Irish sports icon and LGBTQ+ trailblazer Dónal Óg Cusack has announced his engagement to longtime partner Nathan Adams, sharing the joyful news on Instagram over the Christmas holidays.
The couple posted a video showing off their engagement rings while standing together in a dramatic coastal setting, marking a major milestone after more than a decade as a couple.
The announcement was first reported by Outsports, which noted that Cusack and Adams have been together for over ten years.
Cusack is widely regarded as one of the most important figures in Irish sport, both for his achievements on the hurling pitch and for his decision to come out publicly in 2009.
At the time, he became the first openly gay elite athlete in Ireland, a moment that had a profound impact on visibility and inclusion in traditionally conservative sporting environments.
Throughout his career, Cusack won multiple All-Ireland titles with Cork and later became a prominent media voice and advocate for mental health and LGBTQ+ inclusion.
Nathan Adams, his now-fiancé, is a model, entrepreneur, and competitive HYROX athlete who has quietly built his own career alongside Cusack.
While the couple have largely kept their relationship private, they have occasionally shared glimpses of their life together, balancing visibility with personal boundaries.
Their engagement announcement was met with an outpouring of congratulations from fans, fellow athletes, and LGBTQ+ community members across social media.
For many, the moment felt especially meaningful given Cusack’s history and the barriers he helped break simply by being visible and honest about who he is.
The engagement also comes at a time when positive stories about LGBTQ+ athletes continue to resonate strongly amid ongoing debates about inclusion in sport.
Rather than making a grand statement, the couple’s announcement focused on love, longevity, and shared history.
After more than ten years together, the engagement feels less like a surprise and more like a celebration of something already deeply rooted.
As fans quickly noted in the comments, this is the kind of queer love story that quietly rewrites expectations.
Cusack and Adams have not yet shared wedding plans, but their announcement already stands as a hopeful and affirming moment to end the year.
📷 IG: @ nathanadams95 / donalogc