Limerick is bidding to host the 2018 Gay Games. Originally the Gay Olympics, the games were first started in San Francisco in 1982 and are held every four years.
The competition is one of the largest multi-sport festivals in the world and is open to all participants regardless of skill level, sexual orientation or physical challenge. The 2014 Gay Games will be held in Cleveland, Ohio.
Seven cities have submitted bids to host the 10th Gay Games in 2018. They are Amsterdam; Limerick; London; Paris; Orlando; Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo.
Cillian Flynn of Limerick Pride, one of the groups behind the campaign, said two members of its bid committee were in Bulgaria at the Federation and Gay Games Conference outlining the offer. “We have sporting facilities in Limerick that are world class,” he said. “We can do it.”
Shannon Development, the region’s conference and sports bureau and the local authorities are also supporting the bid.
Karen Brosnahan, business manager with the Shannon Region Conference and Sports Bureau, said: “We have been trying to lobby to get some funding through Fáilte Ireland to support the bid process to allow Limerick to put its best foot forward and hopefully be one of three short-listed cities that would get a site visit and hopefully be the overall winner.”