Development of Queen's Ladies GAA

Aim

Empowering female students. Building a community and a club for students when they are in Belfast at University. Creating a lasting legacy.

Over the past five years, Queen’s Ladies GAA has grown from strength to strength. What started as a small group of passionate players 20 years ago has blossomed into a vibrant, inclusive community of over 300 members. Today, we proudly field four competitive teams in the Universities League, alongside a social team and a dedicated international student team—ensuring there’s a place for every female student who wants to play, belong, and thrive.

Queen’s Ladies GAA isn’t just about Gaelic Football—it’s about shaping confident, capable women who lead, inspire, and give back.

Our players are recognised as leaders among their peers and proud ambassadors for Queen’s Sport and the University. Through the Queen’s Sport Pathway, we celebrate their achievements and support their personal growth—on the field, in  and beyond. 

This project will help us expand on our successful previous projects to expanding the accessibility for female students of all backgrounds to take part in Gaelic football. 

OUR GOALS AND TIMELINE: February - June 2026

Increase the opportunity for our International Student Football team to play in competition and challenge games against other universities increasing the opportunities for students from every background within Queen's. 

We aim to expand the club from six teams (5 competitive + 1 social) to eight teams by adding:

• A new beginners’ developmental team
• A new intermediate team

This will bring an estimated 40–55 new female participants into the club.

Funding timeline note:
All activity funded by Sport NI’s Creating Opportunities programme will be completed by March 31st, 2026.
 Any activity or costs from April–August 2026 will be fully funded through public donations.

HELP US TAKE THE NEXT STEP

Your support for Queen’s GAA  provides our Ladies Football players support with their sporting endeavours. Queen’s GAA has produced some of the games sporting greats and we continue to nurture some of Ireland’s best sporting talent. Your gift  benefits players at all levels and helps us maintain the GAA tradition in Queen’s. 

 What the Project Will Deliver

• Two new additional women’s teams
• Enhanced coaching quality through coach education
• New equipment across all teams
• Cultural exchange events for international and local students
• Additional facility access to meet increased demand
• Leadership pathways for young women in sport

 How the Money Will Be Spent

Funds will go directly toward equipment, coaching costs, facility hire, leadership workshops, and delivery of cultural exchange tournaments. A full breakdown is below.

Equip and Train Our Teams

New Gaelic Games Equipment Required

To support eight teams, we need to purchase:

• 20–24 training footballs (size 4 women's footballs)
• 4 sets of team jerseys for new teams
• 8–10 sets of bibs
• 4–6 full sets of cones and markers
• Portable goalposts for indoor sessions (if needed)
• 4 ball bags, 2 First-aid kits, 4 equipment trolleys
• Resistance bands / ladders for athletic development

Why this is needed:
 To support two new teams and maintain quality training, we require additional coaching equipment. This ensures every player, regardless of level, receives engaging and safe training sessions.

 Expand Leadership and Development for Female Athletes

We will deliver:

• 3 coach-education workshops (target: 20–25 female participants)
• 2 committee leadership training sessions
• Safeguarding and First-Aid courses for new student volunteers

This provides women with meaningful leadership pathways within Gaelic Games and supports long‑term sustainability of the club.

3. Foster Global Friendships & Cultural Exchange Through Sport

Our club has strong international student participation. To strengthen this:

We plan to deliver:

• 2–3 new social Gaelic football tournaments, each involving: 
  • Mixed-level teams
  • International and local students
  • Fun, non‑competitive formats

Estimated participation: 80–120 players across tournaments

We will also provide a:

• Cultural awareness workshop for all members to encourage inclusion and understanding among students from different backgrounds in conjugation with Queen's Students Union.

 Improve Access to Facilities & Resources for All Members

To cater for additional teams and the growing number of players, we will use funds to:

• Hire additional indoor and outdoor training venues outside QUB ownership
• Secure extra pitch time during peak season
• Support safe training by ensuring guaranteed weekly sessions

This ensures new players have equal access without overcrowding or reduced quality of training.

Funding method

Keep what you raise – this project will receive all pledges made