Dublin Pride
The Dublin LGBTQ+ Pride Festival is an annual series of events which celebrates lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer life in Dublin, Ireland. It is the largest LGBTQ+ pride festival on the island of Ireland. The festival culminates in a pride parade which is held annually on the last Saturday in June. The event has grown from a one-day event in 1974 to a ten-day festival celebrating LGBT culture in Ireland with an expanded arts, social and cultural content.
The organisation, including the board of directors, is run by volunteers with some paid consultant help. The stated aim of Dublin Pride is to produce a professional LGBTQ+ pride festival and an annual Pride Day including the parade through Dublin city centre, a politically based rally and free entertainment all working for the improvement of LGBTQ+ communities.
1970s
Following the New York Stonewall Riots of June 1969 and the annual commemorative Pride Parades in the US from 1970 onwards, the first public Gay rights demonstration took place in Dublin on 27 June 1974.The first Gay Pride Week events were held in June 1979, organised by the National Gay and Lesbian Federation.
1980s
The first significant Pride Week in Ireland was organised for June 1980.In March 1983, prior to the first pride parade, a march was held from the city centre of Dublin to Fairview Park in the suburb of Fairview, Dublin, protesting the levels of violence against gay men and women in Ireland. In particular, the march was a reaction to the controversial judgement in the Flynn case, when suspended sentences on charges of manslaughter were given to members of a gang found guilty of the 1982 killing of Declan Flynn, a 31-year-old gay man, in Fairview Park, and the subsequent celebrations by some members of the local community following their release.
The first pride parade was held on Saturday 25 June 1983. The parade was organised by the National LGBT Federation and followed a route through the city centre of Dublin, from St Stephen's Green to the GPO on O'Connell Street, where Cathal Ó Ciarragáin, Tonie Walsh and Joni Crone addressed the rally. Joni Crone rededicated the GPO as the "Gay Person's Organisation".
Although week-long Pride events continued to be held throughout the 1980s, there were no parades from 1985 to 1992 onwards.
Pride Events, Marches and Parade Grand marshalls
1980s
The 1980 Pride Week was run by the National LGBT Federation and Liberation for Irish Lesbians to coincide with the opening of the Irish High Court law reform case led by Senator David Norris. Activists shared pink carnations in the city centre, along with leaflets saying "Gay rights are simply human rights" and explaining the origins of the Stonewall Pride riots.There were many types of pride marches all the way through the 1980s, though the marches specifically did not take place from 1985 to 1992. This was due to mass emigration in Ireland and the HIV/AIDs epidemic affecting numbers attending.
1990s
1992
Dublin Pride March was relaunched for 1992, and was held on Saturday 4 July 1992, and attracted a couple of thousand people.1993
St. Patrick's Day float
There was a gay float from the National Gay and Lesbian Federation in the 1993 Saint Patrick's Day in Dublin for the first time. However some rotten fruit was thrown at the parade float by members of the public, the Guards arrested the perpetrator. The organisers won a Recognition Award for the float. There was little objection to the inclusion of the float from the St. Patrick's Day organisers, and most members of the public. An Irish-American contingent disapproved.June Pride
On 24 June, during Pride week, the Oireachtas passed legislation to decriminalize homosexuality. Public pride events were held on Saturday 26 June.1994
The Gay Pride parade took place on Sat 24 June 1994. It was the 20th anniversary of the Irish gay movement and 25th anniversary of the Stonewall riots. It was attended by several hundred people. Marchers chanted "We're gay, we're gay" to the tune of Olé, Olé, Olé. After-parade speeches took place at a stage in East Essex Street, Temple Bar. The Lord Mayor, Thomás Mac Giolla, met representatives in the Mansion House as part of the celebrations1995: Express Yourself
Dublin Pride 1995 was on Saturday 1 July 1995. The then Lord mayor of Dublin, John Gormley, launched "Dublin Pride Week", whose theme was "Express Yourself". The Pride started in the Garden of Remembrance and the party was in The Furnace in Aston Place and were MC'ed by Lilly Savage. It was dedicated to the memory of The Diceman, Thom McGinty.1996
Dublin Pride 1996 took place on Saturday 29 June 1996.1997
The 1997 Dublin Pride Parade was on Saturday 28 June 1997, and was attended by over 2,000 people. Organises criticised the Lord Mayor of Dublin, Brendan Lynch, for not meeting them before the march, after finding previous pride parades were "undignified". Dublin Corporation gave a grant of £200 for the parade, and flew eight gay pride flags along the banks of the Liffey. The after parade party was in the Civic Offices.1998
The 1998 parade took place on Saturday 27 June 1998, and started from the Garden of Remembrance. The second international Dyke March took place on Friday 26 June. The organisers met the Lord Mayor of Dublin. Ireland's first Queer Debs Ball took place in Russell Court Hotel in Harcourt Street on Monday 22 June. The RHA Gallery displayed an exhibition of gay and lesbian gay. A gay ceili took place on Tuesday 23 June in the Russell Court Hotel.1999
The 1999 Dublin Pride parade took place on Saturday 26 June 1999, and went along O'Connell Street. Stephen Gately, singer in the famous Irish boy band Boyzone, had come out publicly shortly before the parade, and was discussed in the media at the time.2000s
2000
The 2000 Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender Pride March took place on Saturday 24 June 2000, and was attended by 6,000 people. Panti MC'ed the after party, which included performances from Shirley Temple Bar. Marching groups included Gloria, OUTHouse, and Greenbow, a gay and lesbian deaf group, which was their third year in the parade. Events raised funds for OUTHouse and HIV Respite Unit at Cherry Orchard Hospital.2001
The 2001 parade took place on the weekend of 30 June - 1 July and was attended by 6,000 people. Gardai reported no problems. It was at the end of a 2-week Gay Pride Week.2002
2002 Dublin pride took place on 19 June 2002, and was attended by 6,000 people. The Dublin Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender Pride Parade starts on Parnell Square at 2 pm and finishes at the Civic Offices amphitheatre on Wood Quay, where it was followed by the "Pride in the Park" party from 3-6 pm.2003
The 2003 pride was a celebration of 10 years since the decriminalisation of homosexuality in Ireland, however, attendees were campaigning against the lack of state recognition of same-sex relationships, with the slogan "Legal Ten, Equal When". The parade took place on the weekend of 5–6 July 2003.2004
The 2004 parade was held on 3 July 2004 and went from Parnell Square to the Civic Offices at Wood Quay for a free party. There was no trouble, except for a little bit of rain, despite recent robberies targeting gay men. About 3,000 people took part, to celebrate the 30th anniversary of Dublin Pride.2005
The 2005 parade was held on 25 June 2005, and was attended by 10,000 people. BeLonG To, the LGBT youth group, took part, along with the usual music, dancing and celebration. The parade was led by an international group waving flags of various countries.2006
The 2006 parade was held on 24 June 2006, and featured members of political parties, such as Labour and Sinn Féin. About 6,000 people took part. Panti led the post-parade party in the Civic Offices, which featured performances by Shirley Temple Bar, Alternative Miss Ireland winner Joanna Ryde, and Stellar Sound.2007: "Pride n' Joy"
The theme of the festival was "Pride n' Joy", emphasising the use of celebration as a positive medium to get a message across and to increase the visibility of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer community. The grand marshal was Senator David Norris, and it took place on 23 June 2007, with thousands of attendees.2008: "Always the bridesmaid, never the bride"
Grand Marshal – Tonie WalshUsing the slogan "Always the bridesmaid, never the bride", the 2008 theme highlighted the lack of legal recognition under Irish law of any partnership rights for same-sex couples. The festival was launched by then Irish Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government John Gormley, TD. Gormley recognised that the proposed partnership legislation was "not the full equality we are seeking, but it is a step towards full equality," and "of real practical value in itself and will make a real difference to the daily lives of many people in committed relationships". Performers at the post-rally gathering included Brian Kennedy, Maria McKee and Tara Blaise.