dublin pride week essay contest 2023

Pleasanton Weekly

Dublin is ‘Stronger Together’

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Residents of Dublin — both longstanding and new — will join together in celebration of their community from April 22-29.

The 38th annual Dublin Pride Week is set to take place with a number of events encouraging volunteer work, community-based events and environmental issues. The yearly weeklong celebration emphasizes what it means to be a Dublin resident and how one can help their community. This year’s theme — “Dublin: Stronger Together!”

“Dublin Pride Week began in 1985 when it was first incorporated into the Dublin St. Patrick’s Day festivities,” said Shari Jackman, city communications manager. “Its purpose was to strive to promote a positive image for the Dublin community. It was all about residents working to clean up around their homes and neighborhoods to help improve the community.”

“Residents were encouraged to spruce up their yards, paint their homes or upgrade the interiors. The week focused on fix-it projects, and there was a special waste collection during the week that helped residents clean out and get rid of excess waste,” Jackman added.

The week was then formed into a community-wide, project-themed event in 1998 known as “Dublin Pride, City Wide”, according to Jackman. In 2000, city staff changed the event to late April to coincide with Earth Day.

This year, Dublin Pride Week will include a volunteer day, children’s food bank drive, drug take-back event and more.

Volunteer Day kicks off the week this Saturday (April 22), when residents can visit a volunteer resource fair at Emerald Glen Park with dozens of local organizations seeking community involvement.

From 8 a.m. to noon at Emerald Glen the same day, Amador Valley Industries will host a compost giveaway. Visitors are welcome to take home one bag of free compost made from yard trimmings, food scraps and other organic materials.

Jackman said the city will also be continuing its poster and essay contest for students in grades K-12. “Students share their ideas about the theme through art or the written word,” she said.

From 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, Dublin Police Services will also be holding a drug take-back at the Dublin Civic Center.

“Residents are encouraged to drop off unwanted pharmaceuticals such as prescription pills, tablets, capsules and other solid forms of prescription drugs,” Jackman said. “In addition to helping in the fight against drug abuse, this event keeps medications out of our waterways.”

Jackman said this year’s theme, “Dublin: Stronger Together!”, represents coming together with a common goal for the greater good.

“By participating in Dublin Pride Week activities, particularly on Volunteer Day, we hope that our residents feel a sense of pride in their community, and that they feel inclined to volunteer in other ways,” she said. “There is something so satisfying in the knowledge that you’ve worked for something beyond yourself. Volunteering has been known to protect one’s mental and physical health.”

To find out more about Dublin Pride week, visit dublin.ca.gov/210/Dublin-Pride-Week .

Nicole Gonzales Former staff reporter, Pleasanton Weekly, Livermore Vine, DanvilleSanRamon

Nicole Gonzales worked as a staff reporter for the Embarcadero Media Foundation East Bay Division from July 2022 until April 2024. More by Nicole Gonzales

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City of Dublin to Celebrate "Dublin Pride Week," April 20 - April 27

Public information officer shari jackman from city of dublin · 4 apr.

Dublin Pride Week, the City of Dublin’s annual week-long series of events promoting volunteerism and environmental awareness, will be held Saturday, April 20, through Saturday, April 27, 2024. The theme of this year’s Dublin Pride Week is, “Green City, Bright Future.” Along with a large Volunteer Day that combines the efforts of several hundred resident volunteers to complete beautification projects around the city, several other planned events and activities will take place to promote environmental stewardship. Residents and groups interested in volunteering can visit the Dublin Pride Week website at www.dublinprideweek.com or call (925) 556-4500. Volunteers who help on Volunteer Day will receive a complimentary day pass to The Wave Waterpark, valid for the 2024 Season. Dublin Pride Week Activities: Volunteer Day: Dublin residents are encouraged to give back to the community by pitching in to help clean up Dublin parks, trails, and schools. The event will take place on Saturday, April 20, 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. All ages are welcome to participate, but safety guidelines require that anyone under the age of 15 must be accompanied by an adult. Volunteers will meet at the Emerald Glen Park Amphitheater for a light breakfast and a kick-off rally. Volunteers do not need to bring tools, but are encouraged to bring water, sunscreen, work gloves, and wear close-toed shoes. Volunteers will return to Emerald Glen Park for a community barbecue provided by Dublin Rotary. Volunteers may register at Eventbrite or learn more at https://www.dublinprideweek.com . Volunteer Day Activities: Creek and Trail Cleanups: Walking many sections of creeks and trails at various locations throughout Dublin to ensure that they are free of litter and debris City Park and Facility Beautification Projects: * Litter Collection * Planting trees and plants * Spreading decomposed granite on pathways; filling sand in playgrounds * Spreading mulch around planted areas * Weeding of planting areas Dublin Unified School District Projects: Planting drought-resistant plants, shrubs, and trees, and spreading mulch around planted areas Drought-Tolerant Planting: Join the City of Dublin and Zone 7 Water Agency to help transform parts of Emerald Glen Park into a low-water garden. Volunteer Resource Fair, 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m., Emerald Glen Park: Attendees will learn how to give back to local organizations in the community and find resources to help them create more eco-friendly homes. Visit www.dublinprideweek.com for the list of participating organizations and activities. Other Dublin Pride 2024 Events and Activities: Care Package and Food Bank Supply Drive – In partnership with CityServe of the Tri-Valley and the Childrens Emergency Food Bank. the City of Dublin will accept food and care package supply donations. Residents are encouraged to donate needed food items and care package items for community members in need. Collection receptacles will be placed at the following City of Dublin facilities throughout Dublin Pride Week: *Dublin Library (200 Civic Plaza) *Dublin Civic Center (100 Civic Plaza *Shannon Community Center (11600 Shannon Avenue) *Dublin Senior Center (7600 Amador Valley Blvd.) *Public Safety Complex (6361 Clark Avenue) Compost Giveaway - Amador Valley Industries will hold its annual Compost Giveaway event at Emerald Glen Park on Saturday, April 20, from 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m., or while supplies last. Dublin residents can take home one bag of FREE compost on Dublin Pride Volunteer Day. The compost is made from Dublin residents’ yard trimmings and food scraps. This is a great way to see how Dublin’s food waste journey is circular and directly benefits the community. This is a drive-through event in the parking lot of Emerald Glen Park, off of Gleason Drive. Limit one bag per household; ID or proof of residency is required. Household Hazardous Waste Collection - The Household Hazardous Waste Collection event will be held on Saturday, April 27, at Zeiss Innovation Center (5300 Central Parkway). Drop off is by appointment only from 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. More information at www.dublinprideweek.com . 4th Annual Plogging Challenge – The Plogging Challenge provides the community with a fun activity that allows participants to exercise, while also cleaning up the city. This activity entails jogging or walking throughout town, while making quick stops to pick up trash along the way. The challenge helps to raise awareness about storm water pollution, while also giving residents the opportunity to act by cleaning up litter from our neighborhoods, parks, trails, and streams. All registered participants will receive a complimentary Plog-n-Go kit, which can be picked up on Saturday, April 20, from 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m., at Emerald Glen Park. To be eligible to win a Plogging prize pack, participants must register at DublinRecGuide.com . National Prescription Drug Take Back Event – Saturday, April 20, 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., 100 Civic Plaza - Hosted by Dublin Police Services, this event allows residents to drop off unwanted pharmaceuticals such as prescription pills, tablets, capsules, and other solid forms of prescription drugs, no questions asked. Intravenous solutions, injectables, and syringes will not be accepted. Document shredding and e-waste services will also be available. Poster and Essay Contest - The annual Dublin Pride Week Poster Contest is open to all K-12 students in Dublin. This contest is a project of the Dublin Pride Week Committee and the General Federation of Women’s Clubs (GFWC) Dublin/San Ramon chapter. All Dublin students in grades K-12 are encouraged to participate. Students will drop off submissions with their teachers, and entries will be picked up for judging by members of the Women's Club. Entries may also be delivered to the Dublin Civic Center (100 Civic Plaza). All submissions must be turned in by April 10, 2024. Visit www.dublinprideweek.com to learn more. The topic of both contests mirrors the overall theme, “Green City, Bright Future!” “Nature in Our Backyard” Photography Contest – Earlier this year, the City of Dublin invited photographers to show their love of the Dublin community by participating in the annual “Nature in Our Backyard” photography contest. Participants could submit their creek, wildlife, and natural park photographs taken of a Dublin, California, location. Photography could include any wildlife or nature setting, but photographs including humans would not be accepted. Photos must have been taken within the past year (April 2023 through April 1, 2024). Photographers do not need to be Dublin residents. The public will have an opportunity to select the contest winners during Dublin Pride Week via an online survey at www.dublin.ca.gov/opencityhall . Dublin residents looking to keep the city clean and green all year long can register to become a member of the P.O.P. program, “People of the Parks.” This incentivized volunteer program enables residents, businesses, organizations, and visitors to join us in keeping the City of Dublin clean and green, year-round. For more information, visit https://www.dublin.ca.gov/pop . For more information on any of the Dublin Pride events, visit our website at www.dublinprideweek.com , or contact Lauren Marriott at (925) 556-4500.

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Dublin Pride: carnival of every colour under rainbow fills city with joy

Shouts of ‘hats, scarves and headbands’ replaced by `bags, whistles and neckchains’.

Tens of thousands marched though Dublin to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the capital’s Pride festival.

It was a carnival of every colour under the rainbow at Dublin’s 40th annual Pride parade on Saturday, an event that would make a Harry Styles concert look tame.

Dublin’s streets belonged to the “girls, gays and theys” and everyone else on a beautiful midsummer’s day.

Crowds thronged the city centre in the 25-degree heat to celebrate those who dance to a different beat in life, and boy did they dance, with one attendee overheard saying that the parade was busier than London Pride last year.

People of all ages were in attendance, with some pushing buggies and walkers alike. The parade had something for literally everyone, all shapes, all sizes, all genders, all races and all sexualities – as it should be.

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‘The US is very transactional. In Ireland people are nice. There’s a recognition of life outside money’

The atmosphere is one of acceptance, with a few young girls who were attending the parade for the first time saying that that’s exactly what the event meant to them. They could be themselves and didn’t have to worry about what others thought.

[  Ireland’s first Pride parade, 40 years ago  ]

[  Una Mullally: 40 years after the first Pride, we’re still fighting for LGBTQ+ rights  ]

[  A look back at a decade of Pride parades  ]

How life should be seems to be a running theme with the Pride parade. Showing people how to live, how to love, how to accept people for who they are.

In the more residential areas, people were out on their balconies with flags and music, showing their support from afar, and in true Dublin fashion, there were children offering refreshments – and Pride stickers, of course – on the side of the road.

The shouts of “hats, scarves and headbands” were replaced by “bags, whistles and neckchains”, with even the usual punters found outside Croke Park getting involved in the festivities, selling rainbow-themed attire streetside.

Mirrin Craig was late for the parade because it took him longer to get ready than he thought it would, but donning a pink mesh skirt – matching his pink beard – his delay did not deter his spirit.

He said that every time he gets the Dart to work, seeing the flags along the river in June “gives that sense of belonging, and that Dublin is kind of safe, and it’s a good place to be”.

His first Pride parade was 13 years ago in 2010, not long after he had come out.

“I didn’t have any gay friends and none of my other friends seemed interested, but I got one of my friends, Sarah, and the two of us went to Dragon [nightclub],” he said, “and it was a very last minute thing, so I was just wearing like a white T-shirt and jeans.”

However, Mirrin met people in the toilet of Dragon, and ended up having a rainbow drawn across his face with their eyeshadow, of course, and “the sense of belonging, community, everyone came together,” paired with the fact that his friend decided to go with him so he could go to his first Pride parade, makes it a standout memory for him.

People on Clare Street during the Dublin Pride on Saturday. Photograph: Nick Bradshaw/PA Wire

Lanna Danger, a drag queen originally from Brazil, said that pride for her was “the wisdom, because it’s a place we can be free and we can be ourselves”.

The parade can be emotional for some too, with drag sisters – and husbands – Valdiva Carrara and Lindsey O’Brien attending Pride for their first time this year. They moved to Dublin from Brazil only a month ago.

“I’m very proud and very emotional because I come from a little city from Brazil and it is not possible to celebrate pride there and here I can be myself and celebrate why I am what I am and it’s amazing. I’m speechless,” Valdiva said.

Seáneen Sullivan recalled her standout pride memory while watching the parade go by: “I think the first pride after the marriage equality referendum, because I think it was the first time where it felt like the whole country was celebrating with us,” she said, becoming emotional thinking about it, “because marriage equality was such a hard-won thing.”

However, she was keen to reiterate that pride is still a protest, as “there’s so many things to protest about including lack of trans access to healthcare, there’s still systemic inequalities, but ultimately it is an opportunity for to come together and celebrate our communities”.

Daniel Houlihan from Limerick is “no longer a Dublin Pride virgin” after Saturday’s festivities, and he admitted that the capital’s parade is much better than those in Limerick and Cork, “because the popularity is much bigger, so everyone from around the world and around Ireland comes here for pride.”

People in Merrion Square during the Dublin Pride on Saturday. Photograph: Nick Bradshaw/PA Wire

Tommy Dunne, also from Limerick, gushed about how good it is that “children are being exposed to the meaning behind pride”, as lots of families were in attendance.

[  My first Pride: ‘We wore our wedding dresses’  ]

One such family was the Keegans from Dublin, with their two children Ruadh and Aoibhí.

“We’re just here for a fun day, really, this little guy [Ruadh] likes colours with rainbows and colourful clothing so we decided to come out and show him some people that like to wear clothes like that,” dad Alan Keegan said.

Ruadh went on to tell The Irish Times of the wide array of feathers he collected during the parade and the colours he found of each.

“It’s a great day though, there’s so many people out, [the kids], they don’t understand what it’s all about but we’re just saying it’s a day for everybody, and that everybody can dress like they want and be whoever they want,” Jennifer Keegan said, in between Ruadh telling me that his sister saw some feathers that he did not.

Ciarán and Tanya Ferry, also from Dublin, also brought their four children to the parade, “for the craic”.

“We wanted to say that this is important, this is where we live, that we’re proud of this and that we stand by this and we wanted our kids to see it and to understand it,” Tanya said.

“We want to normalise it, it shouldn’t be different it should be celebrated, and it’s something that I’m very proud of here in Dublin,” she says.

Ellen O’Donoghue

Ellen O'Donoghue is an Irish Times journalist

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AES Dublin Pride Essay & Poster Contest

Dublin Pride LIVE: Dubliners' delight as thousands don colourful costumes for celebrations across the city

The Dublin Pride Parade 2023 is starting at 12pm on O'Connell Street

• Updated 14:42, 28 JUN 2023

Pride celebrations are taking place today across the city today with a host of exciting activities planned for the festivities.

Thousands are expected to take to the streets donned in colourful get-ups to celebrate the city's LGBTQ+ community and bring light to issues that members of that community still face today.

The Dublin Pride Parade 2023 is starting at 12pm on O'Connell Street . It will then head down Eden Quay , Custom House Quay, Talbot Memorial Bridge, City Quay, Lombard Street, Westland Row, and Lincoln Place, before ending at Merrion Square.

There will also be a number of road closures to facilitate this year's event. Road closures include O’Connell Street (from Parnell Street to Bachelors Walk/Eden Quay) and Cathal Brugha Street (from O’Connell Street Upper to Marlborough Street), which will be closed from 8am to 4pm this Saturday.

Read more: Dublin Pride: How the brutal killing of gay man Declan Flynn gave birth to annual event

Merrion Square East and South, as well as Fitzwilliam Street Lower and Mount Street Upper will be closed from 6am until 10pm. Buses and Luas will also be disrupted.

Dublin City Council has said that local signed diversions will be put in place with more information available on its website .

We will be giving you the latest updates from across the city in our live blog.

Some DART services operating an hour later

Irish Rail tweeted: "Significant delays on DART services.

"Some DART services are operating approximately 60 minutes delayed. Services have resumed between Dun Laoghaire and Greystones following repairs to the overhead lines in Dalkey."

Green Line Luas fully reopened

The Luas's Green Line has been fully reopened after services between St Stephen's Green and Dominick ceased.

Irish Rail update issued

Irish Rail tweeted: "Significant delays to DART services. Northbound services approx. 55 minutes delays. Southbound services approx 80 minutes delays. Services are resuming between Dun Laoghaire and Greystones following repairs to the overhead lines in Dalkey. Update to follow."

Heavy DART delays due to damaged overhead lines

The DART between Dun Laoghaire and Greystones is reopenning after the overhead lines were damaged.

There are still delays of around 35 minutes. Irish rail tweeted: "The line is reopening between Dun Laoghaire and Greystones following repairs to the overhead lines in Dalkey.

"DART services are resuming, with significant delays expected. Update to follow."

Great community spirit at Gardai join in at Dublin's Pride Parade

The sun continues to shine & the tunes are still being played at #DublinPride this afternoon. We hope everyone in attendance is staying safe and having a great time. Please do not hesitate to stop any one of us for assistance - we are always here to help. #KeepingPeopleSafe pic.twitter.com/V0MCA6DP3p — Garda Info (@gardainfo) June 24, 2023

Delightful performance from the Garda Band

Our Garda Band playing their part adding to the ambience at #DublinPride earlier this afternoon. https://t.co/9W57wj9QM5 pic.twitter.com/51VAgKVuvR — Garda Info (@gardainfo) June 24, 2023

More photos of the incredible Aer Lingus float from Dublin's Pride Parade 2023

Dublin Fire Brigade takes part in today's pride parade

Thanks to @DublinPride for today's parade where we took part along with our @DubCityCouncil colleagues including @LordMayorDublin @caroline1conroy #Pride2023 #Pride pic.twitter.com/pSpdPDEpRD — Dublin Fire Brigade (@DubFireBrigade) June 24, 2023

Delays to be expected along Dublin Pride Parade route

Please be advised, rolling road closures are currently in place all along the #DublinPride parade route - O'Connell St, Eden Quay, Custom House Quay, Talbot Memorial Bridge, City Quay, Lombard St, Westland Row, Lincoln Place & Merrion Square. Delays in these areas are expected. pic.twitter.com/eyr8r8wXfc — An Garda Síochána (@GardaTraffic) June 24, 2023

Dancing With the Stars judge Arthur Gourounlian at Dublin's Pride Parade

Residents in East Lombard Street in Dublin show their support

This is a brilliant Aer Lingus inspired float

Truly fantastic costumes this year!

Dublin Pride Parade begins

The Parade is travelling down O'Connell Street toward Eden Quay.

Colourful banners galore at Dublin's Pride Parade

Beautiful floats and costumes at the Parade

Thousands attending this year's Pride Parade

Dublin Pride Parade ready to begin

The Dublin Pride parade is ready to begin with thousands in attendance.

The parade is making its way down O'Connell Street and will head down Eden Quay, Custom House Quay, Talbot Memorial Bridge, City Quay, Lombard Street, Westland Row, and Lincoln Place, before ending at Merrion Square.

Photos of attendees enjoying Mother Pride Absolut X at the Button Factory last night

Gardai to patrol city streets for Pride Parade

For us, Pride is about supporting people to feel accepted, equal and safe in the community. We’re proud of our off-duty colleagues that will take part in @DublinPride and want all attendees to know that we will be on-duty across the city all weekend. #KeepingPeopleSafe pic.twitter.com/uTBQsE9tHH — Garda Info (@gardainfo) June 23, 2023

Appeal to find lost engagement ring ahead of Pride Parade

Anyone getting the Dart this morning can you please look out for my engagement ring ??? @irishrail — Moninne Griffith (@Moninne) June 24, 2023

Luas gives update on service info for Pride Parade

Luas passengers are being advised that some stops will be closed today in the city to facilitate the Pride Parade.

Luas tweeted: "Luas Green Line Stops between Dominick and St. Stephen's Green will be closed from 10:00 until 17:00. Red Line stops between Smithfield and The Point/Connolly will be closed from 10am until 14:30.

"#Luas wishes everyone attending Pride a safe and happy weekend, as we celebrate Dublin’s diversity alongside attendees."

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Dublin Pride Parade 2023: Route, map, start time, road closures and everything else you need to know

Dublin Pride Parade takes place this Saturday, 24 June as part of the capital's annual Pride month celebrations

• 11:59, 23 JUN 2023
• Updated 16:11, 23 JUN 2023

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The fortieth anniversary of Dublin Pride Parade arrives this Saturday, 24 June with its annual colourful parade through the city centre.

If you're thinking of heading in to watch the spectacle and show your support to Ireland's LGBTQ+ community, here's everything you need to know ahead of time.

The theme of this year's Dublin Pride Parade is ‘Protest. Remember. Celebrate.’

This year's parade and march will be led by a collective Grand Marshall, drawn from the founders of the Sexual Liberation Movement, the organisers of the 1983 Fairview March and activists who fought for the decriminalisation of homosexuality in decades past.

Dublin Pride Parade 2023 – start time

Dublin Pride Parade 2023 will set off at 12 noon sharp on Saturday, 24 June from O'Connell Street.

Spectators are advised to get there early to grab a good viewing spot along the route.

Wear comfortable shoes and bring water to stay hydrated as Saturday looks set to be a scorcher weather-wise.

Route and parade map

This year, Dublin Pride Parade will begin at O'Connell Street before heading along the quays, crossing at Talbot Memorial Bridge.

It will then head southwards along Lombard Street and Westland Row, finishing up at the Pride Village at Merrion Square.

The Pride Village in Merrion Square will also host community speeches, free music, DJ and drag performances on the Main Stage throughout Saturday.

It will also feature a Community Area, a NeuroPride Zone as well as multiple food vendors, making it the perfect spot to chill out with friends or family post-parade.

Here are the stops/viewing points along the 2023 Dublin Pride Parade route:

• O'Connell Street
• Custom House Quay
• Talbot Memorial Bridge
• Lombard Street
• Westland Row
• Lincoln Place
• Merrion Square

An official map of the 2023 parade route can be found below.

Road closures

To facilitate the parade and Pride Village at Merrion Square, the following roads will be closed to traffic on Saturday, 24 June.

Pedestrian access and local access will be maintained on all roads that are temporarily closed.

Local signed diversions will also be put in place.

Northside city centre road closures on Saturday, 24 June:

O’Connell Street (from Parnell Street to Bachelors Walk/Eden Quay) between 8am and 4pm

Cathal Brugha Street (O’Connell Street Upper to Marlborough Street) between 8am and 4pm

Southside city centre road closures on Saturday, 24 June:

Merrion Square East & South between 6am and 10pm

Fitzwilliam Street Lower, Mount Street Upper between 6am and 10pm

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Dublin is ‘Stronger Together’

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Residents of Dublin — both longstanding and new — will join together in celebration of their community from April 22-29.

The 38th annual Dublin Pride Week is set to take place with a number of events encouraging volunteer work, community-based events and environmental issues. The yearly weeklong celebration emphasizes what it means to be a Dublin resident and how one can help their community. This year’s theme — “Dublin: Stronger Together!”

“Dublin Pride Week began in 1985 when it was first incorporated into the Dublin St. Patrick’s Day festivities,” said Shari Jackman, city communications manager. “Its purpose was to strive to promote a positive image for the Dublin community. It was all about residents working to clean up around their homes and neighborhoods to help improve the community.”

“Residents were encouraged to spruce up their yards, paint their homes or upgrade the interiors. The week focused on fix-it projects, and there was a special waste collection during the week that helped residents clean out and get rid of excess waste,” Jackman added.

The week was then formed into a community-wide, project-themed event in 1998 known as “Dublin Pride, City Wide”, according to Jackman. In 2000, city staff changed the event to late April to coincide with Earth Day.

This year, Dublin Pride Week will include a volunteer day, children’s food bank drive, drug take-back event and more.

Volunteer Day kicks off the week on April 22, when residents can visit a volunteer resource fair at Emerald Glen Park with dozens of local organizations seeking community involvement.

From 8 a.m. to noon at Emerald Glen the same day, Amador Valley Industries will host a compost giveaway. Visitors are welcome to take home one bag of free compost made from yard trimmings, food scraps and other organic materials.

Jackman said the city will also be continuing its poster and essay contest for students in grades K-12. “Students share their ideas about the theme through art or the written word,” she said.

From 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on April 22, Dublin Police Services will also be holding a drug take-back at the Dublin Civic Center.

“Residents are encouraged to drop off unwanted pharmaceuticals such as prescription pills, tablets, capsules and other solid forms of prescription drugs,” Jackman said. “In addition to helping in the fight against drug abuse, this event keeps medications out of our waterways.”

Jackman said this year’s theme, “Dublin: Stronger Together!”, represents coming together with a common goal for the greater good.

“By participating in Dublin Pride Week activities, particularly on Volunteer Day, we hope that our residents feel a sense of pride in their community, and that they feel inclined to volunteer in other ways,” she said. “There is something so satisfying in the knowledge that you’ve worked for something beyond yourself. Volunteering has been known to protect one’s mental and physical health.”

To find out more about Dublin Pride week, visit dublin.ca.gov/210/Dublin-Pride-Week .

Nicole Gonzales Former staff reporter, Pleasanton Weekly, Livermore Vine, DanvilleSanRamon

Nicole Gonzales worked as a staff reporter for the Embarcadero Media Foundation East Bay Division from July 2022 until April 2024. More by Nicole Gonzales

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Dublin Pride 2023 celebrates 30th anniversary of decriminalisation of homosexuality  

21.55 1 Jun 2023

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This year’s Dublin Pride celebrates several "historic milestones” and cultural moments. 

Minister for of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media Catherine Martin has welcomed the launch of the Dublin Pride Festival 2023.  

This year’s Pride marks 30 years since homosexuality was decriminalised in Ireland following a case brought to the European Court of Human Rights by Senator David Norris.  

It has also been 50 years since the formation of the Sexual Liberation Movement, Dublin’s first official LGBTQ+ group.  

This year’s Pride marks 40 years since Dublin’s first Pride march to mark the murder of Declan Flynn.  

Cultural Programme

The Department of Culture has allocated €54,000 towards the Cultural Programme of this year’s Pride.  

This will include Pride Hub on Duke Street, which will include a performance space, and the 50.40.30 exhibition, charting the history of Pride and the LGBTQ+ community in Dublin and Ireland over the past 50 years.  

Ms Martin said it is important to celebrate the history of LGBTQ+ rights in Ireland.  

“This year’s Cultural Programme also provides opportunities for artists and performers to showcase their talents with performances that will engage, entertain, and inspire,” she said.  

“I would encourage all to come along, enjoy the experience and to support the progress towards a more fair and inclusive society.”  

Sharing culture

Dublin LGBTQ+ Festival Director Jed Dowling said sharing culture has been the “key to success” for LGBTQ+ rights in Ireland.  

“By inviting our friends and allies into our spaces and our stories, we’ve grown from just a couple of hundred people marching through the city to become the biggest celebration of diversity and inclusion in the country,” he said.  

“Pride can be different things to different people, but the one thing it is not is limited - the more we share it, the richer it becomes.”  

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CELEBRATING 50 YEARS OF DUBLIN PRIDE

2024 Dublin Pride Festival June 20th-29th

Dublin pride parade, 12.00pm saturday june 29th.

Join us on Saturday June 29th as we go from O’Connell Street to Merrion Square for the 50th anniversary Dublin Pride March and Parade!

A free festival of LGBTQ+ community and culture in Merrion Square Park from 1.00pm-6.00pm on Saturday June 29th.

Mother Pride Block Party is back with a bang for a spectacular party celebrating Pride in our city from 4.00pm-11.00pm on Saturday June 29th at the National Museum of Ireland, Collins Barracks

Pride At Work is a diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging (DEIB) training programme for employers run by Dublin LGBTQ+ Pride. For more information, click the button

Safe Proud Brave Queer Space. Dublin Pride’s new home at 44 Clarendon Street in the heart of the city.

Our handy guide to all things LGBTQ+

Tens of thousands celebrate Dublin Pride's 40th anniversary

The parade started on o'connell street at midday on saturday before moving through the city center and finishing at merrion square. .

Tens of thousands of people took to the streets of Dublin on Saturday to celebrate the city's 40th annual Pride parade. 

The parade started on O'Connell Street at midday on Saturday before moving through the city center and finishing at Merrion Square. 

In beautiful sunshine and a rainbow of color, crowds of all ages thronged Ireland's capital, sporting a wide variety of flags, banners, and feathers. 

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Taoiseach Leo Varadkar was among those marching in Saturday's parade along with several other government ministers. 

The parade kicked off a month of LGBTQ-related activities in Dublin, including a Pride Village in Merrion Square and the Mother Pride Block Party at the National Museum of Ireland in Collins' Barracks. 

The 2023 Pride parade celebrated a number of important anniversaries and milestones, celebrating 40 years since Dublin's first Pride parade, which began at St. Stephen's Green and finished on O'Connell Street. 

The parade also marked the 30th anniversary of the decriminalization of homosexuality in Ireland. Homosexuality was finally decriminalized with the passage of the Criminal Law Bill (Sexual Offences) on June 24, 1993. 

The 2023 parade additionally marked the 50th anniversary of the formation of Dublin's first LGBTQ+ group, the Sexual Liberation Movement. 

Edmund Lynch, who co-founded the Sexual Liberation Movement along with David Norris, was selected as one of the grand marshalls to take part in Saturday's march. 

• A history of Pride and LGBTQ protests in Ireland

The 76-year-old campaigner said the LGBTQ+ had achieved a lot in the five decades since the Sexual Liberation Movement was established but added that there was a lot more work to do. 

"The message this year is good because it celebrates both the past, future and the present," Lynch told RTÉ News on Saturday. 

"Now not everyone on it is gay….it's a celebration but Pride today is still a protest. There's still a lot of issues that need to be sorted. There are a lot of issues to be solved." 

Speaking ahead of the parade, Dublin Pride executive director Jamie Kennedy said the annual parade draws between 60,000 and 80,000 describing it as a "well-oiled machine". 

"This year we have taken over both sides of O’Connell Street, we are just that big now," Kennedy told the Irish Independent. 

"We are a well-oiled machine at this stage so there are no radical changes. It takes the first people to walk it about 45 to 50 minutes. It's not a very long march but by the time it’s totally cleared it can take a few hours." 

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Community Corner

Volunteers needed for dublin pride week, dublin pride week, the annual event in which residents put their municipal pride on full display, is looking for volunteers to help out., mark nero , patch staff.

DUBLIN, CA -- Dublin Pride Week, the annual event that promotes a positive image for the City of Dublin, is scheduled for April 27-May 5 this year, and organizers are looking for volunteers to help with multiple projects throughout the celebration.

Specifically, volunteers are needed to help out with senior assistance, non-profit support, school and park beautification and creek clean up projects. The 2019 theme is “Dublin Makes a Difference.”

The following events and activities, which encourage people to work to improve the world through environmental awareness and volunteerism, are scheduled:

Find out what's happening in Dublin with free, real-time updates from Patch.

• Volunteer Day : Saturday, April 27, 8 AM to 12 Noon. Volunteers are needed to help with senior assistance, non-profitsupport, school and park beautification, and creek clean-up projects. Register at dublin-pride-week-volunteer-day-2019.eventbrite.com.
• Food Drive : Saturday, April 27, 8 AM to 12 Noon. Food will be collected at Volunteer Day and at local grocery stores in Dublin. Donations will be presented to food banks serving the Dublin community, including the Children’s Emergency Food Bank.
• Volunteer Fair : Saturday, April 27, 11:30 AM to 1 PM. Emerald Glen Park, Basketball Courts. Learn about year-round volunteer opportunities in the Tri-Valley.
• Drug Take Back, E-Waste Recycling, Document Shredding : Saturday, April 27, 10 AM to 2 PM. Dublin Civic Center, 100 Civic Plaza. Items will be unloaded from your vehicle for you for recycling and safe disposal.
• Fix-It Clinic : Sunday, April 28, 1 to 4 PM Dublin Library Community Room, 200 Civic Plaza Learn how to fix that broken item that’s been sitting in the corner of your garage. The fix-it clinic will be staffed by volunteer coaches who will help you actively participate in the disassembly, trouble- shooting, and repair of your item so that you leave fully empowered to share your newfound confidence and insight with your friends, neighbors, and the community at large. Tools provided. All ages welcome. Visit dublinprideweek.com to register.
• Bike Commuting Lunch and Learn : Tuesday April 30, 12 to 1 PM City Hall, Regional Meeting Room. Learn the basics of bicycle commuting over lunch. Lunch will be provided for those who register at bikeastbay.org/1hr.
• Energy Fair : Saturday, May 4, 10 AM to 1 PM Dublin Library Community Room, 200 Civic Plaza. A one-stop shop to get help on reducing your energy use. Learn more about EBCE, solar options, energy-efficiency upgrades and rebates, and more. Register at dublinenergyfair.eventbrite.com.
• Household Hazardous Waste Collection & Compost Give-Away Day : Saturday, May 4. A detailed flyer describing this event, including appointment information, will be mailed to all single-family dwelling residents in April.
• Lawn to Garden Party : Sunday, May 5, 9:30 AM to 1 PM. Not like any other lawn party – this one gives you an opportunity to help convert a lawn into a garden using sheet mulch, all in one day! StopWaste staff, Bay-Friendly Qualified Landscape Professionals, and sheet mulch educators will all be on hand to provide guidance. Call (925) 833-6630 for more information.
• Poster & Essay Contest : Open to K–12 students. Winning posters and essays will be displayed at Dublin Civic Center during the month of May.

Visit www.dublinprideweek.com to volunteer or for more information and to register for Dublin Pride Week activities. For more information, contact the City of Dublin's Public Works Department by email at [email protected], or call (925) 833-6630.

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