Players from LGBTQ+ GAA clubs will participate in the inaugural Aeracha All-Ireland taking place in Cork next month on Saturday, October 3. 

The event will see three clubs, Na Gaeil Aeracha, Na Laochra Aeracha and Aeracha Uladh, gather at Nemo Rangers GAA, bringing players from Cork, Dublin and Belfast together for an afternoon of Gaelic football.

Hosted by Na Laochra Aeracha, Munster’s first LGBTQ+ inclusive GAA club, the event will see hundreds of players travelling from all over Ireland to participate in the games that will celebrate and highlight the growing diversity in the Gaelic games community.

Founded in 2024 by Aaron Kelly and Dean Kinsella, Na Laochra Aeracha offers an inclusive environment for players of all genders, abilities and backgrounds and has continued to grow since its formation. 

Na Gaeil Aeracha, based in Dublin, and Aeracha Uladh, based in Belfast, were both the first LGBTQ+ GAA clubs to be set up in their respective areas, founded in 2020 and 2022, respectively. Na Gaeil Aeracha describes itself as the world’s first explicitly LGBTQ+ inclusive GAA team.

Trophies will not be offered at the Aearcha All-Ireland. Instead, participation is the goal rather than competition. It is an opportunity for LGBTQ+ players from across the island to meet one another and celebrate their shared love of Gaelic games through playing together. 

The event will offer an important milestone for the three clubs involved, creating an opportunity to further develop the inclusivity of the LGBTQ+ community within the sport and create a more welcoming and diverse space for all involved. 

It will also allow the clubs to strengthen their connections in the ever-growing LGBTQ+ GAA community and build something players can look forward to each year. 

A spokesperson for Na Laochra Aeracha has said, “The Aeracha All-Ireland is about bringing people together through Gaelic games. It’s an opportunity for players from across the country to meet, play, have fun and celebrate being part of the LGBTQ+ GAA community. The focus is on participation, inclusion and making sure everyone feels they have a place on the pitch.”

The Aeracha All-Ireland is a free event open to the public. Supporters are encouraged to attend and enjoy the welcoming and inclusive atmosphere as the three clubs come together in this historic moment in Gaelic games.