In case you missed it, the Aviva Stadium was lit up in rainbow colours to celebrate the start of Pride month. The vibrant display took place on the evening of Friday, May 31, after the Republic of Ireland women’s football team faced Sweden in the group stages of the European Qualifiers.
The Girls in Green unfortunately suffered a 3-0 defeat to the away side, in front of a crowd of 22,868. Goals came in the 26th, 61st and 86th minutes from Johanna Rytting Kaneryd, Fridolina Rolfo and Rytting Kanery, dampening the spirits of Irish players and fans alike.
Although a disappointing result, Aviva Ireland ensured it was still a time for celebration. Taking to Instagram, the company wrote: “Unlucky defeat for the Girls in Green but we lit up our home with pride,” accompanied by a photo of the Aviva Stadium in rainbow colours.
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Aviva Ireland, the sponsors of the iconic venue as well as Irish Soccer and Irish Rugby, also launched a new campaign for Pride to support Dublin’s Outhouse LGBTQ+ Centre. Throughout June, the company will be selling rainbow socks online and in-store through Human Collective, a sustainable Irish Urban Leisure clothing brand that celebrates diversity and equality.
The socks are available to buy for €10, and for every pair sold, Aviva Ireland will match the sale and donate €10 to Outhouse. Furthermore, for every new home insurance policy bought during the month of June, the company will make an additional €10 donation to the centre.
The Pride socks were launched by three members of the Republic of Ireland women’s football team, namely Amber Barrett, Grace Moloney and Diane Caldwell. Each player featured in the squad for last week’s match against Sweden.
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This show of solidarity from Aviva Ireland follows a similar campaign last year, in which ex-Ireland Rugby player Devin Toner and his former Leinster teammate Nick McCarthy launched the Pride socks in aid of Belong To. A large intersex-inclusive Pride flag was also placed at the Aviva Stadium’s corner tunnel, and dubbed ‘Allyship Alley’ for the month of June.
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