Cork Hellhounds to host Glasgow Raptors for friendly match
Cork, Wednesday 18 January – Cork Hellhounds RFC, Cork’s LGBT-inclusive rugby team, is preparing to welcome their fellow inclusive team, Glasgow Raptors, to Cork for a challenge match on Saturday, January 28.
The Cork Hellhounds were founded in 2020 as an inclusive rugby club, with the support of both the Gay Project (Cork’s community centre for gay, bi, and queer men) and Munster Rugby. They have since become a core part of Cork’s LGBT community, becoming affiliated by the IRFU and International Gay Rugby, and hosting tag rugby tournaments as part of the Cork Pride festival.
In preparation to take part in the IGR Union Cup tournament in Birmingham in April, the Hellhounds have invited the Glasgow Raptors to Cork to play in Tramore Valley Park. Kick-off is at 1pm, and all are welcome to support.
“We’re excited to see the Glasgow Raptors come to Cork for our first official fixture of the new year”, said Scott De Buitléir, Vice-President and Communications Officer for Cork Hellhounds RFC. “Last year, we travelled to Belfast to play against another IGR team, the Belfast Azlans, where we gained a hard-fought win at the University of Ulster. As we prepare for the Union Cup, we’ll be testing our skills on the pitch with the Raptors.”
The Hellhounds are also running a free “Intro to Rugby” training series for beginners at their training grounds on the Ringmahon Road every Sunday until the end of February. Registration is free and all are welcome, including those from the LGBT community and their allies.
For more information, visit corkhellhounds.ie or search for Cork Hellhounds RFC on Instagram or Facebook.
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Notes to the Editor:
- For interviews, contact Scott De Buitléir on comms@corkhellhounds.ie
- Cork Hellhounds RFC is an LGBT-inclusive rugby club, offering both men’s contact rugby and mixed-gender tag rugby teams. Founded in 2020, the Hellhounds are the third inclusive rugby club on the island of Ireland, following the Emerald Warriors in Dublin and the Belfast Azlans (part of Ophir RFC in Newtownabbey, Co. Antrim)
- International Gay Rugby is an organisation of gay- and inclusive rugby clubs worldwide, of which Cork Hellhounds became a member in 2021.
- Gay Project is a community centre which supports gay, bi, and queer men in the Greater Cork area.