Former GAA player PD Savage has opened up about his journey in coming out as gay after leaving the sport.

In an interview on RTÉ’s Sundays with Miriam, Savage, who used to play for Liatroim Fontenoys in Co. Down, explained that it took a lot of preparation to accept his sexuality when he came out last year.

“I only came out when I was 35,” he said. “On my 35th birthday, I sort of realised that, you know, I’ve lived to 35 years of age and I can’t do this any longer. It really stuck in my mind that I just wanted to do it. I even struggled even preparing for this interview, to say I’m gay. You know, it’s the words that actually just seem difficult to say at times.

“It’s been a journey that I’m still on”, he added, saying he is still trying to accept it.

Savage said he believes that it is harder for those involved in sport to come out, and he recalled the homophobic environment that was prevalent in GAA.

“I do have some regrets that I wish that maybe I didn’t stop playing GAA but I think I had to,” he said. “And I do not harbour any ill feelings towards that because you know, there were gay slurs said and things done, but you know, I also said those things to fit in.”

 

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Savage also spoke about why representation is important, particularly for LGBTQ+ athletes growing up in rural areas.

“[Representation] is so important because whenever you can see somebody tangible that you know of, oh, they’re a sportsperson, they just seem, I don’t want to use the word normal because people still have stereotypes of what gay is,” he said. “People come from all walks of life.”

The athlete recalled growing up gay in rural Co. Down, saying he understands why LGBTQ+ people tend to move towards cities.

“I totally understand why people move away to go and find themselves and come to terms with it, especially if you’re from a rural area, you’re seeing people you grew up with, with all of those sorts of things that you’ve dealt with from being younger and what you associate with,” he said. “It’s constantly bringing you back into that mindstate of how you felt in certain scenarios. So it definitely is difficult.”

This experience is what prompted Savage to open up about being gay.

“I think what I went through as a young adult, I just would love to be able to help somebody in that direction because I think in today’s world it’s just something you shouldn’t have to deal with,” he said.