Culture
PHOTOS Limerick bursts with colour and pride for the Limerick LGBTQ+ Pride Parade 2024
Limerick bursting with colour and pride for the Limerick LGBTQ+ Pride Parade 2024. Picture: Dolf Patijn/ilovelimerick
Limerick City is set to come alive with colour and celebration as the Limerick LGBTQ+ Pride Parade returns on Saturday, July 13, 2024
Limerick Pride LGBTQ Festival 2024 will be taking place starting from Monday, July 8 until Sunday, July 14 with the Parade on Saturday, July 13 and will feature a multitude of events from workshops, support meetings and discussions to evenings of music and club nights, to cater to the Pride needs of everyone.
This year’s Limerick Pride theme, “I Am What I Am,” aims to showcase the strength, resilience, and pride of the LGBTQ community while celebrating the festival’s roots as a protest.
Lisa Daly, Festival Director of Limerick LGBTQ Pride 2024, expressed her excitement about the upcoming event saying the committee which works diligently all-year-long are “thrilled to be back” bringing a “fantastic weeklong lineup of events” to Limerick City.
“Our theme this year is ‘I Am What I Am’ and we hope to see you showing your support and colours at our annual Pride Parade,” said Lisa, adding, “When we march up O’Connell Street for the Limerick Pride Parade on Saturday, July 13, we will be marching in honour of those who came before us and laid the path for our freedom. We want to celebrate the power and resiliency of our community.”
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This year’s parade is particularly significant as it marks the 50th anniversary of the first Pride march in Ireland. International Pride was born out of the Stonewall Riots in 1969 when a gay bar in New York’s Greenwich Village was raided by police and patrons in the bar decided to fight back, sparking a change in the future of LGBTQ+ history across the world.
Ireland’s own movement began in June 1974, when a small group of brave individuals marched from the Department of Justice in St. Stephen’s Green, Dublin, to the British Embassy, calling for the decriminalisation of homosexuality in Ireland, since then struggle after struggle has been highlighted and fought against by the LGBTQ+ community on the island; and Limerick Pride continues to highlight issues both locally, nationally, and internationally which are faced by community members every day.
Following ex-international rugby and football player, Jackie McCarthy’s representation of Limerick Pride as Grand Marshall in 2023, this year’s Grand Marshall was announced as GOSHH Ireland, This Limerick-based organization provides support, counselling, testing, training, and education for people of diverse genders and sexualities.
Verena Tarpey, CEO of GOSHH Ireland, expressed her pride in being chosen as the Grand Marshal. “We are delighted to be chosen as the Grand Marshal for Limerick Pride parade this July. It is also fitting that we are celebrating ten years as GOSHH in 2024. It allows us time to reflect on our beginnings as a grassroots organisation in the 1980’s when the Gay Switchboard Limerick was set up by a group of volunteers. Despite having grown and expanded since, the values we hold so dear remain the same – solidarity, identity and belonging.”
For this year’s Parade, participants will gather at Merchants Quay at 12.20pm for floats and 1pm for groups. The Parade will leave strictly at 2pm, making its way up O’ Connell Street, across Glentworth Street to Henry Street, past Arthurs Quay Park and ending at the Hunt Museum for the annual Pridefest event.
Following the Parade, PrideFest 2024 at the Hunt Museum from 3pm – 6pm is a showcase of local and national LGBT culture in a lavish marquee in the museum gardens. This is a free family-friendly event with cone van, a cafe and bar on site, free face painting, live music, performances, drag, and plenty of entertainment including the Annual tea Dance with Myles Breen followed by DJ Ruth from the George Dublin. Hosted by Elle Uminati and Eddie Mc Guinness.
Also on Saturday, July 13, Limerick Pride Climax Party Ft. Danny Beard takes place at Dolans Warehouse from 9pm with International drag artist and winner of RuPaul’s Drag Race UK Danny Beard headlining a stellar line up including ‘Dragged Up’ with Paul Ryder, Regina George and Pixie hosted by Victoria Secret joined by many more followed by DJ Ruth from the George Dublin.
With three floors of music including ‘Saved by the 90s’ upstairs with live drummer, Alter Ego with DJ Olivia Chau in the Kasbah Club. Each venue has a different vibe to it. Ticket includes AAA. Limited number of VIP Danny Beard meet and greet tickets available at Dolans.ie.
There is something for everyone culminating in the annual Pride Parade and Pridefest. Everyone is welcome to join in on celebrating LGBTQ culture in Limerick and show Limerick for the truly open and accepting city that she is. The theme this year is ‘Pride is Culture’ to shed light on the joy and resilience of artists and cultural creators within the LGBTQIA+ community.
Full lineup HERE
Read more Limerick Pride 2024 stories HERE
Pictures: Dolf Patijn/ilovelimerick
Pictures: Olena Oleksienko/ilovelimerick
Pictures: Cian Reinhardt/ilovelimerick
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