As a queer migrant, Brian didn’t feel welcome playing sport. Until he found his own group

When Brian Murphy emigrated to Sydney from Ireland in 2013, he didn’t always feel welcome among the city’s sporting communities and traditions.

Then, about six years ago, he joined Sydney Queer Irish and found a “home away from home” among fellow LGBTQ emigrants in the harbour city.

Progress: Sydney Queer Irish members Brian Parkinson, Fergal Quill, Ryan Bunker, and Brian Murphy train for the City2Surf.Credit: Dylan Coker

Murphy has run the City2Surf a handful of times but this year he will do so with about two dozen friends and allies donning the bright green to represent Sydney’s Queer Irish community.

“I think it’s important for queer people to know that there is always a space at the table for them,” he said.

“City2Surf is a perfect opportunity for people who are new to this city and people who have been around for a while just to come together, get a bit of exercise in, and just make new friendships and create memories.”

“We’ve been kind of robbed of opportunities – unfortunately, due to necessary lockdowns – to create those memories and friendships.”

Brian Murphy, Sydney Queer Irish member

This year will see the City2Surf return to its traditional course after two pandemic-interrupted years. For the 50th anniversary of the fun run in 2020, 13,000 virtual participants plotted their own 14-kilometre routes, while organisers abandoned plans to return to a full-scale event last year when the Delta wave hit.

Murphy said the return to an in-person event would be especially important for LGBTQ people, who were two and a half times more likely to be diagnosed or treated with a mental health condition in 2021, according to LGTBIQ+ Australia.

“We’ve been kind of robbed of opportunities – unfortunately, due to necessary lockdowns – to create those memories and friendships,” he said.

“So coming out of the lockdowns and getting back to normal slowly but surely, we’re looking forward to using City2Surf as an opportunity to improve people’s mental health.”

This Pride Month, the group will have their monthly catch-up at the annual AFL Pride Game between the Sydney Swans and St Kilda, another opportunity to “queer up” typically straight spaces.

“Typically, the SCG might not seem as queer-friendly, but recently it hosted the Mardi Gras parade and we had the absolute best time at it,” he said.

The group hasn’t settled on what exactly they’ll be wearing, but Murphy hopes fellow participants and contestants will see whatever “striking colours” they’re in and come up and say hello.

“We’re not only just for queer Irish people, we’re for absolutely everyone,” he said. “We’re super friendly, so just get involved, come up and say hello ... and celebrate in Bondi afterwards.”

City2Surf is on August 14. Registrations are open.