Three records biggest single-day network event of the year at Katie Taylor's historic Croke Park fight

Katie Taylor v Flora Pili becomes Three's most connected single-day sporting or entertainment event of the year, with data usage more than double that of the All-Ireland Football Final

Three customers generated more calls and data than at any other major single-day sporting or entertainment event analysed by Three in 2026

7 September 2026 – Three Ireland recorded its highest level of event-related network traffic of 2026 at Saturday night's historic Katie Taylor v Flora Pili fight at Croke Park, as fans shared photos, videos and messages from one of the biggest sporting occasions ever staged in Ireland.

Three customers used 7.8 terabytes of data during the event, making it the most data-intensive single-day sporting or entertainment event analysed by Three on its network this year. This is equivalent to sharing approximately 2.3 million smartphone photos or watching approximately 2,000 HD movies.

The total surpassed demand recorded at some of Ireland's biggest live events in 2026, including Luke Combs at Slane Castle (7.1 terabytes), Bon Jovi at Croke Park (6.2 terabytes) and both nights of The Weeknd's After Hours Til Dawn tour. More than 25,000 voice calls were recorded during the event, the highest volume of calls recorded at any major single-day event analysed by Three in 2026.

The scale of connectivity demand demonstrates the significance of the landmark occasion. Network activity peaked as Katie Taylor made her entrance to Croke Park, as thousands of fans used their phones to capture and share photos and videos while one of Ireland's greatest sporting icons stepped into the ring for a historic final fight.

The event surpassed every other major concert and sporting fixture monitored by Three this year. Data usage during the fight was:

• 110% or 2.1 times higher than the All-Ireland Senior Football Final.
• 163% or 2.6 times higher than the All-Ireland Senior Hurling Final.
• 84% or 1.8 times higher than Manchester United v Leeds United.
• 25% or 1.3 times higher than Bon Jovi's recent Croke Park concert.
• 10% higher than Luke Combs at Slane Castle.
• Higher than either night of The Weeknd's After Hours Til Dawn tour.

In terms of voice traffic, Katie Taylor's fight also proved to be the year's standout event, generating:

• 144% higher or 2.4 times more calls than Bon Jovi.
• 308% higher or 4.1 times more calls than The Weeknd's first concert night.
• 150% higher or 2.5 times more calls than Manchester United v Leeds United.
• 68% higher or 1.7 times more calls than the All-Ireland Hurling Final.

Commenting on the findings, Jon Davies, Chief Technology and Innovation Officer at Three Ireland, said:

"Katie Taylor's fight at Croke Park was the most significant sporting moment of the year to date. Few athletes have had the impact Katie has had on the Irish public and the exceptional demand we saw on our network reflected the scale of public interest in this truly historic event."

"We recorded more calls and data traffic on our network than at any other single-day sporting or entertainment event analysed this year, including major concerts and championship finals. The fact that data usage was more than double that of the All-Ireland Football Final highlights just how central connectivity has become to the live event experience, with people increasingly sharing moments in real time and staying connected throughout major occasions."

"From sharing videos and photos ringside to keeping in touch with friends and family, customers relied on our network to stay connected during an unforgettable night at Croke Park. At Three, we've invested heavily in building a high-capacity network that can support these moments, including significant upgrades at Croke Park and other high-footfall venues across Ireland. Events like this demonstrate both the scale of demand and the importance of resilient telecommunications infrastructure in keeping people connected when it matters most."