Priests' comments on sexuality unhelpful, says Dublin camogie star

 Aisling Maher of St Vincent’s at the launch of this year’s AIB Camogie All-Ireland Club Championships and the AIB GAA All-Ireland Club Championships. Picture: Brendan Moran/Sportsfile

Dublin camogie star Aisling Maher reckons Fr Sean Sheehy's controversial comments regarding sexuality will only 'add to fears or anxieties' for young players considering coming out as gay.

A number of mass-goers in Listowel last weekend reportedly left the church following Fr Sheehy's attack on, among other things, transgenderism and homosexuality.

He was subsequently rebuked for his comments though later doubled down on them in various interviews including one with RTÉ's Liveline host Joe Duffy.

Speaking this afternoon at a promotion for the AIB camogie club championships, Maher, who is openly gay and a member of the GPA's LGBTQ+ committee, said the comments aren't helpful for any young player thinking about disclosing their sexuality.

"I won't try to put myself in the position of a gay male player who isn't comfortable coming out because I don't know how they feel and it would be unfair of me to even speculate around that but I can't imagine that it makes it easier now, I can't imagine that it makes you feel more comfortable or more accepted or more welcome," said Maher.

"I'm sure there are players for whom it does add to fears or anxieties that might be associated with coming out. Look, I don't think it's helpful but I also don't know how conducive it is moving forward to continue to give someone like him oxygen, to continue to listen to it and cover it because at the end of the day, I do think he's a minority expressing views like that or at least I would like to think that he's a minority.

"There is still work to be done and it does highlight that but, past that, I'm not sure how much it's worth analysing. I would hope it's an isolated view and it is positive to see that it's not being echoed by other people in his diocese."

Maher struck 0-12 for St Vincent's in last month's Dublin senior camogie final and is currently preparing for a November 12 AIB Leinster club semi-final clash with Thomastown.

Beyond that she is likely to be a key figure for new Dublin manager Paul Kelly who has replaced Adrian O'Sullivan.

O'Sullivan surprisingly stepped down two years into a three-year term and later said that it was partly his frustration with poor refereeing that led to his decision to quit.

Maher said she feels refereeing standards have generally improved in the game.

"Don't get me wrong, there are often times I felt frustrated with camogie, or the rules, or the refereeing, but I haven't quite got to the stage of walking away from the game because of it yet anyway, hopefully I won't," she said. "I suppose only Adrian can tell you his reasons for walking away from it. Personally, I feel like the rules and the refereeing are in a stronger position than they were in the last number of years."