Kilkenny Pride Festival 2025: All you need to know about the inaugural four day event
Whether you are a Kilkenny local or just passing through for the day, everyone is invited to the celebrations.
With so many events to choose from during the Kilkenny Pride Festival, here are some of our top picks:
Kilkenny's first Pride Parade
When: Saturday July 26
Kilkenny will host its first Pride parade on Saturday, July 26, from 1 pm.
The parade route sets off from the city's iconic Kilkenny Castle at 1.30pm, proceeding from Parade Plaza towards High Street and the Market Yard, before concluding at the Butler Gallery at Evan's Home on John's Quay. An Garda Síochána will accompany the procession to manage traffic.
"We want to show the world what a welcoming city Kilkenny is,' said co-chair of Kilkenny Pride, Alan Slattery. 'For a destination renowned for its festivals, it's high time there was a Kilkenny Pride festival here too.
"We're looking forward to celebrating a lively, positive event in the city, and we hope to see lots of people lining the streets, whether they're walking in the parade or cheering from the side lines."
As the last county in Ireland to host a Pride march, this parade in particular is a momentous occasion for Ireland as it means that every county, in every corner of the country now has a parade dedicated to celebrating LGBTQI+ citizens.
ADVERTISEMENT
'I heard that Roscommon and Kilkenny were the only counties in Ireland not to have a Pride festival,' Alan told the Irish Independent. 'A week after I found that out, I heard that Roscommon were now organising a Pride festival and parade.
"As Kilkenny was now the only county without a Pride festival and parade, we knew we had to act. We couldn't let Kilkenny be the only county in Ireland without a Pride festival or Pride parade.'
Kilkenny Pride family fun day
When: Saturday July 26
Following the parade, everyone is welcome to the free family fun day, in association with Butler Gallery, Ossory Youth, and Kilkenny County Council.
Organisers advise those attending "bring a blanket and settle into the gardens at Butler Gallery" to enjoy an afternoon of family-friendly fun, sponsored by State Street with performances from Seafall, MARYANN, local poet Samantha Joyce, Antanna, as well as bubbles, face painting, a silks performer and more.
"We hope that this festival and parade will grow into an annual celebration, one that belongs to the whole community, where everyone has the opportunity to get involved and feel part of it,' added Alan.
'We are excited to unveil our plans for the upcoming Pride celebration."
Nerd Pub Quiz: Pride Edition
When: Thursday July 24
Opening night of the Kilkenny Pride Festival will see Kyteler's Inn in Kilkenny City host the Pride edition of the Nerd Pub Quiz.
Doors open at 7pm with the quiz starting at 7.30pm.
Tables are free to enter and Kilkenny Pride will be collecting donations to help fund the pride weekend.
Karaoke night at Biddy Early's
When: Thursday July 24
Also taking place on opening night is a karaoke night at Biddy Early's.
Doors open at 9pm and entry is free.
Kilkenny's Comedy Pride
When: Thursday July 24
The spotlight turns to comedy as the Kilkenny Home Rule Club hosts Kilkenny's Comedy Pride, supported by Cartoon Saloon.
The evening features headliner Gearóid Farrelly, recently seen on RTÉ's Dancing with the Stars, joined by popular returning performers Sinéad Walsh and Kate Feeney.
Drag & Draw
When: Friday July 25
On Friday, the Butler Gallery presents Drag & Draw, an 18+ life drawing class that blends art and performance, with drag artists as models. The session is suitable for beginners and experienced artists.
Pride After Dark
When: Friday July 25 and Saturday July 26
Walsh's Toyota brings Pride After Dark to Cleere's Theatre on both Friday and Saturday night from 8pm.
Friday night will feature Mis White and DJ Eddie B, while Roo Honeychild, Kehoe.Ceol and Pól Pogba will all take to the stage on Saturday night.
Tickets are €20.
Queer Céilí
When: Saturday July 26
Fennelly's of Callan invites all to enjoy an evening of ceol, craic agus damhsa at Queer Céilí, featuring live music from Cré and guests.
The event starts at 7pm and runs until 10pm with tickets €10.
Barbecue and open mic session
When: Sunday July 27
The festival concludes on a relaxed note with a barbecue on Sunday, sponsored by Lighthouse Studios, followed by an open mic session held in collaboration with Cult Collective at the Kilkenny Home Rule Club.
Kilkenny Youth Pride
When: Various dates during the festival
The Kilkenny Youth Pride Committee (Ossory Youth) has planned youth-focused events as part of Kilkenny's Pride festival, including an improv show by Dreamstuff Youth Theatre in Ossory Youth on July 24 for all ages.
A film screening of But I'm a Cheerleader will be held in Young Irish Film Makers for ages 15 to 21 on July 25.
While a pre-parade brunch will be held in Ossory Youth on July 26 for ages 14 to 21 with lots of food, arts and crafts, face painting, photo ops and music.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Extra.ie
17 hours ago
- Extra.ie
Netflix Pride and Prejudice cast with Irish stars revealed
Netflix have announced the final cast for the upcoming series Pride and Prejudice. The additions to the line-up include Irish actors such as Daryl McCormack and Fiona Shaw. They will be joining other big names, including Louis Partridge, Rufus Sewell, and previously announced Olivia Colman. Production for the 6-part limited series has begun in the UK. Written by award-winning author Dolly Alderton and directed by Euros Lyn, the series is an adaptation of Jane Austen's novel of the same name. Pride and Prejudice was Jane Austen's second book, after Sense and Sensibility, and was published in 1813. The romance novel takes place in the 19th century and follows Elizabeth Bennet as she navigates the pressures of finding a husband. The book has been adapted a number of times, including the 2005 film Pride & Prejudice starring Keira Knightley and Matthew Macfadyen. 'Once in a generation, a group of people get to retell this wonderful story, and I feel very lucky that I get to be a part of it,' said Alderton. 'Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice is the blueprint for romantic comedy – it has been a joy to delve back into its pages to find both familiar and fresh ways of bringing this beloved book to life. With Euros Lyn directing our stellar cast, I am so excited to reintroduce these hilarious and complicated characters to those who count Pride and Prejudice as their favourite book, and those who are yet to meet their Lizzie and Mr Darcy.' Daryl McCormack will play Mr Bingley and Fiona Shaw will be Lady Catherine de Bourg. Elsewhere, Olivia Colman will star as Mrs. Bennet, Louis Partridge will be Mr Wickham, and Rufus Sewell will play Mr Bennet. Additionally, Freya Mavor will be Jane Bennet, Jamie Demetriou will play Mr Collins, Rhea Norwood will be Lydia Bennet, and Siena Kelly will play Caroline Bingley.
The Irish Sun
2 days ago
- The Irish Sun
Double Ireland AM shake-up as two hosts completely missing from screens and replacements revealed
THERE'S a double shake-up this week on Ireland AM with two mainstay hosts missing. 2 Muireann, Tommy and Alan are Ireland AM's mainstay hosts Credit: Instagram 2 Siomha and Ray are filling in for Tommy and Muireann this week Credit: Instagram However, both Tommy and Muireann are currently enjoying some well deserved time off from work. Tommy hasn't presented the show since July 17 as he While Muireann, who was off air yesterday and this morning, stayed a little closer to home and enjoyed a staycation in Ireland last weekend. The pair were replaced by weekend co-host Siomha Ni Ruairc and Ray Foley, who often fills in for the stars while they're away. read more on ireland am The trio all smiled from ear-to-ear for a stunning snap on set in the Virgin Media studio. Alan looked dapper wearing a beige blazer, navy sequin shirt and a pair of denim jeans. Siomha stunned in a short sleeve black mini dress with buttons down the front. Most read in News TV And Ray returned on air wearing a brown knit polo top and a pair of denim jeans. On today's show, the presenters spoke about the use of AI and sat down with singer George Murphy. Ireland AM turns into Love Island as Alan Hughes leaves co-host in stitches during hilarious taste test moment on air While celebrity weatherman Deric Hartigan reported live from the Aran Islands as he explores what Inis Mór has to offer. For yesterday's cooking segment, chef Caryna Camerino joined the hosts in the studio to whip up a batch of fresh cinnamon buns. Once they were ready, Alan and Siomha gave them a try - but the pair quickly burst out laughing as AM ANTICS As they tried the pastries, Siomha said: "I'm going to need a minute here." Alan then added: "Yeah there's a lot of noise here. It's like when they kiss on Love Island and I hate it." The presenters couldn't contain their laughter as they made "mmm" noises into their microphones, with Alan dragging out the sound for effect. Alan added: "If you want to watch back on the 'mmm' you can sign up to Virgin Media Play or scan the QR code on the screen to enter online." He then continued to make the noise while Siomha tried to move on and tell viewers what was coming up after the break. Just before the show cut to a break, Siomha couldn't resist making the noise one last time.
The Irish Sun
2 days ago
- The Irish Sun
The Assassin fans gobsmacked after spotting soap legend in new Prime Video drama
THE Assassin fans were left stunned after spotting a soap legend in the Prime Video series. The crime thriller stars Advertisement 4 The Assassin stars Keeley Hawes and Freddie Highmore Credit: Amazon Prime 4 The cast also includes actor Alan Dale Credit: Amazon 4 Alan famously played Jim Robinson in Aussie soap Neighbours Credit: Rex It follows a retired assassin now living in Greece, who reunites with her estranged son when he comes looking for answers. Long-time soap fans recognised a familiar face among the cast members. New Zealand star Alan Dale, 78, appears as supporting character Aaron Cross. Previously, Alan Advertisement Read more on Prime Video One viewer wrote on X: "jim robinson died in neighbours and was reborn as the shady bad guy in every series in the last 2 decades." He appeared from the Aussie's soap launch in 1985 until leaving the show in 1993. Jim was also the father of Neighbours stalwart Paul Robinson (Stefan Dennis). The actor briefly reprised this role in 2018 by appearing in a dream to his on-screen son. Advertisement Most read in News TV After his departure from Neighbours, Alan began working extensively in US television . He notably had a recurring role as villain Charles Widmore in the sci-fi drama series LOST. Alan Dale stars in The Assassin on Amazon Prime Alan appeared in a total of 17 episodes spanning from 2006 until the show's 2010 conclusion. As well as this, he made prominent appearances in The OC and Ugly Betty. Advertisement Earlier this year, The Sun revealed Neighbours It came just two years after Amazon brought the soap back to life after it was axed by Channel 5 after 37 years. The revival started filming in 2023 and was shown on Amazon Freevee worldwide. Neighbours stars who made it big The long-running Aussie soap has launched the careers of some of Hollywood's biggest stars. Here are some of the Neighbours alums who went on to make it big after starring on the soap... Kylie Minogue Before she hit the big time with her music career, Kylie shot to fame playing Charlene Mitchell on Neighbours. Shortly after her arrival, Kylie began an on and off-screen romance with co-star Jason Donovan, who played Scott Robinson, which gained the couple an army of adoring fans. Jason Donovan After his stint as Scott, singer and actor Alan Dale New Zealand born actor Margot Robbie Way before she was Barbie or Harley Quinn, Margot was best known as Ramsay Street resident Donna Freedman. Her notable storylines included her marriage to Ringo Brown and becoming a young widow following his tragic death. After three years she bid farewell to the soap and Australia with a plan to make a name for herself in Hollywood which she did when she bagged the role of Naomi Lapaglia opposite Leonardo DiCaprio in The Wolf of Wall Street. Jesse Spencer Russell Crowe New Zealand-native Russell had a brief arc on Neighbours, appearing in four episodes of the soap 1987 as Kenny Larkin, the former cellmate of Street resident Henry Ramsay. The role obviously got him noticed though because he quickly went on to become a fully-fledged Hollywood A-lister, winning the Best Actor Oscar for his standout performance as Roman General Maximus Decimus Meridius in Gladiator. The Sun exclusively revealed that Amazon have told Fremantle that their venture into soaps hasn't worked and they are pulling funding Advertisement A source said at the time: 'Amazon gave Fremantle two years to see if it worked but sadly they just didn't get the viewers. 'It's a really sad day especially for the cast and crew who work on the show in Melbourne. 'This really is the end of Neighbours just as it's celebrated it's 40th birthday.' 4 Alan has appeared in several US programmes since leaving Neighbours Credit: Rex Features Advertisement
