A DUP Minister insisted that the GAA is "very important to the community" in Northern Ireland after kicking a Gaelic football for the first time yesterday.

Communities Minister Paul Givan even managed to kick a few points during a visit to St. Patrick's GAC in Lisburn to mark the awarding of a £50,000 grant towards the club's facilities.

"Sport is something that I am very passionate about. I have grown up playing football," Givan is quoted in the Irish News.

"Never kicked a Gaelic football so that was a first for me - and I was glad to actually get a point this time for putting the ball over the bar."

The Lagan Valley MLA rejected the notion that he was supporting one community over others.

"I have met with the GAA now on a number of occasions and successive DUP ministers have attended a GAA football match," he added.

"We have obviously reached out in the past and I wanted to show here in Lisburn where I've grown up - I've grown up right beside where this pitch is - that Gaelic football is something that I recognise as very important to our community and the sporting aspects that it brings."

 

Beautiful day to have a go at Gaelic football with @StPatricksGAC in Lisburn. Thanks for the invite & teaching me how to play! pic.twitter.com/WZQhwf6wOm

- Paul Givan (@paulgivan) November 24, 2016

The first DUP Minister on a Gaelic pitch attempting to score a point ,,, pic.twitter.com/mk3Kc1DwZK

- Mark Simpson (@BBCMarkSimpson) November 24, 2016

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