The fantastic team behind Dublin Devils F.C will be partnering with Irish Life to continue their journey towards promoting inclusivity in Ireland’s football community. 

Life assurance and pension companies Irish Life and Canada Life have become the new primary sponsors for Dublin Devils. This three year strategic sponsorship project was launched in connection with Irish Life’s Pride in Diversity staff network. 

Under this brand new partnership, the Irish Life logo will feature on the team’s domestic playing kits while the Canada Life logo marks any international tournaments they appear in, such as the 2021 EuroGames in Copenhagen. The sponsorship offers a huge boost for the Dublin Devils to continue supporting the LGBT+ community in sport. 

Irish Life and Canada Life are delighted to announce a three-year strategic sponsorship of @DublinDevilsFC, Ireland’s first LGBT+ inclusive football club.

We look forward with excitement to 2021 and cheering on the Dublin Devils! pic.twitter.com/xQGwPJti8D

— Irish Life (@IrishLife) December 1, 2020

Chairperson of the Dublin Devils, John McAree, said: “Our club promotes playing sport, not just to improve physical fitness, but also to ensure the community can experience the mental health benefits which can come from being part of a club, and making life-long friends. The partnership will allow us to continue to pursue our goal of making Ireland’s football community a truly inclusive one.”

Since forming in 2005, the Dublin Devils became a leading voice in leveling the field for GBT+ people in sport. As Ireland’s first queer football club, they paved the way for promoting an open environment, both competitively and socially. 

However, similar to most community driven spaces, the nationwide lockdown deeply impacted club activities and gatherings. The new partnership with Irish Life and Canada Life provides financial security for the Dublin Devils moving forward. 

We're excited to announce our new sponsorship with Irish Life and Canada Life, who will be our primary sponsors as part of a 3-year partnership. This will be a great opportunity to develop the club as we build on the successes of the last 15 years. https://t.co/hf6XW9pEAF pic.twitter.com/tHOX3eCBXZ

— Dublin Devils FC ⚽ (@DublinDevilsFC) December 1, 2020

The Dublin Devils’ Club Treasurer, John Coary, shared, “We are extremely grateful to Irish Life and Canada Life for the support they have shown us, particularly in these difficult times when the impacts of COVID-19 have threatened the existence of so many clubs like ours, it shows a deep and genuine commitment to Ireland’s LGBT+ community. For grassroots clubs like ours, having a partner like Irish Life and Canada Life allows us to focus and plan for a bright future as we come out of lockdown.”

Speaking about the importance of maintaining a community space such as the Dublin Devils, chair of the Irish Life’s Pride in Diversity Network, Colum Ward, expressed, “The club has given so much to the LGBT+ community over the past 15 years and we are proud to support them. It is particularly appropriate to launch this sponsorship on 1st December, World AIDS Day, where people worldwide unite in the fight against HIV. It is also happening in a year where our staff and customers demonstrated great resilience and support against another global virus.”

The Dublin Devils are also encouraging people to reach out if they would be interested in getting involved as a player, sponsor or in other roles. They can be reached at this link.