As part of this year’s Tipperary Pride celebrations, Sporting Pride are delighted to partner with GOSHH and the North Tipperary Development Company to host what promises to be another great discussion on LGBTI+ visibility in sport. This particular event will focus on Gaelic games and the beautiful county of Tipperary!
Joining us on the night are Templemore and Tipperary Ladies Footballer Maria Curley, alongside Luke Nolan, an active member of Ireland’s first LGBTI+ GAA club, Na Gaeil Aeracha.
Gay Community News are once again supporting us by hosting this event as part of their ongoing In & Out festival. They will be live streaming via their Facebook and Youtube channels on Wednesday August 4th at 7pm.
We are delighted to have the wonderful Anna Nolan leading the discussion. She will take the panelists on a journey through a variety of different topics, including (but not limited to):
Their experiences of coming out as members of the LGBTI+ community
Visibility of the LGBTI+ community in Tipperary & more rural townlands
Gaelic games and the acceptance of LGBTI+ athletes
Advice for and supports available to LGBTI+ people in Tipperary
Viewers can leave questions for the panel via the comments section on both the GCN Youtube Facebook pages, a unique offering that will allow viewers to interact directly with Maria and Luke.
Karina Murray, events coordinator with Sporting Pride, believes that “members of the LGBTI+ community are under-represented in towns and rural areas outside of our main cities. It is important to stand out and be proud in all walks of life. By using sport as a catalyst for this work we can start conversations across Ireland that are long overdue, and promote LGBTI+ visibility in previously invisible places”.
To watch this free live webinar, go to the links below on Wednesday, August 4th at 19:00
About the Panel
Anna Nolan – Presenter
Anna Nolan is a television producer, broadcaster and opinion columnist. She began her television career when she stepped inside the very first Big Brother house, back in 2000. From there she worked at the BBC for two years. She moved back to Ireland and worked on the RTE documentary series, “Would You Believe”.
Over the last 20 years, she has produced some of the most-watched television programmes on Irish television, including Room to Improve, Operation Transformation and is now Head of Development at COCO Television.
Anna started playing basketball at the age of 13, representing her school, Loreto Crumlin, and club, Naomh Mhuire, in national and international tournaments. In 1989, Anna won the U19 National Cup with Naomh Mhuire, was named Tournament MVP and was called up to play with the first team, who went on to win the Senior Women’s National Cup that year.
Maria Curley - Templemore & Tipperary Ladies Football Team
Maria Curley is an intercounty athlete representing both Templemore and Tipperary Ladies Football. Maria has played intercounty Ladies Football at adult level since 2013 and she has won Munster and All-Ireland championships with Tipperary both at underage and adult level.
Maria completed her degree in Sport and Exercise sciences at the University of Limerick and her Masters in Physiotherapy in University College Cork. She currently works as a Physiotherapist both privately and with the HSE.
Luke Nolan - Na Gaeil Aeracha
Na Gaeil Aeracha are Ireland’s first LGBTI+ GAA club! All are welcome to join this inclusive space, from beginner to pro, as their aim is to promote Gaelic sports to a diverse range of community members.
The club have recently launched their very own club gear and have been training in person since restrictions lifted this summer. Luke will provide more details on the club at our event and provide insight into why their club and similar spaces are needed around Ireland.
About The Hosts
Sporting Pride
Founded in 2018, Sporting Pride is Ireland’s sport, fitness and exercise body, tasked with inspiring the LGBTQ+ community to get active. Research shows that 55% of LGBT men and 56% of LGBT women are not active enough to maintain good health, compared with 33% and 45% respectively of the general public. As a member of the EGLSF and the Federation of Gay Games, Sporting Pride also offers LGBTQ+ sports people the opportunity to represent Ireland in international competitions. www.sportingpride.ie
Gay Community News
GCN is the national LGBT+ press in Ireland operating since 1988. GCN reflects queer life in Ireland and is delighted to collaborate with Sporting Pride and Tipperary Pride to facilitate this vital conversation about the LGBT+ experience in the sports arena and how we can all work together to make sport a more inclusive space and accessible for the LGBT+ community. www.gcn.ie
GOSHH
GOSHH is a charity which provides a safe, confidential, welcoming environment for everyone we work with. Our office is based in Limerick City and we work throughout the Counties of Limerick, Clare, and North Tipperary. We focus on the promotion of equality and wellbeing of all with a positive and respectful approach to sexual orientation and gender diversity. They offer a number of different services to people in the Midwest region, including rapid testing, training, free condoms, counselling, one to one support and youth groups. www.goshh.ie
North Tipperary Development Company
North Tipperary Development Company is a local development company responsible for the delivery of a range of rural enterprise, social inclusion, and community development initiatives in the Tipperary North County area.
The purpose of NTDC is “to act as a voluntary, non-profit making, private limited company with a mission to promote social inclusion, to promote economic development, increase employment and enterprise opportunities and promote wider participation in voluntary activity for the people of the area”. www.ntdc.ie
Tipperary Pride
Tipperary Pride is a Thurles based volunteer led organisation who came together back in 2019 to arrange Tipperary’s first Pride festival. Although their main event is based in Thurles they everyone to join them in their celebrations. Visit their Facebook page for more information.
Na Gaeil Aeracha
Na Gaeil Aeracha is Ireland's first explicitly LGBTQ friendly GAA team. Na Gaeil Aeracha came about from a group of very like-minded people. They came from all different backgrounds and experiences, but have one common passion and that was sport and GAA. For all enquiries, e-mail dublinlgbtqgaa@gmail.com. Visit their Linktree page for more information.
This event is kindly support by the Social Inclusion and Activation Programme (SICAP)
Event Contact
Karina Murray karina.murray@sportingpride.ie
