By Gary Petrov 

Inclusivity and providing a safe space for all participants are core values of sport, especially when it comes to identifying as LGBTQ+. 

A basketball club in Dublin has been set up this year – aimed at being an inclusive sports environment for members of the LGBTQ+ community, wishing to partake in basketball. 

The basketball club in question is Shamrock Sióga. Set up in May of this year, it became the first LGBTQ+ basketball club in Ireland. 

Shamrock Sióga had their first game of the season, last month, against Renegade and won 38-35. 

The Shamrock Sióga team and committee before their first game against Renegades. Photo: @dublinlgbtbasketball 

Tatiana O’Brien–Santos (She/her) is the coach at Shamrock Sióga and gave The City an insight into her experience in the LGBTQ+ inclusive club. 

“Being the coach of Shamrock Sióga is so rewarding, all of our players are so hard working and give it their all at every session. There is nothing but respect both ways,” she said. 

Speaking about what Shamrock Sióga means to her, she said, “LGBTQ+ people face their obstacles in life and many times these are in a sports setting. For women and LGBTQ+ people, there is almost always justification needed for their participation and I have felt this personally almost all of my sporting life. I want to eliminate that for everyone.” 

The coach refers to Shamrock Sióga as the “beginning of history”. She said, “As the first LGBTQ+ basketball club in Ireland, it’s an example – a statement that’s paving the way for all and any LGBTQ+ athletes and any other minority communities, and sometimes you just have to create that space yourself.” 

Coach Tatiana O’Brien-Santos in her element at a recent training session. Photo: Tatiana O’Brien-Santos 

When asked about the club’s success since its formation, she said, “Our growth rate and the feedback from our members on how impactful the club has been in terms of helping people feel like they belong and feel confident in a sports context is something I’m so proud that the club has been able to achieve. 

“We have been featured in national media three times over the last 6 months. We have over 140 people in our club, our followers on our socials have tripled. We played our first ever basketball match and won, we are about to host the first exclusively LGBTQ+ basketball match in Ireland. I couldn’t be happier to see the support we have received. 

“Being involved in basketball for so much of my life, I wanted to use my knowledge to help fuel growth for the club and get it to where I knew it could be. Within 3 months, we were a fully established basketball club with registered members, a clear structure and a great club culture, something made possible in collaborating so well with the committee of the club who truly work so hard for Shamrock Sióga,” she added. 

Along with O’Brien-Santos, Shamrock Sióga thrives in its current success thanks to several additional members of a dedicated committee. 

The Shamrock Sióga committee. Left to right: Kris Kalniņa, Jess Devine, Fionn Collins, Tatiana O’Brien-Santos and Danny Carby-Robinson. Photo: Tatiana O’Brien-Santos 

Danny Carby-Robinson (He/Him) is the treasurer and registrar at Shamrock Sióga. 

Carby-Robinson thrives on “connecting with others” and believes in the “power of small-scale community changes – to create a larger impact.”  

“Being part of Shamrock Sióga has been such a fabulous experience. Having an LGBTQ+ basketball club is super important because it creates a safe and supportive space for people to enjoy the sport without fear of discrimination, judgment or shame,” he said. 

He believes that everyone brings diverse aspects of being LGBTQ+, which will help ensure their work remains “inclusive, multifaceted, and representative of all walks of life.” 

He attributes homophobia, transphobia and toxic masculinity in traditional sports environments as factors when considering LGBTQ+ hesitancy with engaging in sport. 

“As a closeted teenager, I joined a rugby team but quickly became discouraged by the negativity around me during an impressionable time in my life. These experiences left a lasting impact. 

“Joining an inclusive club has helped me rediscover my love for sports and has shown me the importance of creating supportive environments for LGBTQ+ individuals,” he said. 

Carby-Robinson hopes for Shamrock Sióga to participate in the EuroGames 2025 in Lyon as the first ever Irish basketball club to do so. 

“I also want to focus on building a stronger community. I hope to connect more with other queer organisations in Dublin on collaborative events, fostering relationships that strengthen our impact in the broader LGBTQ+ community,” he added. 

Jess Devine (They/Them) is the club secretary and PR officer at Shamrock Sióga. 

Devine calls their experience with Shamrock Sióga “life changing”. They said, “It’s a club I didn’t know I needed in my life. Now that I’m part of it, I can’t imagine my life without it. The community that has been built through this club is fantastic. I can’t wait to see this grow and flourish with more LGBTQ+ people.” 

Speaking about inclusivity in sports, they said, “I think a lot of queer folk in sport would’ve played when they were younger and as they grow up there is no inclusive space for them anymore and they fall out of love with the sport.” 

“I’ve felt this way in past basketball teams as a non-binary person on a women’s team. I didn’t feel included due to the language, the gendered terms in sport and not feeling safe to come out as non-binary. 

Devine calls it “crucial” for people to have a safe space where they can be their 100% authentic self, and believes this should apply to sports clubs. 

Devine’s future hopes for the club are to grow bigger and have an U18s division for queer kids. They’d also “love” to get into “as many tournaments as possible” and represent Ireland. 

Fionn Collins (He/Him) is the chairperson at Shamrock Sióga. 

Collins wanted to create a basketball team that “catered for all” in the LGBTQ+ community. He said, “The community we have created is amazing – a safe space for all the community in sports.” 

Collins feels the club is opening doors for conversations about the LGBTQ+ community in sports. He sees it as a chance to educate people and show that sports is for everyone. 

In relation to LGBTQ+ people staying away from sport, he attributes this to toxic masculinity – but believes things are “slowly changing” with the help of Sporting Pride and other organisations. 

Collins believes it’s “super important to have an inclusive sport” – to have “all parts of minority communities” feeling recognised and seen in the sport they want to play.  

Collins feels that improving inclusion in sports will reduce poor mental health in the LGBTQ+ community. 

Collins’ future hope for the club is to become as big as other LGBTQ+ clubs in Ireland like Emerald Warriors and Na Gaeil Aeracha.  

“I want us to also help push policies for our trans siblings within the basketball community, to allow them to be safe and play in the sport,” he added. 

Kris Kalniņa (She/Her) deals with fundraising and court bookings at Shamrock Sióga. 

Growing up in Latvia, where the sports culture is “rooted in the rigid traditions of the USSR,” Kalniņa felt isolated there as an LGBTQ+ athlete “as there was little room for openness.” 

She claims being part of Shamrock Sióga’s committee has been “transformative”. She said, “It’s allowed me to help build a community that prioritises inclusivity and support for LGBTQ+ athletes – fostering connections among diverse individuals who share a love for basketball and sport.” 

Kalniņa attributes “experiences of exclusion” to LGBTQ+ people avoiding sports and personally felt this way growing up. She said, “The fear of rejection often overshadowed my passion for athletics. Addressing these barriers is essential for fostering acceptance.” 

“An LGBTQ+ basketball club is crucial for creating a safe space where individuals can express themselves freely while enjoying the sport,” she said. 

Kalniņa’s future hope for the club is to “challenge the status quo by advocating for inclusivity and equity in sports,” and envisions “participating in competitions, proposing fair rule changes, and inspiring positive change.” 

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Coach O’Brien-Santos recently launched Unity Sports, a women and LGBTQ+ sports advocacy organisation. 

The advocacy group is dedicated to establishing LGBTQ+ and women’s sport through advocacy, education and encouraging attendance.  

Unity Sports’ logo. Credit: @unitysportsie 

“It is something I’m incredibly passionate about. My experiences in sport have shown me the power and impact of creating a space where everyone feels they belong,” she said. 

Unity Sports builds on the basketball coach’s mindset and approach, by “aiming to foster inclusivity and growth in sports,” particularly for women and the LGBTQ+ community. 

O’Brien-Santos’ plan with Unity Sports is to “provide opportunities for people to be their best selves in sport, and to educate coaches, teams, and organisations on creating environments that truly welcome all athletes – all with the intention to grow the audience of women and LGBTQ+ sports events.” 

“Whether it’s helping women feel valued in traditionally male-dominated sports or supporting LGBTQ+ athletes who’ve often felt overlooked, we’re focused on building leaders and advocates who can bring real change to sports culture. 

“I’m creating Unity Sports to break down barriers and reshape what sport can look like for everyone,” she concluded. 

Shamrock Sióga at a recent training session. Photo: @dublinlgbtbasketball 

Shamrock Sióga is open to anyone over 18, and welcomes all identities and abilities. 

You can keep up with everything Shamrock Sióga on their Instagram page here. 

Click here to be directed to Shamrock Sióga’s Linktree, where you can access the club’s WhatsApp group or fill out a registration form.