Pride 2017 is just around the corner…

Read on to learn everything you need to know about Dublin’s Pride Festivities, letters from the Chair & Grand Marshall of the parade, a brand-new documentary following the history of Dublin Pride and BEARS galore!

Pick of De Pride: The must-see events at this year’s Pride.

1) Lucy Spraggan

Monday June 19: The George: 11pm: €5

Lesbians are a dime a dozen on The X Factor these days, but back in 2012, Lucy Spraggan was a novelty, not only because she was out ‘n’ proud, but because she actually wrote and sang her own songs. With her trademark guitar, beanie and quirkly tunes, she’s kicking Pride week off at The George. Get in the queue.

2) Queer History Walking Tour

Sunday June 18: The George: 2pm: Free

At GCN we’re particularly disposed towards this stalwart of the Dublin Pride celebrations because it’s hosted by our friend and co-founder, Tonie Walsh. This year he’ll be joined by Ciarán Coleman of the Irish Queer Archive, and the tour will be preceded by a screening at The George of Our Love Is History, Caroline Campbell’s award-winning documentary in which the politics of Dublin’s dance floor of the 1980s are revisited and remixed by a new power generation.

3) The Pantibar Street Party

Saturday June 24: 2pm: Free

It’s Parade day and Panti’s all-day street party is a must-do. If you haven’t danced on Great Strand Street of a Pride day, you haven’t lived, gurls. Do it.

4) The Great Gatsby Rave

Wednesday June 21: Café En Seine: 6.30am; €11

Morning Gloryville is a pre-work dance party that gets you in the mood for the day, with lots of extras including free massage and yoga, a breakfast bar and tippity-top DJ’s. For Pride, it’s going jazz age, Gatsby stylee. Grace the floor in your spatz and release those gorgeous endorphins.

 5) The Gaylí

Thursday June 22: Pantibar: 9pm: Free

It’s a particularly Irish Pride tradition that disappeared for a few years there, but thankfully is back in situ. You can expect rí rá agus ruaille buaille go leor, and confused queer tourists eventually falling under our charms go leor. Irish dancers and musicians who feel like joining in are encouraged to come along.

6) A Dozen Divas with Charlie Hides

Wednesday, June 21: The George: 8pm: €10

She may have given the worst Lip Sync For Your Life evah, but she looks like Meryl Streep and her impersonations are sickening. As part of Witchy Wednesdays, Charlie will be serving up 12 courses of pure diva realness like a one woman snatch game. Bam!

7) The Mother Pride Block Party

Saturday June 24: Tivoli Grounds: 4pm: from €16

With a line-up including Panti and Eurovision legend, Loreen, you can expect absolute euphoria at the biggest Pride festival party in the city, with its massive main stage, Mother DJs, food stalls, bespoke interactive installations, and inside and outside bars until 11pm, with a bangin’ afterparty until the wee small hours afterwards. Tickets from eventbrite.ie, get ’em quick!

8) Youth Work Ireland and Belong To Pride Breakfast

Saturday June 24: The Buttery, Trinity College: 10:30am: Free

The noise will be jubilant at this celebratory breakfast in The Buttery, Trinity College, for over 300 young LGBT+ people traveling to Dublin to march in the Dublin Pride Parade. There’ll be chowing down and chatter before walking together to the beginning of the Parade at Stephen’s Green.

9) Dublin Pride Annual Debate

Monday June 19: Outhouse: 7pm: Free

So, we all thought we were on the frontlines for full equality during the marriage referendum campaign two short years ago, but turns out there’s more to fight for. The annual Pride Debate, therefore, is entitled ‘Maintaining the Momentum Towards Full Equality’, and a gang of head honchos from the community will be getting heated on the topic.

 10) Gold Tea Party

Saturday June 24: Outhouse: 3pm: Free

Not into celebrating Pride with the aid of buckets of booze? Feeling like you don’t exactly get down with the new kids on the gay block? Then Outhouse’s post-parade, alcohol-free party in association with LGBT group, Gold, might be right up your alley.

 11) The Parade & Party In The Square

Saturday June 24: 12 noon: Stephen’s Green

This year’s parade assembles from 12 noon at Stephen’s Green, where the great and the good of the community will be rallying the troops from the top of The George float before the whole kit and caboodle departs at 2pm sharp, marching across the Liffey to Smithfield Square and the Official Dublin Pride After Party. Expect a plethora of performers, community stands, food stalls, a Pride shop, a community area, and all sorts of queer craic. Whoop!

 12) We Party Olympic Gaymes

Saturday June 24: The Button Factory: €15

Dublin club Euphoria brings one of the world’s biggest circuit parties to Dublin to celebrate Pride with a literal marathon of dancing to the tunes of DJs Karl Ray, Arthur Cavalli, Dave Mladi, MACAU, Rafa Mafra, a special performance from Ms Milleny Campbell, and go-go dancers galore. It’s gonna be hot, hot, hot. Tickets at euphoriaclubdublin.com.

13) Youth Work Ireland and Belong To Pride Breakfast

Saturday June 24: The Buttery, Trinity College: 10:30am: Free

The noise will be jubilant at this celebratory breakfast in The Buttery, Trinity College, for over 300 young LGBT+ people traveling to Dublin to march in the Dublin Pride Parade. There’ll be chowing down and chatter before walking together to the beginning of the Parade at Stephen’s Green.

A Word From The Chair of Dublin Pride 2017

Clodagh Leonard

I would like to invite you all to join us for this year’s Dublin LGBTQ Pride. Pride has been a part of Dublin for over 40 years, and since 1983 we have marched through this city, in protest, in anger, in joy and in celebration. And this year is no different.

In those intervening years our community has changed a great deal. This is thanks to the wonderful people who have stood up and fought for our place in this country, the people who created non-profits and meeting groups, who founded LGBT sports teams and helplines. Those people who have made our rights their work. To them we owe a debt of gratitude.

To work for a community though, you first have to have one. It isn’t easy living an authentic life, to stand up and tell the world who you really are, but LGBT people have been doing that in Ireland for decades. From the people who marched to Fairview Park to demand justice for the killers of gay man Declan Flynn, to those that stood up and said ‘we are not criminals’. From the people who refused to allow the state to decide their gender, to the people who knocked on doors during the marriage referendum, not asking for permission but setting an example of a more open and compassionate Ireland. All that has taken extraordinary amounts of courage, which we wish to celebrate this year.

We have been set such a beautiful example of the power of honesty and bravery by those that have gone before us, and that baton is being passed to an incredible generation of young people, with a reminder that you don’t have to have super powers to be a hero. Every coming out, dressing up, teenage crush, hidden touch, is an act of authentic heroism. Show us what your cape is made of – join us on June 24 for Dublin LGBTQ Pride and ‘Find Your Inner Hero’.

A Word From The Grand Marshall of Dublin Pride 2017

Moninne Griffith

Every time I hear someone say that we no longer need Pride, my heart sinks. I think of the young people in our community who pace outside the street, sometimes for months, before they work up the courage to walk through the door and access one of the BeLonG To youth groups.

Despite historic wins and many positive changes for the LGBT community in Ireland, our young people face fear and anxiety around coming out, especially trans youth. According to findings of our LGBTIreland 2015 report, compared to the general youth population, LGBT youth are three times more likely to attempt suicide, and four times more likely to experience severe stress, anxiety, and depression. I see the reality of these stark statistics in my work as Executive Director of BeLonG To every day and it’s what motivates me to keep working towards a world where LGBT young people are equal, safe and valued in the diversity of their identities and experiences.

There is also a growing need for a whole new generation of LGBT youth to receive information and education around sexual health. We need to keep talking about sexual health, including issues such as consent, STIs and safe sex with our young people who don’t remember the heartache of the AIDS epidemic in the 1980’s as the older generation do.

BeLonG To as the national organisation for LGBT young people is uniquely placed to work with this generation. The Ladybirds, our group for LBT gals and their non-binary pals are trained up about sexual health and are busy campaign planning. Our peer-led programme ‘In the Know’, is a safe, fun space for young men who have sex with men to learn about positive sexual health. When it comes to sexual health, our message is, safety is sexy!

Pride is needed because it shows LGBT youth that things can, and do get better. It offers them a glimpse of a world where they are equal, safe and valued, while we work on making that a reality for them. It’s a place where everyone belongs. You cannot underestimate the importance of that.

Click on to read about Pride documentary ‘Our Queer History’ and all things Bear related!

Our Queer History 

Our editor is one of 167 people who have contributed their stories to the Irish LGBT History Project since its originator Edmund Lynch began conducting video interviews across Ireland four years ago. His ambition is to form the basis for a series and films that will work towards making Irish LGBT history and lives visible. It’s also intended that the rich material gathered will eventually be used for research, promotion of civil and human rights in Ireland and beyond.

A Different Country was the first of ten projected films based on the life stories gathered by the project, and last year it won the Best Documentary feature award at at the GAZE Film Festival.

This month, to celebrate Pride, RTÉ One will be screening an hour-long edit of A Different Country. Among those featured in the programme are Declan Buckley (above) aka Shirley Temple Bar, former GCN News Editor, Suzy Byrne, filmmaker and activst Karl Hayden, trans activist, Victoria Mullen, GCN co-founder, Tonie Walsh, and former President Mary Robinson.

A Diffferent Country, Wednesday June 21, 9.45pm, and later available on the RTÉ Player.

Bears ‘n’ Proud

Are you a big, burly bear and proud of your good gay self? Maybe you’re a hotter otter with  plenty of lovin’ to go around? Or one of the other hairy queer creatures that likes to party with like-minded dudes? Well, you’re gonna love this year’s Bear Pride line-up, you hirsute homies!

And guess what? All of the events are open to everyone, and are totally free, as a thank you from the lovely Dublin Bars for all the support they’ve received throughout the year. You rock, guys!

Hee Bee Bee Gees

Friday June 23: Oscars Bar: Christchurch: 9pm

It’s Saturday Night Fever… on a Friday! It’s all hairy chests and medalions as parody act the Hee Bee Bee Gees kick off BP in style, complete with some dance stylings from DJ Aggie.

Dublin Bear Pride at Street66

Friday June 23: Parliament Street: 12am

Bears from across the globe, in town for Pride weekend will be gyrating to the sounds of DJ Pixie Woo at the erstwhile Front Lounge. It’ll be heaving.

Bears on Parade

Saturday June 24: Stephen’s Green: 1pm

Join the cubs, chubs and other hirsute honeys as they take part in the annual Dublin Pride Parade behind the Dublin Bears banner.

Bears and Beards

Saturday June 24: The Barbers: 4pm

If you go down to the post-Pride party in Smithfield today, you won’t have very far to go to continue the celebrations, Dublin Bear style, in The Barbers on Lower Grangegorman Rd. Expect shenanigans.

George not Michael

Saturday June 24: Oscars Bar, Christchurch: 9pm

We’re assuming it’s a tribute act? Or maybe it’s a themed night? Or just a handsome bear spinning the late, great GM’s tunes all night? We’ll just have to show up to find out.

So there you have it! Pride has nothing but buckets of fabulous fun to offer up. Enjoy!

For more info on Dublin Pride Festival 2017 click here

If you want to get involved behind the scenes of the festival, Pride is looking for volunteers! Apply here