Connect with us
Pride for Limerick as Lisa Daly, Festival Director of Limerick Pride wins GALAS Award for Volunteer of the Year Pride for Limerick as Lisa Daly, Festival Director of Limerick Pride wins GALAS Award for Volunteer of the Year

community

Pride for Limerick as Lisa Daly, Festival Director of Limerick Pride wins GALAS Award for Volunteer of the Year

Published

7 months ago

on

Lisa Daly GALAS award winner for Volunteer of the Year, pictured above at the Awards

Lisa Daly GALAS award follows Limerick’s biggest pride festival to date which saw thousands of people take to the city streets

Lisa pictured with Limerick Pride 2023 committee members
Lisa Daly pictured with Limerick Pride 2023 committee members Jim Lawless, Richard Lynch, PRO Limerick Pride, LMiss Bliss and Issac Uminati pictured at the press launch at the Hunt Museum. Picture: Olena Oleksienko/ilovelimerick

Limerick Pride Festival Director, Lisa Daly has won ‘Volunteer of the Year’ at the 2023 GALAS.

The GALAS, Ireland’s Awards celebrating and honouring the achievements of LGBTQ+ people, allies and organisations, acknowledge the contribution of individuals, companies and organisations and their work to make Ireland, and the world, a better place for the LGBTQ+ community.

The Treaty City received six shortlist nominations in this year’s event with Lisa bring home the sole award.


advertisement


Lisa’s nominations came following Limerick’s biggest pride festival to date which saw thousands of people take to the city streets for the Limerick Pride Parade which capped off a week of amazing events.

Speaking about the honour, Lisa Daly, said, “It’s an honour to be nominated, but especially to be nominated alongside other Limerick people who are also being recognised for their hard work. Every one of the nominees works hard in the fight for visibility and to protect the rights of the LGBTQAI+ community.

In her acceptance speech Lisa spoke about how the sad passing of her younger sister inspired her to become more active with the LGBTAI+ community and tells I Love Limerick, “ Shortly before my younger sister Gemma passed by suicide back in May 2011, I had heard about the Ms Gay Limerick competition and Gemma asked to me to enter as she really believed that I could win it. She also said she believed I could make an impact on Limerick as a city plus she believed I could show everyone that being part of the LGBTQI community was nothing to be ashamed of, that I was no different to anyone else. I was so touched by her belief and support in me.”

She added, “Over the years I have gained great knowledge of pride and of LGBTQI culture. I have improved my skills in many ways through college, friends and self-learning. Communication, non-judgement, good relationships, hard work, listening to as many views from all the community as possible and standing by your word, I have found to be attributes which are key. I have always held the belief that once the drive and passion are there nothing is impossible. My goal is to get people from across Ireland and beyond to visit and enjoy what Limerick has to offer.”

Lisa commented on her Instagram, “To be shortlisted for the Gala Awards was honestly such an honour, to be in a room alongside incredible figures and trailblazers but especially knowing that it could only have been possible with people thinking of me like this and taking the time to nominate for me, so thank YOU all for helping make this happen! To actually win the award feels insane! I am honestly blown away with the amount of beautiful and very touching messages that I have received since winning. I was quite emotional and had tears constantly pouring as I listened and read the beautiful messages, your support in me & even more now ten years later means so so much to me, because without it I could never do what I am doing. The community’s belief, faith, and support in me have always been my strength and what has kept me going since day one when you supported me all those years ago with Ms . Gay Limerick. The last 10 years have been an incredible journey with many highs, lows, and between, but I wouldn’t change a thing!! I will continue to try to do the best I can for Limerick and the overall LGBTQ+ community in Ireland. My name may be on the award, but this award is for all of us. To everyone who was shortlisted in each category, be very proud of yourself. You are all winners, well done. Continue doing what you’re doing as you are an inspiration to many!”

The GALAS was established by the National LGBT Federation (NXF) in 2009 and since then has gone on to recognise over 116 individuals, companies & organisations for their outstanding work and contribution.

The GALAS returned for the first time since the pandemic on Saturday, October 7, in the Round Room at the Mansion House in Dublin, hosted by The Queen of Ireland Panti Bliss alongside Mother Co-Founder and former GCN Managing Editor Lisa Connell.

This year, the awards want to acknowledge the contribution of individuals, companies and organisations and their work over the past 2 years to make Ireland, and the world, a better place for our LGBTQ+ community.

Organised by the National LGBT Federation (NXF) in partnership with GCN, the GALAS is renowned as Ireland’s only LGBTQ+ awards programme. This year’s ceremony will see a total of 13 awards given out for a number of different achievements within Ireland’s LGBTQ+ community, including ‘Outstanding Company’, ‘Ally of the Year’ and ‘Event of the Year’.

Find out more here.
Read more Pride stories here.

Related Topics:

Richard is a presenter, producer, songwriter and actor. He was named the Limerick Person of the Year (2011) and won an online award at the Metro Éireann Media and Multicultural Awards (2011) for promoting multi-culturalism online. Richard says that the ilovelimerick.com concept is very much a community driven project that aims to document life in Limerick. So, that in 20 years time people can look back and remember the events that were making the headlines.