This year marks the 40th anniversary of Dublin Pride and to celebrate its vibrant history, organisers have planned an impressive parade route and a family-friendly free-access party at the Pride Village. Be sure to join them and march with Pride tomorrow, June 24, starting from O’Connell Street and all the way to Merrion Square.
The theme of Dublin Pride 2023 is ‘Protest, Remember, Celebrate’, as this year’s festival marks three crucial anniversaries within Irish LGBTQ+ history: a 50th, a 40th and a 30th. But what do these mean?
REMEMBER
50th: The first milestone we’re remembering is the formation of the Sexual Liberation Movement (SLM).
In October 1973, ten men and women met in a small room at Trinity College, Dublin. That evening they formed the SLM, the first modern lesbian and gay organisation in the Republic of Ireland. The founding members were Peter Bradley, Irene Brady, Mary Dorcey, Michael Kerrigan, Edmund Lynch, Hugo McManus, Gerry McNamara, Margaret McWilliam, David Norris, and Ruth Riddick.
In a fitting tribute, many of these pioneers will join fellow activists and leading members of the Irish LGBTQ+ rights movement from the past 30 years as Grand Marshals of the parade.
40th: 40 years of Dublin Pride is a remarkable achievement, but LGBTQ+ organisations across the country had been marking the anniversary of the Stonewall Rebellion since as early as 1974 with demonstrations, leafleting, picnics, and even the erection of a pink triangle on a hillside in Cork.
The first official Pride march in June 1983 was prompted by another protest which had taken place three months earlier. Following the verdict of the murder of Declan Flynn, where five men were awarded suspended sentences, the community joined forces with women’s rights organisations, trade unions, and students’ unions to march from Liberty Hall to Fairview Park, calling for an end to violence against gays and women.
30th: July 1993 saw one of the most impactful changes in Irish legislation affecting queer folks. Following the ruling on a case in the European Court of Human Rights in 1988, where the court ruled in favour of Senator David Norris, recognising that the 1861 and 1885 laws were in breach of his right to privacy, the Irish government decriminalised consensual same-sex acts between men over the age of 17.
ROUTE
The route of this year’s parade will pay a fitting tribute to its origins as it begins on O’Connell Street at the site of the first Dublin Pride.
From there, it will travel past Liberty Hall, where the Fairview March began, and on past the Customs House. After crossing the Liffey, it will continue onto City Quay, Lombard Street and Westland Row, eventually arriving at Merrion Square.
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PROTEST
Pride has always been about protest, and 2023 is no different. In this year of anniversaries, more than ever, we need to protest against the rise in anti-LGBTQ+ rhetoric and violence, the lack of access to trans healthcare, and the increasing erasure of civil rights globally.
CELEBRATE
If there’s ever been something that the queer community does well, it’s celebrating! We’ve always known how to bring the glamour and glitz to protesting, and this year, we’re doing that even bigger and better than ever before.
And the Pride Village in Merrion Square is the place to kick off those celebrations. With food vendors, a dedicated Neuropride Zone, a community area, and, of course, the main stage, the Pride team have thought of everything!
Hosted by Phil T. Gorgeous and Paul Ryder, this year’s lineup features incredible acts such as Sister Fenix, Davina Devine, DJ Ruth, Disco Utopia, Sparkle, Pride Poets and many more. And best of all – it’s absolutely free!
If you ask us, this year’s Dublin Pride sounds like it’s going to be epic, but if you can’t make it fear not, GCN’s got you covered, as we’ll be streaming the parade on Facebook and YouTube.
So from the GCN team, we wish everyone a safe and happy Pride!
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