LGFA launches Talk a Small Game campaign to champion girls’ voices

The Ladies Gaelic Football Association (LGFA) has launched Talk a Small Game, a new nationwide campaign supported by Sport Ireland’s Her Moves programme, designed to ensure that young girls’ voices are heard, valued, and placed at the heart of their sporting experience.

In clubs and communities across the country, adults often speak proudly about “playing a big game” – focusing on results, performance, harder training, and pushing for the win.

Research and real conversations with young players reveal something different, however.

For girls, the most meaningful moments in Gaelic Football aren’t always about the scoreboard.

They’re about belonging, fun, laughter, and the small but powerful experiences that make the sport joyful.

Talk a Small Game is built on a simple message:

When we actually listen to our girls – not speak for them – we understand what truly keeps them in the game.

The campaign’s manifesto highlights the voices of young players, who talk about the things that matter most to them:

•The cheer from a grandparent on the sideline

•The giggles during warm ups with friends

•The pride in catching a high ball simply because it “felt like flying”

•The gentle encouragements, quiet chats, and moments of connection that have nothing to do with winning

These moments, often seen as “small,” are, in fact, everything.

Through Talk a Small Game, the LGFA is inviting every club and adult involved in Ladies Gaelic Football to reflect, re engage, and genuinely listen. The campaign will involve a 6-part video series and will provide practical supports and resources to help adults create environments where girls feel heard, respected, and empowered. Clubs are invited to engage with the campaign, facilitate conversations with their young players, and embed young players perspectives into training, coaching, and club culture. They are urged to share their stories and small game moments.

Ladies Gaelic Football Association President, Trina Murray, said: “Our girls have been telling us what matters most to them, sometimes quietly, sometimes in ways we’ve overlooked. Talk a Small Game asks us all to pause, listen, and recognise that joy, connection, and belonging are the foundations of lifelong participation. When we understand their game, we keep them in the game. When we hear what they really love about Gaelic Football, we gain all the insight we need to help keep them playing, thriving, and connected. The LGFA is calling on everyone involved to embrace a new mindset to Let’s stop talking big and start listening small.”

To find out more about the campaign, visit: https://bit.ly/4qis4xV

For further information, email: LGFA National Development Manager, Lyn Savage: lyn.savage@lgfa.ie