In a recent interview, Kevin Penrose, a player in Ireland’s GAA Senior Football League, has opened up about coming out to his family and his teammates and how he came to embrace his identity.

Born and raised in Castlederg, Co. Tyrone, Kevin Penrose grew up in a GAA household, with his brother Martin making a name for himself by helping the Red Hand County win the All-Ireland Senior title in 2005 and 2008.

Since his childhood, Kevin played for his local club Aghyaran. After moving to Liverpool for university, the realisation that he was gay led the player to pull back from the club, only playing sporadically with St Davog’s near Castlederg.

Speaking on BBC’s GAA Social podcast, Penrose detailed the challenges he faced in coming to terms with his sexuality and later coming out to his family and teammates.

“The whole thing of [the] changing room culture and lad culture was a thing. There are words thrown out there,” he shared.

Recalling a 2022 trip to Thailand, Penrose said he hid in his room for days before having a breakthrough moment with his parents.

“I was in a dark room in a hotel,” he said. “The motivation was gone to travel and I was just like, ‘I can’t really do this any more.’ I was probably in the room for about five days straight. Wasn’t going out, wasn’t seeing anyone and I knew myself what it was.

“I needed to ring home and I needed to tell people and when I made the phone call on the Thursday or Friday with mum, it was just an instant weight lifted.

“Dad is a man of few words. It was just ‘right well done’ sort of thing. He is just a typical GAA father and he was asking, ‘when are you coming home?’ Where are you going today?’”

 

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After coming out to his parents, Penrose started to be more open about his sexuality, leading to Irish football star Ronan McNamee asking him to come back to play for Aghyaran.

Penrose explained, “Ronan McNamee asked me to come back playing and was speaking on behalf of the lads and saying, ‘No one has a problem with this.’”

After a successful 2024 season, Penrose is now thriving in GAA and has high hopes for 2025. “I know I’m a good footballer and growing up in my teens I was a key player in the group which is now the senior team that we play with,” he said.

“It was only last year when I was focused and not worrying about everything else and just there to play football.

“I do feel 100% included with the team. Not once have I felt uncomfortable walking into that changing room or when we’re on the pitch. For myself, I know I’m really included with the lads, although I know it might not be the case for everyone else in a similar situation within the GAA.”

 

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