ANDERSONSTOWN man Martin Murray has been developing a range of LGBTQ inclusive sporting clubs and activities throughout Belfast and further afield.
Martin began the initiative due the fact that “55 per cent of LGBT men and 56 per cent of LGBT women are not active enough to maintain good health, compared with 33 per cent and 45 per cent respectively of the general public".
The initiative has grown and developed in recent months with Martin founding Ulster’s first LGBTQ GAA club Aeracha Uladh, establishing Ulster’s first LGBTQ sports day in June and launching Ulster Frontrunners, part of a global umbrella group of LGBTQ running clubs, among many other initiatives.
Speaking with the Andersonstown News, Martin spoke about why he felt creating LGBTQ inclusive sport groups and events was so important and how he plans to continue developing and supporting more LGBTQ groups in the future.
“It was coming up to the 50th anniversary of Stonewall and I went to Madrid for the anniversary," he said. "Here I saw hundreds of thousands of LGBTQ people from all different walks of life and experiences celebrating together and I realised Belfast's LGBTQ scene was way too heavily reliant on gay bars. The entire pride festival took over the entire town, there was bars, there was bookshops, there was sports teams, there was family groups.
“On my return I saw a post on Instagram that a few people were seeking expressions of interest from LGBTQ people interested in football. I spoke to the guys arranging it – David, Dominic and Stuart Rafferty – and started supporting them with some photography and joining in every now and again. Through photography I got to witness how the weekly training effected the members confidence and mental health and it was a great atmosphere.”
Martin participated in the LGBTQ inclusive rugby team Belfast Azlans and supported the LGBTQ inclusive football team Belfast Blaze through photography. Martin has also regularly written sports columns discussing LGBTQ sports people worldwide.
“My first big thing probably would have been the sports day. Ulster’s first LGBTQ sports day took place in June. The sports day had over 120 people registered but there was more than that. It was the first LGBTQ sports day in association with Ulster University.”
A range of organisations attended the event including LGBTQ inclusive football, Gaelic and rugby clubs. Following this, Martin became the NI Liaison for Sporting Pride.
“I met with Sports NI in October 12th 2021 and they mentioned running networking days between IFA, UU and GAA and that my sports day may be best fitted around those sports if the Dublin LGBTQ GAA team wanted to travel to Belfast. I responded that NI LGBTQ GAA players probably aren’t the Dublin teams best target market due to travel.
“I immediately started researching how I could make the NI LGBTQ GAA real. Making 12/10/2022 the one year anniversary of the day Aeracha Uladh was born.”
Aeracha Uladh is Ulster’s first LGBTQ inclusive GAA club and is the second in the world, with the other club located in Dublin. Martin has also been involved in creating the North’s first LGBTQ inclusive rowing team The Lagan Mermaids. After a six-week programme the numbers which started as 10 grew to 14.
The beginning of October saw the launch of the Ulster Frontrunners, the only LGBTQ running club in Ulster. The group which was founded by Martin are now organizing their first fundraiser to raise £650 for Positive Life, the North’s only HIV charity.
“We will do this by running 650 miles in November and donating what we raise on World Aids Day, December 1. 650,000 is the number of deaths from HIV related illnesses in 2021.”
The Andersonstown man has been at the centre at creating LGBTQ inclusive groups in Ulster and in Ireland and has no plans of slowing down anytime soon and says he will continue building momentum.
If anyone is interested in getting involved in any of the inclusive teams or interested in starting a new inclusive team can do so by reaching out to Martin directly at martin.murray@sportingpride.ie or via the @SportingPride Instagram.
