Sligo Gay and Lesbian Parade to become annual event
sligo |
rights, freedoms and repression |
news report 
Tuesday August 29, 2006 12:15
by RAY
A Lesbian Gay Bisexual and Transgendered Pride Parade is to become an annual event in Sligo.
The first L-G-B-T parade in the town on Saturday was attended by about 70 people.
It was organised to highlight such people in the Northwest and to prove they are ordinary human beings.
One of the organisers Hayley Fox Roberts, says the response to the parade exceeded their expectations.
It was opened by Sligo Labour councillor Declan Bree.
Launching the event Cllr. Bree, said that the racist and homophobic views of a minority of people in the local community will not be tolerated, must be tackled. He added that he was aware that lesbian, gay and transgendered people in the North West have been forced to endure harassment and bullying, and even physical abuse because of their sexual orientation.
The Labour Cllr. insisted that the days of paying lip service are gone, and it was now time for the Irish people to promote social inclusion in all aspects, if we want to be regarded as a modern and progressive society.
http://www.oceanfm.ie/onair/sligoleitrimnews.php
Comments (6 of 6)
Jump To Comment: 1 2 3 4 5 6Fair play, this is a positive development. it must be one of the only Gay Parades outside of Dublin & Cork.
Congratulation to all involved.
Galway and Belfast.
Good news for small town Ireland..... wouldn't happen in Warsaw!
Was the Labour Cllr. the only politican at the event?
Up to 100 people marched through the streets of Sligo last Saturday as part of the first gay pride parade in the town.
The parade was the centrepiece of a three-day event, which celebrated the lives of lesbians, gays, bisexuals and transgendered (LGBT) people in Sligo and the north-west.
Due to the success of the weekend, it is now hoped that it will become an annual event.
One of the organisers of LGBT Pride Northwest, Izzy O'Rourke, who lives near Drumshambo, said: “It was the type of parade that saw us have more people at the end than at the beginning. People wanted to see how it was received before they joined. This is a big issue still in society and to join a parade like this was a big thing for most people.
“Having said that, it was a success to both the organisers and to those who had the courage to take part in the parade.”
As she explained, there are many more who for various reasons including their place of employment, could not take part in the parade.
And while the memory of the horrific attack in Sligo town on gay writer Robert Drake in 1999 remains vivid, Ms O’Rourke explained that those in the march didn’t experience any difficulty.
“The marchers didn’t experience any trouble during the parade and in fact we had many people congratulating us on the achievement.”
The march began at the Model Arts and Niland Gallery and finished at City Hall last Saturday afternoon.
While the parade was the highlight of the event, there was live entertainment throughout the weekend along with a picnic on Sunday afternoon.
The event was officially launched by Labour councillor Declan Bree.
http://www.sligoweekender.ie/news/story.asp?j=29462
No, Robin. I believe three Sligo Sinn Fein Councillors were also in attendance, Sean MacManus, Arthur Gibbons and Chris MacManus.
looking forward to seeing a gay sinn fein cummann in the future so.
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