For the past year, Dubliner Jack O'Connor, alongside his business partners and best friends Dylan Jordan and Nikkie Stones, has run an LGBTQ+ event night in the capital called Queer Mania.
Showcasing all forms of talent including drag performers, live singers, burlesque artists, and everything in between, the jam-packed event has been a celebration of Ireland's queer community - something that Jack says is becoming increasingly important.
"There were loads of drag shows in Dublin, but there were no shows that showed off other talents, so we wanted to start a night that had the likes of queer artists, singers, and dancers - and it's gone really well so far!"
"We've had some decent names over the past year," he adds, listing an eclectic line-up of past performers including electronic pop artist Viscose, pop star Pastiche, and drag queen Nokia who recently won the Devine Apprentice competition in Dublin's LGBTQ nightclub, The George.
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For their one-year celebration, O'Connor and the team are bringing back some of their favourite all-stars to take part in an anniversary extravaganza in Dublin's Sound House on Sunday, March 26.
"The aim of the show is to be able to show off talented people and also to have a safe space for people to be able to express themselves. The crowds are friends and family of the performers as well as people who follow us and our journey."
Citing the audience as one of the most important parts of his night, O'Connor says he is determined to bring the show on the road and showcase the talents of Ireland's most talented queer performers.
"I'd love to take it to the likes of Cork, Limerick, Galway, Belfast," he says. "The more we get our name out there, hopefully, we can do bigger and better events, something like the block parties that Mother does or even Electric Picnic."
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As well as offering up a fun night out on the town, Jack hopes that events like Queer Mania can lay the way to a unique, inclusive, and thriving queer scene in Ireland.
"Ireland's queer scene is completely different to anywhere else like America and the UK. The likes of the UK have a lot of cabaret-style nights, and the US is very club-based, but the Irish scene is a mix of everything really."
"I don't want it to be one thing," he adds. "I want there to be a variety of different things and different people."
"That's why events like this exist," he surmised. "Everyone should have a safe space to express themselves, whether they're on stage or in the crowd."
For more info on Queer Mania's next event, click here.
