Hundreds of gaelic football and hurling clubs could benefit from a new ‘affinity’ scheme offered by a newcomer to the insurance market.

Gaelic Insurance, which provides car insurance, mortgages and life cover, said their scheme would provide funding to gaelic sports in Northern Ireland at grassroots level. Every time a club member takes out a policy, a commission is paid to their GAA club.

The new service will initially run in Northern Ireland but is to be extended to the rest of Ireland next spring.

Karen Quinn, Gaelic Insurance marketing manager, said: “The popularity of Gaelic games has increased dramatically over the past decade and represents the largest sporting organisation in Ireland.

“The GAA is one of the strongest organisations within Irish society and at its very core are the local GAA clubs, run and managed on a voluntary basis. Gaelic Insurance has acknowledged the opportunity to provide a product and service that would boost fundraising at no extra cost to members and supporters.

“Gaelic Insurance will provide the highest quality insurance protection for its policyholders by bonding together to create a true relationship between policyholder and the nominated GAA club or school of the policyholders’ choosing.”