Cookie Policy
This Cookie Policy explains how the Wild Geese Gaelic Football Club website uses cookies and similar technologies. The short version: our site sets no advertising or analytics cookies. It stores a few small preferences in your own browser so the site works smoothly, and third-party cookies only come into play if you choose to play an embedded YouTube video or follow a link to social media.
1. What cookies and similar technologies are
1.1 Cookies
Cookies are small text files that a website places on your device when you visit. They are sent back to the website with each request, which lets the site recognize your browser. Cookies can be used for many purposes: keeping you signed in, remembering preferences, measuring how a site is used, or tracking you across different websites to show you targeted advertising.
Cookies set by the website you are visiting are called first-party cookies. Cookies set by a different domain, such as an advertising network, analytics provider or embedded video service, are called third-party cookies. Cookies can be session cookies, which are deleted when you close your browser, or persistent cookies, which remain until they expire or you delete them.
1.2 localStorage and sessionStorage
Modern browsers also offer "web storage", which websites can use to save small pieces of information on your device:
- localStorage keeps information on your device until it is deleted, either by the website or by you clearing your browser data. It is only available to the website that saved it.
- sessionStorage keeps information only for as long as a single browser tab is open. When you close the tab, the information is deleted automatically.
Unlike cookies, information in localStorage and sessionStorage is not automatically sent to the website's server with each request. It stays in your browser and is read only by the website's own code running on your device. Even so, we treat it with the same care as cookies and describe it fully in this policy.
1.3 Other technologies
Some websites use tracking pixels or device fingerprinting to follow visitors. Our website does not.
2. Our approach
We are an amateur sports club, not an advertising business, and we have built the website to respect your privacy by default:
- The site sets no advertising cookies and no analytics cookies, and we do not use any analytics or tracking service.
- The site uses browser storage only to remember your cookie-banner choice and a few interface preferences, as listed in Section 3.
- All fonts, scripts and stylesheets are hosted on our own site. We do not load resources from third-party content delivery networks, so visiting our pages does not send your information to font or script providers.
- Embedded YouTube videos are click-to-play: nothing is loaded from YouTube until you choose to play a video.
- Links to our social media pages are ordinary links, not embedded "like" or "share" buttons, so social media platforms cannot track you on our pages.
Our hosting provider keeps basic server logs for security; this does not involve cookies and is explained in our Privacy Policy.
3. What this website uses
The table below lists every item our website stores in your browser. None of them is used for advertising, analytics or tracking, and none of them is shared with anyone else.
| Name | Type | Purpose | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|
wg_cookie_consent |
localStorage | Stores your choice on the cookie banner, so the banner does not appear again on every page you visit. | Persistent until you clear your browser's site data |
wg_newsletter_dismissed |
localStorage | Remembers that you closed the newsletter sign-up prompt, so we do not keep showing it to you. | Persistent until you clear your browser's site data |
wg_form_name |
sessionStorage | Temporarily holds the first name you entered in the contact/join form so that the thank-you page can greet you personally. | Deleted automatically when you close the browser tab |
These items are "strictly necessary" or "functional" in nature: they exist only to provide features you have used or to respect a choice you have made. They do not identify you to us, and they are not transmitted to our servers.
If you block or clear browser storage, the website will still work. You may simply see the cookie banner or newsletter prompt again, and the thank-you page will show a general message instead of using your name.
4. Third-party cookies
Our website itself does not set third-party cookies. Third-party cookies may be set on your device only in the following situations, both of which depend on an action you choose to take.
4.1 When you play an embedded YouTube video
Some pages include videos hosted on YouTube, which is owned by Google. To protect your privacy, we show a preview image stored on our own site in place of each video. Nothing is requested from YouTube, and no YouTube cookies are set, until you click the play button.
When you click play, the video player loads from YouTube's servers. From that point, YouTube may set cookies or use similar technologies on your device, collect information such as your IP address, device and browser details, and the fact that you watched the video, and, if you are signed in to a Google account, associate that activity with your account. This is controlled by Google, not by us, and is governed by Google's privacy policy and cookie practices. You can manage your Google advertising and activity settings through your Google account.
If you prefer not to interact with YouTube, simply do not play embedded videos.
4.2 When you follow links to social media
Our website links to the club's pages on Facebook, X (formerly Twitter) and Instagram. Because these are ordinary links rather than embedded widgets, the platforms do not set cookies or track you while you are on our site. When you click a link, you leave our website and go to the platform, where its own cookies, terms and privacy policy apply.
4.3 Other external links
The same applies to links to governing bodies, other clubs, sponsors, venues and news sites: once you follow a link, the other website's own cookie and privacy practices apply. We encourage you to review them.
5. The cookie banner and your choices
When you first visit the website, you will see a short banner that explains how the site uses browser storage and embedded content, with a link to this policy. When you respond to the banner, your choice is saved in wg_cookie_consent so that the banner does not reappear on every page.
Whatever you choose, the site will never set advertising or analytics cookies, and YouTube videos will only load if you click play. You can change your mind at any time by clearing the site data for wildgeesegfc.org in your browser (see Section 6); the banner will then appear again on your next visit and you can make a new choice.
If the law in your location requires consent for any storage we use, we rely on your choice in the banner, and on your action in clicking play for embedded videos. Strictly necessary storage that simply remembers a choice you have made does not require consent in most jurisdictions.
6. How to control and delete cookies and site data
You are always in control of what is stored in your browser. Most browsers let you view, block and delete cookies and site data, either for all websites or for individual sites. Clearing "cookies and site data" for wildgeesegfc.org removes both cookies and the localStorage items listed above. The exact steps vary between browser versions and devices, but the general instructions below should help.
6.1 Google Chrome
- For this site only (desktop): while on wildgeesegfc.org, click the site information icon to the left of the address bar, choose Site settings (or Cookies and site data), and select Delete data or Clear data.
- For all sites (desktop): open the menu (three dots), go to Settings > Privacy and security > Delete browsing data, tick Cookies and other site data, and confirm.
- To block third-party cookies: go to Settings > Privacy and security > Third-party cookies and choose your preferred setting.
- Android and iOS: open the menu, go to Settings > Privacy and security > Delete browsing data, and select Cookies and site data.
6.2 Apple Safari
- Mac: choose Safari > Settings (or Preferences) > Privacy > Manage Website Data. Search for wildgeesegfc.org, select it and click Remove, or click Remove All. Safari blocks cross-site tracking cookies by default; you can confirm this with Prevent cross-site tracking on the same screen.
- iPhone and iPad: open the Settings app, go to Safari (in recent versions, Apps > Safari) > Advanced > Website Data, then swipe left on wildgeesegfc.org to delete it, or tap Remove All Website Data.
6.3 Mozilla Firefox
- For this site only: while on wildgeesegfc.org, click the padlock icon in the address bar and choose Clear cookies and site data.
- For all sites or to manage individual sites: open the menu, go to Settings > Privacy & Security > Cookies and Site Data, and choose Manage Data or Clear Data.
- Blocking: Firefox's Enhanced Tracking Protection, on the same settings page, blocks many third-party tracking cookies by default. You can choose Strict or Custom for more control.
6.4 Microsoft Edge
- For this site only: while on wildgeesegfc.org, click the site information icon to the left of the address bar, choose Cookies and site data or Permissions for this site, and remove the stored data.
- For all sites or to manage individual sites: open the menu (three dots), go to Settings > Privacy, search, and services (or Cookies and site permissions) > Manage and delete cookies and site data > See all cookies and site data.
- To clear browsing data: go to Settings > Privacy, search, and services > Delete browsing data, select Cookies and other site data, and confirm.
6.5 Other options
- Private browsing. Private or incognito windows delete cookies and site data, including localStorage, when you close the window.
- Blocking all storage. You can set your browser to block all cookies and site data. Our website will still work, although you may see the cookie banner and newsletter prompt each time you visit.
- Other browsers. For other browsers, please consult the browser's help pages.
7. Global Privacy Control and Do Not Track
Global Privacy Control (GPC) is a signal that some browsers and browser extensions send to tell websites that you do not want your personal information sold or shared for targeted advertising. We recognize GPC as a valid opt-out request. Because our website sets no advertising or analytics cookies, and we do not sell or share personal information, our site already behaves the same way whether or not GPC is turned on. If our practices ever change, we will continue to honor GPC signals.
Do Not Track (DNT) is an older browser setting for which there is no agreed standard. We do not respond to DNT in a particular way, but our site does not track visitors across websites or over time, whether or not DNT is enabled.
See also our Privacy Policy.
8. Changes to this policy
If we change the way the website uses cookies or browser storage, for example by adding a new feature, we will update this Cookie Policy, including the table in Section 3, and change the "Last updated" date at the top of this page. If we ever wanted to introduce non-essential cookies, such as analytics, we would update this policy first and ask for your consent where the law requires it.
9. Contact us
If you have any questions about this Cookie Policy or how we use browser storage, please contact us:
- Privacy matters: [email protected]
- General inquiries: [email protected]
- Online: our contact page
See also our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.