The Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA) will take part in the Dublin Pride festival for the first time next month.
The announcement follows news last month that uniformed members of An Garda Síochána will also take part in Pride for the first time this year.
The news was announced on The Late Late Show by intercounty referee David Gough. Gough, who is gay and had faced homophobic abuse in the sport before, had previously made calls for the GAA to fly the Pride flag over Croke Park during the month of June to mark Pride.
Speaking on The Late Late Show on Friday night, Gough said: "As a result of discussions between Pride and the GAA, for the first time in the 36 year history of Pride the GAA has accepted an invitation to walk in the Pride parade."
Speaking to Off The Ball in reaction to the news, Dublin footballer Nicole Owens described the initiative as “absolutely brilliant”.
Owens, who has previously spoken candidly about her battle with depression and accepting her sexuality growing up, continued that the decision was a “really positive move” especially because the GAA was historically “a very traditional organisation”.
The GAA will also be adding a full-time Diversity Officer to their ranks in a bid to grow the sport across every swathe of Irish society.
Owens said that while the GAA has a rich history of generations of Irish families playing the sport, the work of a Diversity Officer can add to that and ensure GAA players at all levels reflect the diversity of Irish society.
“It’s a really nice thing and it’s encouragement for all members of society to get involved because it is our national sport”, the All-Ireland winner noted.
The Dublin Pride festival will take place over the space of 10 days this summer beginning on June 20th.
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