. The Irish Independent has reached out to Filthy McNasty’s for comment.
Additionally, Scully Fitness, a gym in Annaghdown, Co Galway, shared a video on social media showing a mural of McGregor inside the gym being painted over.
Several major retailers in Ireland have also decided to pull products linked to McGregor from their stores this week. Musgrave, the owner of SuperValu and Centra, was the first to announce the withdrawal of Proper No. Twelve and Forged Irish Stout. This decision was soon followed by Tesco, BWG Foods (owners of Spar), and the Barry Group, which operates Costcutter and Carry Out off-licences.
The move to discontinue these products comes after the Rape Crisis Network Ireland (RCNI) urged retailers to stop selling brands associated with McGregor following the jury’s decision.
Although Proximo Spirits bought the Proper No. Twelve brand from McGregor in 2021, he continued to promote it on his social media accounts. However, Proximo Spirits announced on Tuesday that it would no longer use his name or image in connection with the whiskey and that it was ending its association with McGregor.
Meanwhile, Forged Irish Stout, which McGregor still owns, was launched in July of last year.
Video game developer and publisher IO Interactive, which had partnered with McGregor to feature his likeness in the latest Hitman game, also confirmed via a post on X (formerly Twitter) that it would “cease collaboration with the athlete, effective immediately,” in light of the recent court ruling.
