LGBTQ GAA team breaking down sporting barriers in Northern Ireland

"It's ok to be yourself, whether it's on the field or off the field."

That's the message from Cathal McGurk, one of the players from Northern Ireland's first LGBTQ+ inclusive GAA team, Aeracha Uladh.

For decades, the dominant image of the GAA was seeing men line out for the All-Ireland football and hurling finals every September.

Over recent years, that has been changing with the development of the Ladies Gaelic Football Association (LGFA).

The Camogie Association, which was set up in 1903. has also gone from strength to strength in the past century.

But, as in many sports, inequalities remain in gaelic games for women and the LGBTQ community.

For the first time in Northern Ireland, a club has been specifically set up to try to help break down those barriers for LGBTQ people.

Aeracha Uladh GAC was established at the end of April and has since gained about 50 members.

Cathal McGurk joined the club after seeing it advertised on social media.

"I've never been part of any gaelic team but it has always been a big part of my family," he said.

"My dad has been involved with the local club, my brother plays for the local club and I always wanted to get involved so I thought now is the time, I might as well."

Cathal said it would be nice to see more gay men come out publicly in elite sport.

In May, Blackpool's Jake Daniels became the first professional footballer in 30 years to come out while still playing in the men's game in the UK.

"It would be nice to see more people feeling that it's ok to be who they are whether it's on the football field or off the field and just embrace it," Cathal said.

"We're a support group for each other as much as anything else too so we can help you as much as you're helping yourself."

In 2009, Cork hurler Donal Óg Cusack revealed he was gay in an autobiography, becoming the first openly gay GAA sports star in Ireland.

The three-time All-Ireland winner has spoken openly about coming out, how it affected him and his family, and the support he received from his teammates.

In 2013, Donal Óg's brother Conor Cusack came out as gay after opening up about his depression and mental health issues.

Two years later, nine-time All-Ireland winner for Cork, Valerie Mulcahy, became the first female GAA player to come out as gay and featured on Donal Óg Cusack's documentary Coming out of the Curve.

The sport also has an openly gay referee - David Gough, from County Meath, is one of gaelic games' highest-profile match officials.

Aeracha Uladh was set up by Martin Murray, who also performs as the drag artist Danu Variant.

He was originally a member of Na Gaeil Aeracha, Ireland's first LGBTQ+ inclusive GAA team in Dublin.

"Travelling up and down [from Belfast] was too much so I decided to set one up here," Martin said.

"I put it out on social media and there was a great response, we're now up to 650 followers at the moment and then we've got 50 members in the group.

"New players are coming out to train each week… four or five of them have experience playing when they were younger, some play socially but the majority is people who haven't played the sport before but have always had an interest or grew up watching."

The team's first training session was held at Jordanstown in April, hosted by Antrim GAA star Grainne McLaughlin.

They are now training twice a week and are planning friendlies for later in the summer with East Belfast GAA and Na Gaeil Aeracha in Dublin.

Martin also helped organise Northern Ireland's first LGBTQ sports day at the Ulster University campus in Jordanstown earlier this month.

Even though the response and feedback from players has been positive, Martin said many "on the LGBT scene" were apprehensive about the sports day in the beginning.

"I really had to comfort them to say it is LGBT-run so it is that kind of atmosphere," he said.

"Some have just had negative experiences in the past with the hetero-normative teams, for lack of a better term."

The GAA Official Guide outlines that all of its clubs are inclusive, regardless of gender, sexual orientation, marital/relationship status, religion, age or minority community and/or disability.

The GAA, LGFA and Camogie Association have also been taking steps to address inequalities and promote ladies gaelic games further, including the 20x20 campaign, with a GAA spokesperson adding that Sport Ireland and Sport NI are now creating funding for specific women-in-sport programmes.

A gender diversity working group works across the three associations and there is also a full-time diversity and inclusion officer.

Meanwhile, the GAA for All committee engages in a number of awareness campaigns including LGBTQ+ workshops, and assists in initiatives like wheelchair football and hurling, and inter-cultural activities, among many others.

For the first time, Ulster GAA will also be officially taking part in Belfast's Pride parade at the end of July.

"Something set up like this acknowledges and supports not only the LGBT community but also the GAA community to say 'we are ready for somebody to come out and we'll back you up, you're not alone in it'," Martin said.

Francis Lagan joined the team in its first week and said he is "absolutely loving the atmosphere".

"I think a lot of ones who have come out to train have said they feel more themselves because they can actually enjoy the sport more rather than worrying about what's going on with them or what everyone else is thinking.

"They can be happy."

Francis said he hopes the new team sparks further change within the GAA community and other sports to become more inclusive.

"In the past I felt it was just for men and women weren't treated the same, but I think that change is coming," he said.

"Change is going to happen and I hope it will be with ourselves too."

Daniel O'Rawe joined the team without ever playing gaelic games before but said he always wanted to do it but felt "too intimidated to join" a team.

"When this came up I leapt at it, joined the first training session and it was great," he said.

"When I started I couldn't play at all but now I can do the basics at least and we've done some basic matches which are really fun.

"It's also really good socially - there must be about 20 of us who hang out at least once a week now."

For others considering joining but unsure whether to take the plunge or not, Daniel said to "go for it".

"Even if you try a session and decide you don't like it you can always join the social," he said.

"But it's great getting to know each other and then having people to hang out with and just chat to."

Aeracha Uladh is currently taking steps to become an affiliated club within the GAA, meaning it will be able to play in the County Antrim league and championship.