The creators of new Gaelic football gloves sporting the rainbow colours of the LGBT movement hope the initiative will help everyone to feel accepted into the GAA community.

GAA players are being urged to support the Share the gLove campaign, which has been launched by members of the student union NUS-USI, by wearing the gloves. NUS-USI said research showed that depression affects LGBT people at higher rates than heterosexuals. Profits from the sale of the gloves will go to Aware NI and the Rainbow Project.

Ruairí Mooney, who is part of the initiative and lines out for the Eoghan Rua footballers in Coleraine, told the Irish News: "The Out in Sport research carried out by NUS, examining LGBT students' experiences of all sports, showed that only around a third of LGBT students agreed or strongly agreed that equality policies on all sports were visible at their institution.

"In addition to promoting LGBT+ rights through this work, we will also be promoting mental well-being.

"We want to see as many GAA players, clubs and counties buying the gloves as possible, and the initiative will also help raise money for the Rainbow Project and Aware NI. Each charity will receive 50 per cent of the profit made from this initiative."

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