Latest news with #CorkPride
Irish Examiner
03-08-2025
- Politics
- Irish Examiner
‘We need Pride more than ever now': Solidarity and celebration at Cork Pride parade
The Pride movement is needed now more than ever, the 2025 Cork Pride parade heard amid mounting concerns that hard-won rights are being eroded. Organisers of the Cork LGBT+ Pride Festival issued the rallying call on Sunday as an estimated 5,000 people marched in or watched the colourful parade, and its giant rainbow flag, wind its way through the city to the Party at the Port — the climax of the week-long Pride festival, which had as its theme, 'A fearless future'. Damian O'Halloran, vice chair of Cork Pride, said the theme is not just a statement — it's a rhetorical question. 'Can we really have a fearless future, when around the world we are watching the hard-won rights of our communities being stripped away?' he asked. Cork City Council staff and friends at the 2025 Cork Pride Parade on Sunday. 'So today, we gather not just in celebration, but in solidarity. We gather to say: We will not be silent. We will not be afraid. And we will not be erased.' He praised those previous campaigning generations, and those who marched on Sunday. 'Because showing up is an act of courage. And in doing so, you're helping shape what a fearless future truly looks like,' he said. Speaking to the Irish Examiner after the parade, Mr O'Halloran said progress has been made but added: 'A lot of bullies now have a voice, they are standing up because they are not afraid anymore and when you see leaders across the globe demonstrating rhetoric like that, people aren't afraid anymore to say what they want because there is no sanction. "It's about policy, and that starts with the leadership of the country.' Lisa Lynch, Linda O'Mahony, and Kelly and Aisling O'Sullivan from Glanmire enjoying the Party at the Port on Kennedy Quay after the 2025 Cork Pride Parade on Sunday. Denise Boyle, chair of Cork Pride, said the community has to keep marching. 'My message to young people here today is to be happy with who you are, and know that there is lots of support out there for you — don't struggle by yourself,' she said. Diarmuid Scully, a member of UCC's LGBT staff network, said that homophobia thrived in the past by dividing people, and making them afraid. Staff from Apple and their families at the 2025 Cork Pride Parade at the Grand Parade, Cork City, on Sunday. 'This sends out a massive signal to people that there is a community here, young and old, and that they are not on their own,' he said. 'There is a very cold wind blowing outside of Ireland. I think it will reach here in some form or another. Social media is the real terrifying thing because it allows 24-hour bullying. Lord Mayor Fergal Dennehy and Lady Mayoress Karen Brennan leading the 2025 Cork Pride Parade on Sunday. 'The fact that the Pride slogan this year is 'a fearless future' tells its own story, and the theme of Pride in Belfast last week was 'never going back'. 'If you have to have slogans like that, it tells you there is something to fight against but that we will win against it.' Minister of State Jerry Buttimer, who came out as Fine Gael's first gay TD in 2012, said the community, and country has come a long way, with a new generation of people marching, but that people cannot be complacent. 'It's about holding the rights we have and ensuring that people are free to be who they are,' he said. Margarita O'Regan and Emma Clifford walking their dogs at the 2025 Cork Pride Parade on Sunday. Eimear McNally, 18, who is part of that new generation, said showing support for the rights won by the campaigners of the past, and keeping that support 'strong and present', is very important — especially today. 'People can be afraid to show real solidarity with tough causes right now and this is a day where everyone can express what they want to,' she said. Eurovision Fanclub president Frank Dermody at the 2025 Cork Pride Parade on Sunday. Nick Murphy, a member of the inclusive GAA club Na Laochra Aeracha, said the rise of homophobia is inevitable, given the rise of the far right across the world, and the echo chambers that exist on social media. 'This is why Pride needs to be. As long as people think like that, Pride will always be necessary,' he said. Claire Flynn, of Mammies for Trans Rights, said their group was founded because of concerning rhetoric from some places. 'We didn't want our children standing up and being front and centre, because we were afraid for their safety, so we said, as parents, we can stand up in front of them until it's safe enough for them to stand up,' she said.
Irish Examiner
01-08-2025
- General
- Irish Examiner
Letters to the Editor: Join Mammies for Trans Rights at the Cork Pride parade
Mammies for Trans Rights came into being two years ago when two worried mothers started looking for ways to support our children in a difficult time in their lives, and also to support each other. Now, we have members and allies all around the country. During this summer of Pride celebrations, we have marched with 10,000 people at Dublin Trans+ Pride and 2,000 at Cork Trans+ Pride. We have marched in Pride parades in Limerick, Tralee, Belfast, Carlow, Kilkenny, Clonmel, Wicklow, and Waterford and been welcomed with open arms by the LGBT+ community and the wider public every time. The extraordinary scenes in the Dáil in July, when members of almost every political party expressed their support for trans rights and healthcare, was a ray of light in what has been a very dark and difficult time for trans people, with their rights under attack in the US, Britain, and elsewhere. This political support reflects what we already know from our summer of marching; that Irish people see through all the bluster and scaremongering and embrace trans people as the Mammies for Trans Rights do — as people as worthy of love, protection, and respect as the next person. There is one parade left this summer, and Pride has saved the best 'til last — Cork Pride. We will be marching in Cork this Sunday, and we'd be delighted to have any mam, dad, grandparent, aunt, uncle, or any other ally of trans people marching alongside us as we sing, dance, laugh, and hug our way through the streets of fabulous Cork. See you there. Karen Sugrue, On behalf of the Mammies for Trans Rights, Limerick Recording traffic accidents is a vile behaviour The Irish Road Victims Association are urging people to put down their phones and stop filming tragic road accidents in order to share them on their social media. I fully concur with this heartfelt request. As opposed to averting their eyes at a tragic road accident, which would be the normal thing to do, people are on their phones filming. They take out their phones and start looking through the little screen of their device. One wonders is that because people are so accustomed to seeing things on their phones that it's so much easier to look through their phone as opposed to look with their eyes? It's undoubtedly an awful habit. It's reported that the first thing many people do at a tragic road accident is to pull out their phone and film it and then share it on Facebook. They do not think about the people who are in the crash and I believe that it's an absolutely vile thing to do. One must remember that these people often capture very graphic images of the accident that could end up in front of the eyes of a loved one. We must always remember that behind every crash, there's a family, a mother, a father, a brother, a sister waiting to hear the news of their loved one. It must be utterly horrendous for a family to get that knock on the door and have a priest or a garda break the news that their loved one has lost their life. It's beyond the pale for a loved one to have to come across it online before one is told. The impact of such a trauma is unimaginable as the images just don't go away. This is a clarion call for all of us to display empathy and protection of others during a tragic time in a family's life. The question that these people should ask themselves is: How would you feel if it were your loved one that someone else was filming? John O'Brien, Clonmel, Co Tipperary What's your view on this issue? You can tell us here Time for RTÉ to jettison 'Up for the Match' I am writing to congratulate Colin Sheridan on the enthralling article he wrote about, among other points, the lack of promotion of the All-Ireland football final by both the GAA authorities and Dublin City Council — 'Cultural goldmine of All-Ireland finals a missed opportunity' (Irish Examiner, Sport, July 28). He came up with such a list of suggestions for raising the profile of the presentation of the football final, that his co-option on to the Ard Comhairle of the GAA and Dublin City Council should be a mere formality. I thoroughly agree with his summation of Up for the Match where the assumption seems to be that viewers are content to be treated as an unsophisticated mob living in a 1950s-1970s GAA time warp. In the promo for last Saturday's edition at the end of the 9 o'clock news, the presenters seemed to be masquerading as hats and colours sellers. All that appeared to be missing, to complete the time warp, was for somebody to rush on to the set shouting: 'Anyone for the last few choc-ices?' It is surely time for RTÉ to jettison the programme. I would dearly like to know what Colin's view would be on the inserts into the RTÉ television news bulletins before All-Ireland finals, where groups of fans, both young and old, herded together, are prompted to roar tribal banalities in support of their county's team. I look forward eagerly each week to reading Colin's column on a diverse number of topics, as indeed I do also to the offerings of his fellow columnists, Enda McEvoy, Donal Linehan, and Ronan O'Gara, both for their authoritative and insightful sporting commentary, as well as their compelling readability. Long may they continue to inform, enlighten, and entertain us all. Tadhg Nash, Ovens, Co Cork Cork GAA needs a clear-out of management It was very interesting to read Joseph Kiely's opinion on the state of Cork football. He states that Cork should have separate hurling and football boards — 'Cleary disappoints as football manager' (Irish Examiner, Letters, July 28). Babs Keating stated in a public interview a couple of years ago that the hurling counties should start their own organisation and get away from Croke Park. Kiely calls for the removal of the present football manager. I don't know much about football, but Cork also needs a new hurling manager. We have now lost two finals in succession including the last five that have been contested since 2006. What happened last Sunday week is unforgivable, and an insult to the 60,000 fans who thronged Croke Park. Cork were totally unprepared for Tipperary using a sweeper in the first half, and all the rest that happened in the second half that should not have. The fans knew what should be done, but the management did not seem to. Cork need a total clear-out of management, otherwise it will be the same old story next season. George Harding, Blackrock, Cork What's your view on this issue? You can tell us here Will of 'Stakeknife' sealed for 70 years Callum Parke's report, 'Will of man believed to be Stakeknife to be sealed' (Irish Examiner, July 29), discloses a disquieting state of affairs. Lord Justice Flaux, the chancellor of the High Court in London, made an order without legal precedent when he ruled on the Attorney General's application to seal the will of the notorious individual Freddie Scappaticci for 70 years. The case was heard in camera, excluding the press and the public. One is bound to wonder why, since such orders are only made in cases involving the British royal family. Can the answer be found in the fact that Scappaticci is suspected of being an agent and informer recruited by the security forces in Northern Ireland during the Troubles? It is my belief, shared by others, that it was he who disclosed to his security force handlers the plan of the Provisional IRA to place a bomb in a car park in Gibraltar in March 1988, timing it to explode during a British army parade in front of the governor's residence there. The three people involved in that conspiracy to cause an explosion were Mairéad Farrell, Seán Savage, and Daniel McCann. They were shot dead by the SAS soldiers dressed in civilian clothing on Sunday, March 6, 1988. The soldiers had flown from Britain to Gibraltar the previous Thursday, laying in wait for the arrival of the three, all admitted to be members of the IRA. It is my view, also shared by others, that Mrs Thatcher had ordered that those three should not be taken alive. She is known to have said 'those who go out to take the lives of others forfeit their own right to live'. It has frequently been alleged that more than £100,000 had been paid to Scappaticci as the price of his treachery and had been lodged in a bank, of all places, in Gibraltar. He never turned up there to collect any of that money. Does his will indicate the amount of money paid to him, and its source, as well as the beneficiaries who will inherit it? Is that why the Attorney General sought the unprecedented order of the court, in order to conceal the truth? Michael O'Connell, Callan, Co Kilkenny
Irish Independent
01-08-2025
- Entertainment
- Irish Independent
August bank holiday weekend event guide - use our interactive map to find out what's on in your county
There truly is something for everyone and many of these events are not to be missed! Wherever you are based on the island of Ireland, consider your weekend plans sorted for the last long weekend of the summer. To find out what's happening near you, click on our interactive map below or read on to get a flavour of some of the events taking place over the long weekend. One of the biggest occasions of the bank holiday weekend takes place in Wicklow, where all eyes will be on the skies for the Bray Air Display on Saturday. This year's one-day show promises to be a spectacular event, featuring the awe-inspiring skills of world-class pilots who will fill the skies over Bray with thrilling aerobatics and breathtaking formations. The Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann begins in Wexford town on Sunday and will be officially opened by President Michael D. Higgins at 3pm. This will kick-start seven days of events and competitions in the town, which also welcomes The Waterboys and Gavin James to Live at the Breakwater this Friday and Saturday night. In the south west, the Cork Pride parade will fill the city with colour, spectacle, and acceptance as thousands march in celebration of visibility, equality, and love on bank holiday Sunday. While thousands party on at the sold-out All Together Now, plenty more will flock to nearby Waterford city for Ireland's premier summer street party, the annual Spraoi International Street Arts Party. Taking place from Friday to Sunday, August 1-3, the festival boasts an exciting programme of street performers, contemporary circus, music, dance, fireworks, and the unforgettable Spraoi Festival Parade. And of course, the Galway Races are expected to attract over 130,000 punters as they continue at Ballybrit through to Sunday. Arts and music Both the Carlow Fringe Arts Festival and the Cahersiveen Music and Arts Festival in Kerry take place from today until Monday. In Carlow town, the festival will celebrate music, craft, literature, busking and poetry while highlights in Kerry include performances from Clíona Hagan and Kíla plus the Killorglin Pipe Band Parade. A variety of esteemed Irish artists will take to the stage of Kilkenny's Set Theatre on Sunday to show solidarity with Palestine in a special Gig for Gaza. Tipperary will mark the long weekend with a Hoolie in the Hills this Saturday and Sunday – the outdoor music festival featuring the likes of Riff Shop, Electrad, The Bogus Pogues and The Dorans, The High Kings, More Power to Your Elbow, The Fogues, Rebel Hearts and Streams of Whiskey. ADVERTISEMENT Glenties in Donegal will pay homage to its favourite son, Brian Friel (1929-2015), through 'Frieldays – A homecoming 2025-2029', while another talented artist, the harpist Turlough O'Carolan, will be celebrated at the festival and summer school bearing his name in his adopted Roscommon. TribFest in Kildare will see some of the best national and international tribute acts take to the stage from Friday to Sunday, while AC/DC and Queen tribute acts are among the headliners at the Castlebar Music Festival in Mayo. Dublin Book Festival returns to the beautiful grounds of Farmleigh in the Phoenix Park for a jam-packed day of storytelling, crafts, music and outdoor fun on Sunday, while Monday will see artists from across Ireland gather in the Treaty City for the Limerick Plein Air Festival. Meanwhile, anyone interest in the past is welcome at the the 34th Annual Ballymote Annual Heritage Weekend in Sligo. Fun for all the family If you're looking for laughs, then it makes sense to head along to an event like the Kilmihil Festival of Fun in Clare where a family treasure hunt, street parade and real life knights are all on the bill. Further north, the Newport Grainne Uaile Festival in Mayo is packing boxty-making, sheep-shearing, a pirate panda, trad sessions and plenty more into a busy three days. Thousands are expected to flock to Athlone for this year's River Festival – beginning this evening with a mythical Ireland street parade. With a carnival, market, face painting and an afternoon of dancing, fun for all the family is guaranteed and, the cherry on top is the town is also hosting Féile na Sionnaine this weekend. Seaside adventures Fingers will be crossed for fine weather in many towns and villages across Ireland, with a number of events due to take place on and around the water this weekend. Wicklow town is getting ready to host the 147th Wicklow Regatta, Ireland's oldest maritime-themed festival. Events will run throughout the weekend, culminating with the regatta proper on bank holiday Monday. The Festival of the Sea in Galway's Claddaghduff will have it's grand opening later today and features a children's sports day, craft fair, bingo, tour and more. In Clare, the Scariff Harbour Festival will aim to showcase the many attractions and amenities accessible from the area and will also feature music from Ronan Collins, Mack Fleetwood and The Fureys. Enjoy the great outdoors Marvel at the skill of the players and enjoy the marvellous scenery of Louth when the Poc Fada gets under way at Anaverna, Ravensdale, on Monday. Those who fancy getting stuck into a challenge could consider the Bóthar Na Roamh Adventure Race in Leitrim on Sunday, where fun and pure hardship are guaranteed. In Cavan, the Arva Three Province Festival encourages a variety of outdoor activities, including rafting, water activities, busking and the famous Breffni Three Province Challenge. For something a little more relaxing – and with the bonus of having a four-legged friend in tow – Cara Rescue Dogs are hosting a dog festival in Laois, helping owners to reconnect with their amazing adopted pups. And while there's talk of a potential storm on Monday, rural communities will be hoping it's nothing more than a storm in a teacup and doesn't threaten the unique social occasions that are Ireland's agricultural shows. The Tinahely (Wicklow), Castleblayney (Monaghan), Bonniconlon (Mayo), Castlerea (Roscommon), Meenacross (Donegal) and North Tipperary Shows are all due to take place on August bank holiday Monday. Finally, those who enjoy the smell of oil and engines will no doubt be heading along to the Inistioge Vintage Rally in Kilkenny on Sunday or the Nenagh Classic Car Club Show the following day. The Birr and District Motor Club Memorial treasure hunt for Tom O'Reilly also takes place on bank holiday Monday and promises to be a fun-filled evening for all the family.
Irish Examiner
01-08-2025
- Business
- Irish Examiner
We take pride in our DEI – and it's also good for business
These are challenging times, when fragmentation and division are more the norm than the exception. For those of us lucky enough to have benefitted from growing up in an equitable society, and developing our careers in companies that valued and respected difference, it feels like a time when we should invest more, not less, effort in signalling the importance of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI). I'm proud, and determined, that at Bord Gáis Energy our commitment remains unwavering. We believe in building a diverse workforce and fostering a culture where everyone feels they belong. We're once again taking part in Cork Pride on August 3, led by our BRÓD Network – 'bród' being the Irish word for pride. Established by colleagues in 2017, BRÓD was our first employee network, created to champion inclusion. Today, it continues to inspire our approach to visibility, allyship and action. Last year, 55 colleagues, partners, spouses and family members from Bord Gáis Energy celebrated Cork Pride together. As a company with deep roots in Cork, it was a powerful and memorable day, and a reflection of how we live our values. Ireland's recent celebration of the 10-year anniversary of the Marriage Equality Referendum reminds us what progress looks like when we choose inclusion. A decade on, we should be basking in the glow of a more mature and all-embracing society, recent events in other countries and indeed our own remind us that whilst we may have 'righted some wrongs of the past' we need to do more to fundamentally embed inclusion across our society. Our renewed commitment to Cork Pride comes at a time of exciting growth for Bord Gáis Energy in the city. Since acquiring Swyft Energy last year, our Cork office has expanded by 50%. As we welcomed new colleagues on-site, we also welcomed their positive feedback about our culture – feedback that reaffirms the value of embedding diversity and inclusion into our everyday working lives. Because DEI isn't just the right thing to do – it's also good for business. When people feel safe to be themselves at work, they bring more creativity, commitment and energy to what they do. I see it every day. Our LGBTQ+ colleagues – and allies like me – are already looking forward to this year's Cork Pride, themed 'A Fearless Future. Your Pride, Your Culture.' It's a theme that speaks directly to the kind of workplace we're building: one where LGBTQ+ identity is seen and supported, and where inclusion is a lived value, not just a statement. Pride is an important moment of visibility and celebration. But inclusion must also show up in the everyday – in how we hire, lead, and support each other. We've grown a strong, network-led culture – with seven employee-led DEI networks now in place. These include BRÓD, our Women's Network, REACH (our multicultural network), the Neurodiversity Network, the Working Parents Network, the Carers Network, and our Mental Health First Aiders. These networks don't just support colleagues – they shape policy, advise leadership, and help make our culture more inclusive and responsive. Each network has a senior leadership sponsor. I sponsor BRÓD, and support the important work they do. One of the network's recent achievements was supporting the introduction of transitioning guidelines to ensure our transgender colleagues feel safe, respected and supported at work. BRÓD has also shaped our presence outside the business. In 2022, it played a central role in research we commissioned, showing that more than three-quarters of people want to see sports stars support the LGBTQ+ community, and 84% believe sport can help promote positive discussions around inclusivity. Our efforts are making a difference. In our Our Voice colleague survey, Bord Gáis Energy's diversity and inclusion scores regulary rank in the top 5% of the energy and utilities industry. That tells me our people see the impact of the culture we've built – one that supports higher engagement, stronger retention and better business performance. Pride is not just a moment. It's a movement – and we're fully behind it.
Irish Examiner
01-08-2025
- Business
- Irish Examiner
Bord Gáis Energy – Supporting Pride with Purpose
Martina Williamson, People Director at Bord Gáis Energy, explains how the company's diversity, equity and inclusion strategy is building a workplace where everyone feels they belong and can thrive Martina Williamson, People Director at Bord Gáis Energy. At a time when many organizations are stepping back from Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI), we're choosing to move forward, keeping it central to how we work at Bord Gáis Energy. With continued support from our BRÓD Network — our LGBTQ+ employee network — we're proud to once again take part in the Cork Pride Parade on 3 August. Pride matters, now more than ever. Ireland's recent celebration of 10 years since the Marriage Equality Referendum is a powerful reminder of what progress looks like when we choose fairness, love and belonging. Bord Gáis Energy at Cork Pride Parade 2024. We've taken part in the Dublin Pride parade for many years, but with our strong Cork presence, we were proud to join Cork Pride for the first time last year and we're back again this August. Colleagues from both our Cork and Dublin offices, along with their partners and families, will be out in force, making it a memorable and meaningful day for all. I was there myself, and it was a brilliant day, full of colour, music and genuine connection. Seeing colleagues bring their partners, friends and families along made it feel especially inclusive and joyful. Cork Pride has a unique energy and warmth, and the theme for 2025: 'A Fearless Future. Your Pride, Your Culture', really captures the spirit of the day. Bord Gáis Energy's Pride-themed van. The parade is the highlight of what's become a busy and brilliant Pride season at Bord Gáis Energy. This year BRÓD kicked things off with a colleague boat party, hosted a Pride celebration barbecue, and brought energy and visibility to a Pride-themed run that we proudly sponsored and took part in. Drummers and Bord Gáis Energy colleagues at Cork Pride 2024. Our BRÓD Network, launched in 2017, now includes 43 members from across the business — a mix of LGBTQ+ colleagues and allies who come together to share experiences, support one another and shape how we move forward. One of the network's key achievements to date has been helping to introduce transitioning guidelines to support transgender colleagues at work. BRÓD is proudly sponsored by our Managing Director, Dave Kirwan, whose active support has helped bring visibility and momentum to the network's work. His advocacy has been central to progressing inclusive policies and ensuring our Pride calendar continues to grow in impact and reach each year. At Bord Gáis Energy, Pride is one part of a much wider commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion. Through our Every Colleague Counts strategy, we're focused on building a workplace where everyone feels they belong and can thrive. Over the past few years, we've grown a strong network-led culture, with seven colleague-led DEI networks helping to shape policy, support peers, and foster inclusion across the business. Earlier this year, we were proud to achieve Bronze Accreditation from the Irish Centre for Diversity, a milestone that reflects the real progress we're making, with even more still to do. At Bord Gáis Energy, we believe in creating a workplace where everyone can bring their whole selves to work. We are proud to stand with our LGBTQ+ colleagues, customers and communities. Pride is not just a moment; it is a movement. Taking part once again in Cork Pride reflects our ongoing commitment to inclusion, visibility and to energising a greener, fairer future for all.
