To mark the 10th anniversary of Marriage Equality, we’re celebrating in a way only the LGBTQ+ community can… by lovingly tearing down one of our greatest icons. So put on your reading glasses – the library is about to be open, as we are throwing a roast for Panti Bliss!

GCN presents The Roast of Panti Bliss will see notable figures in the LGBTQ+ community and allies take to the stage to dish out hilarious, no-holds-barred roasts of the Queen of Ireland herself, all while raising vital funds to support the work GCN does for the community in Ireland and beyond.

Hosted by TV presenter and fashion designer Brendan Courtney, this first-of-its-kind fundraising event will take place at the Abbey Theatre, Dublin, on Bank Holiday Sunday, May 4. Panti will be returning to the same stage where she delivered her iconic Noble Call over a decade ago – a key moment in Ireland’s fight for same-sex marriage.

A hilariously savage panel of roasters will join Brendan in taking up the challenge to mercilessly toast Panti Bliss. The star-studded lineup includes drag icons Davina Devine, Dizzy Dyin4it and Mr Pussy, actor and writer Tara Flynn, TV personality Katherine Lynch, Eurovision legend Linda Martin, TV host Bláthnaid Ní Chofaigh, presenter James Patrice and triple-threat performer Paul Ryder.

Hold on to your wigs for this night of outrageous entertainment where no queen or celeb is safe. With a jaw-dropping lineup of stars serving sizzling one-liners and hilarious hot takes, this is set to be a once-in-a-decade night all in the name of community, celebration and a damn good time!

Tickets are on sale now via the Abbey Theatre from €45. Don’t miss out on celebrating 10 years of Marriage Equality with Panti Bliss, all while raising vital funds for Ireland’s LGBTQ+ media, GCN.

Speaking about the event, host Brendan Courtney said: “I have waited all my adult life to roast Panti, and now we get to do her on the 10th anniversary AND the actual stage (The National Theatre!) of her Noble Call. She changed the course of history! Now, let’s acknowledge that fact and do some more good by raising money for one of the pillars of gay Ireland – GCN.”

GCN Manager Stefano Pappalardo added: “We’re super excited to announce the very first Roast of Panti Bliss. To mark the 10th anniversary of Marriage Equality, we wanted to put together a very special event. And what better way to mark this milestone than throwing a roast of the Queen of Ireland herself? We’re especially thrilled to be hosting it at The Abbey Theatre, given that Panti’s Noble Call, which was recorded at the Abbey, was such a pivotal moment in the campaign.

“Join us for an unforgettable night packed with a star-studded cast celebrating one of Ireland’s biggest queer icons, all while raising vital funds for GCN. Money raised will go directly into supporting queer media to ensure we can continue our mission of informing, educating, connecting, platforming, and entertaining the LGBTQ+ community. A big thank you to our friends at Boots for their generous support of the event.”

GCN has been Ireland’s LGBTQ+ paper of record since 1988, serving as a vital resource to inform, educate, platform, and connect the community. It is the trading name of the NXF (National LGBT Federation CLG, Registered Charity Number: 20034580).

With a not-for-profit model, GCN operates on limited funds and resources and has been greatly impacted by rising business costs, like rent, electricity and paper. Amid an increasingly hostile global political climate and the rise of hate and misinformation, now more than ever, our community needs a free, accessible, independent media organisation that tells our side of the story. All profits raised from this event will go directly towards supporting GCN.

If you can’t make it to this fabulous event but would like to support the work we do, please consider donating what you can here.

This event is proudly supported by Boots.