What's on in Ireland for Pride 2023?

As Pride Month kicks off, Jennifer Zamparelli chats with RTÉ 2FM's own Conor Behan about all the upcoming events happening around Ireland this summer. Listen back above.

"There's a little bit of weight to the celebrations this year," says Conor, who reminds listeners that 2023 will mark 30 years since homosexuality was decriminalised in Ireland.

"There's been kind of a backlash to LGBTQ+ rights in the last year or two so it does a feel a bit more weighted this year," he adds.

Noting an uptick in homophobic and transphobic abuse, and the drag queen events both at home and abroad that have been targeted, Behan says that there is a lot of work to be done when it comes to supporting the LGBTQ+ community across the board.

Speaking with Jen, Conor explained that seeing the wide variety of Pride events happening across Ireland - some for their first or second year - has been especially heartwarming.

"For me, I've always said it's a mix of protest and partying; those two can kind of sit side by side. It's about remembering how far we've come, what we've left to do, and also celebrating in the moment. We don't always get to do that in our day to day, sometimes you can feel a bit isolated, so I think that's why it still has such relevance for us."

Dublin Pride

2023 marks 40 years since the first Dublin Pride in 1983 (the first Dublin Pride March was in 1974). To mark the occasion, Dublin Pride has organised a month of events, walks, workshops, tours, markets, and more.

For the first time ever, the Pride parade will use the entirety of O'Connell Street (both sides) for the assembly, and there will be a temporary closure of both the Red and Green LUAS. The parade will take place on Saturday, June 24 at 12pm.

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Trans and Intersex Pride Dublin

Organisers Ollie Bell and Conor Tormey have created a protest standing in solidarity with trans and intersex people. Protesters will march together from the Garden of Remembrance to the Dáil at 2pm on Saturday, July 8th.

🏳️‍⚧️🏳️‍⚧️🏳️‍⚧️ TRANS AND INTERSEX PRIDE IS BACK!!!! 🏳️‍⚧️🏳️‍⚧️🏳️‍⚧️

Join us on July 8th to march from the Garden of Remembrance to the Dáil and bring Pride back to the radical roots of protest. No corporations, no pinkwashing and no government parties! pic.twitter.com/Ng6fyGLaW0
— Trans & Intersex Pride Dublin 🏳️‍⚧️🏳️‍🌈 (@DubTrans) May 12, 2023

Mayo Pride

Launched in 2017, Mayo Pride aims to foster unity in the community while embracing individuality, promoting diversity without emphasizing differences, and celebrating the uniqueness of everyone. Last year saw the first Mayo Pride parade take place and this year's event is sure to be unmissable.

As well as the parade, which will kick off from The Fairgreen Westport at 1:30pm on Saturday, June 3rd, there will also a be a series of fun events taking place across the bank holiday weekend including 'The Big Gay Hike' up Croagh Patrick, a 'Pride Cruise' on Clew Bay, and Drag Brunch at The Creel in Westport.

Waterford Pride of the Déise

Pride of the Déise is an LGBTQIA+ Pride Festival in Waterford. Their fourth annual event takes place 2nd - 5th June, with a jam-packed itinerary filled to the brim with drama and dance workshops, a botanical night club, a block party, youth pride parades, a pride ride, and much more.

The Pride Parade will begin at Cathedral Square at 1pm on Saturday, June 3 and take place along Waterford Quay.

Clifden Pride

Organised by the people behind Sing Along Social, Pride will come to Connemara on Friday, June 9, at the Clifden Boat Club. A kid's disco will take place from 6pm-7:30pm followed by an event for the grown-ups taking place from 8pm-10pm.

Inishowen Pride

Buncrana, Co Donegal, celebrated it's very first Pride parade in 2022, and 2023 is set to be another spectacular event to remember. There will be a fundraising concert at the Railway Tavern on the evening of Satuday, June 3, while the Pride parade will take place through Buncrana on Sunday, June 4.

The Disappear Here Film Festival Club will also make an appearance this weekend, with five short films set to be screened on Friday, June 2 at The Exchange at 7.30pm followed by a panel discussion.

Wicklow Pride

The first ever Wicklow Pride Festival Parade will be taking place a little later in the summer, kicking off from 2pm on Saturday, July 1, from the car park of the Grand Hotel.

Carlow Pride

Founded in 2019, and run by a voluntary, non-profit organisation that was created to promote positive local LGBT+ people, stories and connections across their rural region, the Carlow Pride Festival will feature a wide range of events, parades, live music, and performances across the firs weekend of July.

Limerick Pride

July 3-8 will see Limerick Pride Festival take place, with the annual parade happening on Limerick on Saturday, July 8. As well as educational panels, event and workshops, there will be a 'print with pride' event which will allow visitors to have art pieces pressed on to any tote bags, jumpers or t-shirts that they bring.

Kingdom Pride in Kerry

Kingdom Pride is Kerry's annual LGBTQ+ festival, and they will be celebrating for a full week from 10 -16 of July in locations all across the county. The Pride Parade place will take place in Killarney on Saturday, 15 July.

Mullingar Pride

Mullingar's Pride Parade is happening on Sat, July 8 at 3pm. Later that night, Werk! Fest will kick off at 6pm in the Blackhall Place car park with local and international Drag Queens, cabaret acts, bands, and DJs, the show will be headlined by Drag Race UK star Baga Chipz.

Elsewhere, a Drag Brunch will take place in Daly's Mullingar on Oliver Plunkett Street on Sunday, June 4 between 2pm and 5pm.

Drogheda Pride

Drogheda's Pride parade will take place on Saturday, July 22, at King Street Car Park at 12pm. There will be a very special visit from RuPaul's Drag Race: UK vs the World 2022 winner, Blu Hydrangea who will be hosting a meet and greet from 8pm to 9pm at McHugh's.

Cork Pride

Fresh from the Eurovision debut, Wild Youth will be performing at Cork Pride Party at the Port on Sunday, August 6 following the Pride parade atat Kennedy Quay.

This year’s Cork LGBTQ+ Pride Festival will take place from July 30 -August 6- and the full programme will be announced in the coming weeks. The theme of this year’s Cork Pride is '30 Years On...’ marking the 30-year anniversary of the decriminalisation of homosexuality in Irish law.

Galway Pride

August 7-13 will see Galway Community Pride (Bród Phobail na Gaillimhe) take place, with the parade taking place on August 12. More details to come.

For festival etiquette and more event details, listen back to Conor Behan's interview with Jennifer Zamparelli on RTÉ 2FM above.

What's on in Ireland for Pride 2023?

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