Clare-based solar powerhouse go into bat for Irish cricket

Cricket Ireland and Fáilte Solar have announced that the solar product company will be #BackingGreen both on and off the pitch as the Primary Sponsor of Ireland Men.

With terms in place for a deal of up to 10 years this is the longest sponsorship of this nature in Irish cricket history, and highlights Fáilte Solar’s commitment to Irish cricket as Ireland Men continues to grow in stature both at home and around the world.

The partnership unveiling took place on Tuesday, November 19, at Fáilte Solar’s newly opened headquarters in Shannon, county Clare, where the company was founded by Indian native Abhilash Borana in 2019, at the same time as he was completing his master’s degree in International Commercial Law at the University of Limerick.

To mark the partnership announcement, Cricket Ireland President Stella Downes, CEO Warren Deutrom and several Ireland Men’s players - including Test Captain Andrew Balbirnie, vice-captain Lorcan Tucker and talismanic all-rounder George Dockrell - visited Fáilte Solar headquarters, participated in a tour of the facility, enjoyed a meet and greet and Q&A with the Fáilte Solar staff, before having a playful hit on the lawn.

"This event in Shannon marks a big step forward for Irish cricket, and one which will see an Irish business success story support our Men’s side in 2025 and beyond," Cricket Ireland CEO Warren Deutrom said.

“Fáilte Solar is a company that shares our goal of becoming a major sport at home, and a major cricket nation around the world, just as they themselves continue to grow rapidly both in Ireland in other markets around the world to make sustainable energy solutions more cost-effective and accessible.

“This is a hugely exciting time for Ireland Men, not just because the team’s consistency over a number of years has resulted in automatic qualification for the 2026 ICC Men's T20 World Cup, back-to-back Test wins, and some high-profile victories against South Africa just last month. But there is also a lot to look forward to in 2025, with an all-format tour of Zimbabwe in January and both England and West Indies touring Ireland.

“I would like to personally thanks Abhilash and Fáilte Solar CEO James Ring, and my own team at Cricket Ireland for bringing this exciting partnership to fruition.”

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Having founded in 2019, Fáilte Solar is already the leading distributor of photovoltaic equipment in Ireland, with the company’s achievements generating recognition for its founder Abhilash Borana, who was a 2023 EY International Entrepreneur Awards Finalist and Forbes "30 Under 30 Europe" inductee in the 2022 Manufacturing and Industry category.

“As a huge fan of cricket and as someone who has made a home here in Ireland since 2018, I am ecstatic to see these two things I love come together," Fáilte Solar Founder and Chair Abhilash Borana said.

“At Fáilte Solar we are on a mission to establish solar energy as an affordable and cost-effective solution for businesses and consumers in Ireland and around the world in the coming years.

“As an entrepreneur driven company, we cultivate a culture of togetherness which makes Irish cricket a natural entry point for us, and we cannot wait to begin #BackingGreen and supporting the Ireland Men’s team as they continue to challenge the status quo on the world stage.”

With more than 70 employees across Europe and a further 200 in India, Fáilte Solar serves internationally with subsidiaries in several countries in central Europe, Spain, Italy, United Kingdom, and India. Fáilte Solar was founded with €50,000 of seed money raised from Borana’s family in 2019, and will exceed €60 million turnover in 2024.

By supporting Cricket Ireland, Fáilte Solar join a broad range of Irish sponsors and global companies that have a significant presence on the island of Ireland, including Certa Ireland, Corpay, DMG Media and Butlers Chocolates.

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