Speaking at the annual Gaelic Players Association (GPA) Pride Brunch, GAA defender Mark Shields shared his personal experience coming out to his GAA teammates over ten years ago and how the culture within the club has evolved since then.

Even though Shields came out to his GAA teammates over a decade ago, this was the first time he talked about the experience publicly in front of an audience.

In a video posted by the GPA, he said: “I feel it’s just important to tell my own story of 12-15 years playing inter-county, my experience of coming through the ranks, being a senior inter-county player in the male GAA environment.”

The Armagh inter-county football player described coming out as gay as a “daunting task” at the time, but thankfully, “the culture has changed within society.” Shields says he feels like he can express himself more now and that the Armagh group is “more accepting.”

He added: “The language used around the group is changing. There’s people standing up for people, for myself in the group, whereas maybe that didn’t happen that much before. I think the culture is changing within the GAA itself.”

 

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Shields has been a member of Armagh’s senior football team for over ten years, and he played on the Whitecross club squad during the 2024 Sam Maguire win. Reflecting on his own experiences, Shields said that if he’d had more support 10 years ago, his journey would have been much easier. He added that seeing allies advocate for LGBTQ+ rights on social media helped a lot.

He encouraged young people who are struggling to come out to find someone they trust. He said: “It doesn’t have to be in front of a group; it can be a one-to-one conversation with someone. That’s how I found it easier, to have that walk on the beach, in a forest or just chatting to someone over a coffee. That was the easiest way for myself.”

The defender hopes sharing his experience now will help more LGBTQ+ youth feel comfortable expressing their identities in GAA environments. He said he hopes his story will: “help that younger player, be it male or female, non-binary to express themselves in the GAA environment.”

The 2024 Orchard County All-Ireland winner is the first active male inter-county player to speak about being gay. Former Cork Hurler Donal Og Cusack and Tyrone club player Kevin Penrose spoke about their experiences earlier this year.

The GAA will officially be represented at Dublin Pride for the first time this year. Current and former players are encouraged to join the parade behind the GAA banner to support their LGBTQ+ teammates and: “promote inclusion, respect and acceptance of all members of our community.”