Pride Magazine 2024

platform for members to come together, share experiences, and support one another in a positive and empowering environment. By organising group runs and walks, participants can feel a sense of solidarity and strength in numbers, particularly in a society where discrimination and prejudice against the LGBTQ+ community can still exist. Moreover, FRBW helps to promote physical fitness and overall well-being. By providing a space where individuals feel comfortable being themselves while engaging in physical activity, FRBW encourages members to prioritise their health in a supportive setting. By coming together to run or walk, members of the LGBTQ+ community can find a sense of belonging, support, and empowerment that is essential for their overall well-being. We not only provide a safe space for individuals to be themselves but also, contribute to a more inclusive and understanding society where all individuals are respected and celebrated for who they are. So, what are you waiting for? Come along to one of our walks or runs and see for yourself!” – Evan Murphy Keogh (Chairperson) For more info on our meeting locations and times:

Cork Racketeers celebrate diversity. We are an all-inclusive club, so we welcome all members of the LGBTQIA+ community, along with allies. We also have a strong relationship with Corks LBTQIA+ women’s club the Rebel Rackets. We share the hall with them every Tuesday. Furthermore, we are proud to be a truly global club with members hailing from all over Europe, the Americas, Africa and Asia. If you are interested in finding out more about the club, we are very active on social media. You can find us @corkracketeers

Racket Rebels

Frontrunners & Briskwalkers “2023 and 2024 have been milestone years for our Club. In 2023 we celebrated our 5 th Birthday which was a momentous time for us. We have met other International Frontrunners members also such as, Dublin, Limerick, Waterford and in Lyon, France on our annual foreign trip where our runners tackled the International Marathon of Beaujolais (Wine Run) in the Half Marathon and 13km courses. At our 2023 Christmas Night, launched our new logo, and our updated name encompassing our important Briskwalkers. Rebranding going forward as Frontrunners & Briskwalkers (FRBW) Cork. Briskwalkers have been an integral part of our Club for over two years, and as such, we felt that a rejuvenation of the Club name was needed. 2024 also was a very big year, after five years in existence we agreed to become an Athletics Ireland affiliated member. Our visibility within Cork and wider Irish athletics sport has exploded with many clubs across Cork now knowing full well who and what the FRBW are and our purpose as a Club. Frontrunners & Briskwalkers (FRBW) Cork LGBTQ+ groups play a crucial role in creating a safe and inclusive space for individuals within the community. The act of running or walking together fosters a sense of camaraderie and belonging among our members who may otherwise feel isolated or marginalised. This group provides a

Cork Racketeers

Cork Hellhounds RFC

Come and join a night of social and fun badminton with the Racket Rebels. We are a LBTQI + non binary club that will be celebrating our 20th year in 2025!! We play once a week every Tuesday 8pm-10pm, we are currently open to new members and all levels are welcome. Whether you are a beginner or someone who has played before and would like to get back on the court we are running a free taster session the first Tuesday of every month. This happens in The James Keneally Sports Hall in Hollyhill, come and give it a try, you might like it! For more information please contact Nicky on 0868479051.

Founded in 2022, Cork Racketeers Badminton Club has quickly become one of Cork’s most vibrant LGBTQIA+ sports groups. We play every Tuesday and Friday in the James Keneally Sports Hall in Hollyhill and welcome players of all experience levels. Whether you’re a beginner, intermediate or more advanced, you’ll be able to enjoy a great two hours of social badminton games. We operate a pay-as-you-go membership model, so there’s no commitment. We even have spare rackets which you can borrow for the night. Starting a new sport can be daunting – especially in Ireland when the nights are often long, dark, cold, wet and windy! Playing indoors in a dry and heated hall is sometimes half the battle! Also, there is some downtime in between games, so you’ll be able to chat with other players. We’re all very friendly and our more experienced players will gladly share their wisdom. We also organise regular socials away from the court. We will always be a social sports club first and foremost, but we are also fond of a little competition! In the autumn of 2023, we fielded two teams in the local Badminton Ireland league for the very first time. Players from our club also travelled to the recent EuroGames in Vienna. Since our foundation, we have organised several friendly tournaments with other badminton clubs.

Established in 2020, Cork Hellhounds RFC is an LGBTQ+ inclusive rugby team catering to all levels from absolute beginners to seasoned veterans. We pride ourselves on being an inclusive, safe space for people to get fit and active whilst being themselves. The success of the Hellhounds has grown year on year since our foundation. This May we made an historic debut at the IGR World Cup in Rome fighting off five other teams to win the tournament’s Challenger Cup in a thrilling final against the Plymouth Dolphins. Outside of tournaments we regularly play matches against other International Gay Rugby and local Cork teams. In addition to contact rugby, we also field a tag rugby team taking part in the leagues organised by Cork Tag Rugby at Highfield RFC and Cork Constitution. Tag is a great way for new players to get involved in rugby and on July 27th, we will be holding our annual Cork Pride tag rugby tournament in Virgin Media Park. This is always a fantastic day out and we would encourage everyone to come along to watch some great tag rugby being played or to join in the fun themselves. The Hellhounds train every Tuesday and Sunday throughout the year and we love to welcome new members. If you would like to get involved reach out to us at hello@corkhellhounds.ie or @corkhellhounds on Instagram.

on Instagram, Facebook and TikTok. Alternatively, you can send an email to corkracekteers@gmail.com

Instagram: @FRBWCork Email: hi@FRBWCork.ie

CORK PRIDE 5k Sunday 28th | 11:00am Kennedy Park All Welcome!

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