By Emma Jane Cooke
Speaking with Chloe Christie from Skatebirds, she proves to be a contemporary voice for inclusivity within Irish skateboarding.
“There needs to be massive investment in sports outside of the norm in Ireland.”
Chloe handles the social media and scheduling of classes, proving herself to be an important and valued member of the skateboarding group. Chloe talks about the origins of the group but also the overwhelming need for various spaces to practice the sport and how she feels the government have lacked attention towards the skate groups.
Who is Chloe in relation to Skatebirds?
Chloe has been skating on and off for 15 years, meaning that she has experienced both the personal journey of skateboarding in Ireland and has also seen it drastically changed over the years. As a teenager, her local area built up a skatepark which encouraged herself and her friends to take up skateboarding. Chloe would later go on to fall back in love with skateboarding in her early twenties where she would meet the original members of Girl Skate.
Girl Skate was the origin of Skatebirds, which started out 15 years or so ago. This group of young girls prioritised skate sessions that focused on creating a safe space for women that wanted to skate. The founding members would later pass the torch to Chloe and Jesse Donnelly who took the lead by holding beginners classes and also working on the social media. Girl Skate would then later be rebirthed as Skatebirds to broaden the aspect of inclusivity to both the group and to the skating community.
Diversity and Inclusivity.
Skateboarding may not be as relevant within the country as say, Football or GAA, yet it is important to highlight these subcultures to drive attention towards diversity and inclusivity within these communities. Speaking to Chloe specifically about the gender dynamics within skateboarding, she believes things were much different for the community ten years ago with the sport being predominantly targeted towards male skaters. “I think it’s less encouraged for young girls to skate which in turn makes it a much more daunting sport to get into, it’s very male dominated even now when the diversity has improved, communities like Skatebirds or 50 First Skates really do make a difference.”
To mention 50 First Skates, it advertises itself as a roller-skating group for adults. While it is not skateboard based but for roller-skating, it is beneficial to shoutout fellow communities that pride themselves towards inclusion, whether that be in relation to age or gender inclusivity. Online publicity for the roller-skating group can be found from multiple articles that highlight the importance of hobbies and using your time productively or making your free time worthwhile. If an even amount of publicity was given to more groups such as these ones, there would be a significant boost within these communities. By giving a spotlight to inner skate groups within the country, it may be useful in encouraging those who may be too intimidated or unmotivated to put themselves forward and also de-stigmatise the male orientated issue within skateboarding.
When asked, ‘Is the fact that Skatebirds is adverstised as an LGBTQ+ friendly group an important aspect of the group?’, Chloe responded, “There wouldn’t be a Skatebirds community without our queer members and founders, we want to create a safe and fun environment for as many people as possible. It’s a vital part of our ethos.” Skatebirds reaffirms the significance of raising awareness to specific communities and groups within the county and also the entire nation, to bring awareness and provide welcoming experiences to those who want to contribute.
Skateboarding in this country.
When discussing stereotypes that are appointed to skateboarding, Chloe brought up how the sport is treated within Ireland specifically. “There’s still a lack of facilities and negativity towards skating especially in public spaces.” Chloe boasts about the talent within the country yet it may be overshadowed due to harmful stereotypes or even neglect from those within power. When asking if there was anything Chloe had seen abroad that she wished to be incorporated into the Ireland skate scene, she answered, “The Irish Skate Association has been driving towards getting more skate-able architecture in Ireland, the rebuilding of Portobello Square is a good example of this where there will be skate-able obstacles, this is what many European cities have in place and it’s what Ireland needs more of.”
The Irish Skate Association prioritises the advocacy for skateparks and its skaters. Keeping Irish skateboarding culture alive is something that this association are clearly passionate about as they strive for more skating spaces whether that be completely brand new builds or simply just incorporating skating landscapes into public spaces to accommodate those who live locally without many skating spaces. Anyone can become a member with the Irish Skate Association by providing €2.50 a year, this donation funds the coverage of the Irish skateboarding and sport scene. It is clear that with help from those with power and authority, the Irish skating scene could expand exponentially, not only in relation to community diversity but also with multiple new spaces and architecture that centres around skateboarding.
Photo of a skateboarder at Bushy Park.
An article from 2021 by Wexford Weekly broke the news of the financial crisis that an indoor skatepark, located in Gorey, County Wexford was facing. As a result of the pandemic, this business, along with thousands across the country took a financial hit. With it being an indoor skatepark, this attracted skaters to attend events and classes without the worry of natural issues such as weather, something that Ireland is prone to. Closures such as this one significantly impact the local areas as many may have depended on this skatepark . Although there is still the infamous Gorey skatepark, it is an outdoor facility and may not be able to hold the capacity of those that attended both the indoor and outdoor skateparks.
‘Do you feel as though the Irish government is paying enough attention towards recreational activities such as skateboarding? Would you have any suggestions for the government or is there changes that you would like to see with help from the government?’ Chloe’s answer is clearly a culmination of all those within the skating community that feel a similar way. “Absolutely not, there’s 2 indoor skateparks in Ireland, in a climate that’s mostly damp, these are both privately owned, there needs to be a massive investment in sports outside of the norm in Ireland.”
Upon research, Goblin Magazine came to be a relevant source on information regarding the Irish skate scene. As ‘The first Irish skateboarding magazine in over 10 years.’, it showcases skateboarding with the use multiple forms of artwork such as photography, music and videography. This magazine opens up for those with artistic abilities to take part and contribute to the skate scene without physically skating. They also provide merchandise which overall results in spreading the word of Goblin Magazine. The website for the magazine acts as a resource hub for all of the various art forms with information on events and an interactive map which shows the viewer where you can pick up their magazine across the country. By supporting Goblin Magazine, you can support the sport without needing to physically participate.
Social medias and websites for the groups mentioned can be accessed through the hyperlinks within the article.