We need your help now
Support from readers like you keeps The Journal open.
You are visiting us because we have something you value. Independent, unbiased news that tells the truth. Advertising revenue goes some way to support our mission, but this year it has not been enough.
If you've seen value in our reporting, please contribute what you can, so we can continue to produce accurate and meaningful journalism. For everyone who needs it.
Sign in. It’s quick, free and it’s up to you.
An account is an optional way to support the work we do. Find out more.
By continuing, you are indicating that you accept our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.
(Photo: Laura Hutton/Photocall Ireland)
THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE have taken to the streets today for the annual Pride parade in Dublin city centre.
This year is the 30th anniversary of the parade, and marks the end of a fortnight of events to mark LGBT rights. Organisers say the event is the second largest parade in Ireland, behind the Patrick’s Day event.
The parade began at the Gardens of Remembrance on Parnell Square and wound its way to Merrion Square.
However the parade was disrupted on O’Connell Street shortly after it began this afternoon when a small number of protesters stood in front of a Labour bus which was taking part in the parade and stopped it from going any further. The protest, which is believed to have been an anti-property tax and anti-government protest, lasted around ten minutes.
The Pride events began in Dublin more than a decade after the gay pride movement originally began as a result of the Stonewall riots in New York in 1969. Instead, Ireland saw smaller groups calling for rights for gay people, including the abolition of the controversial Victorian law which criminalised homosexual acts.
The Pride parade has its roots in a protest springing from a 1983 case in which a judge gave five men suspended sentences on manslaughter charges after the brutal murder of 31-year-old Aer Rianta workerDeclan Flynn in a Dublin park. That year, a march was held from Dublin city centre to Fairview, where the attack took place, to protest against violence against gay men and women. The first Pride parade took place that summer.
The parade has increased in size and scale over the years. The parade Grand Marshal this year was Anna Grodzka, a transgender MP from the Polish parliament.
To embed this post, copy the code below on your site
Proud of Dublin’s support for tolerance today. A far cry from Ireland of generations past.
Yes Dublin/Ireland is more tolerant but there is still a long way to go until gay people have equal rights.
I think if any parent who disowns their child over their sexuality IS A Failed parent
Probably the some of the wisest words ever ;)
Hear Hear! #straightnotnarrow!
That’s the most colourful Dublin has been since.. erm… Last year!
LoveIsLove!
So what as marching with a naked arse got to do with looking for rights!! Just asking?
Who knows, but maybe he’s prouder than he should be, he looks like he’s letting one go!
Saw a grown man walking down South William Street an hour ago wearing tight leather pants with the ar$e missing. He was also holding an inflatable sheep.
That’s what pride is all about – freedom of sexual expression !
Wouldn’t be a million miles away from that. But think about the nights you have out and manys of couples taking a quickie in a back ally or making out on the streets or on the dance dance floor. That’s also sexual expression. What’s the difference really? Apart from the gay community have a dedicated day? Do you complain about tits in the news paper as much?
Did you like the naked ass mary?? It’s freedom. You where born with a naked ass my love!
Matt, you’re too cool lol
But we where born into society and in society things need to be balanced , as for bum bums been flashed, the whole point of pride is to change the minds of narrow minded folk, that been gay is A ok. But folks who are having a hard time with this will have an even harder time with a man in leather with his arse on display. I think pride has lost it’s pride and the message is getting distorted!.
Well said. I have no problem with gays straight or otherwise. Just why all the overtly sexual displays. Roll on the red thumbs.
This is great for highlighting a huge discrimination in Irish society: a gay man can proclaim his love of backdoor action via a parade and thousands come out to cheer him on, yet a straight guy like myself mentions the same desire to some random chick in a chat up situation, and I’m called a pervert!
Every. Single. Time….
Pervert
Iol. Your perception of this is totally wrong. However the humour in that is just gas.
Am all for pride. Love is love regardless of gender and this march shows how far we’ve come as a society. Granted we still have another bit to go with marriage etc. But if I walked down Oconnell st with my arse hanging out I’m pretty sure I’d be arrested!!
You wouldn’t if you did it today. Since that thought has crossed your mind, grab the bull by the horns so to speak. I think a lot of people don’t want to be hateful or discriminate, however there still looking for any given opportunity to do so.
Trev I don’t believe it is hateful nor discriminatory to have an opinion. The biggest social injustice in this country is the lack of equal rights for all sexual orientations. I just fail to see how walking down the street with your arse on show helps further the cause..
I get you lad. I’ve seen girls walk down the there street in mini mini skirts exposing there rear end. I didn’t complain then, I’m sure you wouldn’t. We probably wouldn’t have much of an opinion on it bar “I’d tap that” so why should we have an opinion on the fact a lad does it. In fairness it is a bit alien but if women can do it why can’t men… Equal rights etc.. To achieve that we all have to be on the same page..
Maybe so. Just an observation. Anyway happy pride y’all….
I hope everyone had a completely fantastic day! Looks like it was amazing fun! G’wan the Pride!
Delighted to see so much support for pride! “Born gay follow the ray! , born straight , no hate!”
Nice one. More power to them, I’m glad Dublin is a liberal town, wouldn’t want it any other way.
All the red lads are afraid of gayness, what’s the problem? live and let live..
When can we have straight pride day,I have nothing against gays but why do they want to tell every one that they are gay. Its a private matter your sex life.
You can have a straight pride when you get beat up on the streets for being straight, and you can also have a straight pride when you get discriminated against. Simple. These are people declaring there pride in themselves and showing that their a welcoming community. This is evident in social networking sites as everyone is seemingly welcome. However my thoughts were the same as yours. When I did my research in changed.
You need to educate yourself on the Pride movement. It stems from a period of history where I, and others like me, could have been imprisoned in prison or psychiatric hospitals because of loving someone of the same gender. Pride today is not about telling people that you are gay, it is also a celebration of changing history. Why do we have a St. Patrick’s Day parade? The simple fact is so long as people like you ask that question, Pride is vital.
It was a matter for the police in the past Denise, when they were thrown in jail to rot for the crime of being who they are.
Why do they have to tell everyone they are gay?
Because they can without being beaten, gassed, arrested, murdered, brutalized and discriminated against in virtually every way a society can discriminate:
They paid higher taxes.
They were refused lodging.
They were refused security clearances.
They were refused employment.
They were refused education.
They were refused a place in the church.
That’s why, hon. Did I clear that up for ye?
How about you organise one then Denise?
You can have a straight pride party in my boxers
Denise,
As a straight person, we don’t want you. If you want to have ‘Straight Pride’, part of being straight, is the acceptance of other people and not being a bigot.
You’re disgrace with a comment like that. Grow up.
There you go Denise as dublinjonny would say it ant gonna suck itself
@denise you’ve taken one hell of a beating here…Jesus, back in your box
Denise hasn’t intentionally go on to hate she was just ignorant. Obviously she didn’t understand. I was educating her ;) however it’s gotten a lil’ bit bitter. As people who support the LGBT community we of all people should be “NO HATERS” … Ill say no more but this has gotten a wee bit hypocritical. Lack of knowledge can be a killer, I’m sure it wasn’t intentional.
No, it was.
She said last week that “Homosexual behaviour is unnatural. I have mates who are Homosexual and they know it’s wrong”.
She knows well what she is talking about. She is a bigot.
Oh Jesus, I take back my comment!
Obviously a closeted lesbian lol
Dublin lad ,why shouldn’t denise have an opinion on gays ,if she does not support or like them then she has every right to speak out ,how dare you call her a bigot ,I find it hilarious how gays are all about not hating until someone disagrees with their way of life ,then the claws really come out
She doesn’t even know what Pride is about?
I mean having an opinion without knowing what the hell you’re talking about makes you at the least a bit of a tw*t, and the way she speaks about the LGBT community makes her a bigot.
A straight pride she asks! Who would have you.
Once you use the word “but” your statement re having nothing against gay people is invalidated. What you should say is I have nothing against gay people.
Totally agree, it turns my stomach
Well don’t look then!!!!
Dublin Lad. I have a feeling you are making up that quote about Denise Friary. Her facebook account says she hasnt commented in a few weeks and you said she commented last week.
Then again you “quoted” me a few days ago saying i said something about God visitin planets or some nonsense.
Evidence of both quotes please!
I saw her comments too, they were removed from the article because they were reported. She claimed she had gay friends but they agreed with her that it wasn’t natural!
Deirdre,
See above comment, there’s your proof (Thank you hotHanneke!). Also, you don’t have to have your account record your posts, that’s totally optional, you just need a FB or Twitter account.
So, what I’m saying is, where’s my apology?.
We probably still won’t be believed but I can name a few more account names that were stunned by her comments.
I saw those comments too – this is the article http://www.thejournal.ie/decriminalise-homosexuality-ireland-964678-Jun2013/ but Denise’s comments were removed – you can still see some of the comments other people wrote about them though..
I saw the comments as well
denise they do this so they can tell the world I’m gay and it’s ok. The girl in my picture is my partner for the last 3 years is transgender and she is the love of my life :-) LGBT community is only in recent years been able to admit there existance. After thousands of years of secrecy and dicrimination they can finally express themselves!
Ironic isn’t it, Denise observed how there’s no straight pride day and the so called champions of equal rights beat her over the head with their political correctness stick, especially you DublinLad, damn hypocrites. I’d support your parade Denise
When was the last time you were persecuted because you were straight?
Told that you can have a civil partnership but you’re not good enough to have a marriage?
Bullied for being straight. Discriminated against?
Oh no – that’s right.. You haven’t been, the pride festival is about the struggle for equality.. Something those who have never actually been discriminated against seem to have tremendous difficulty understanding..
Shanti, what is marriage for? Like what’s it’s purpose? Why does a state’s law recognise a marriage?
Well, lets see..
There’s a whole host of legal protections given to a marriage that are not given to a civil partnership. Otherwise what’s the difference?
It’s not all about family because if that were the case infertile couples would have no need or want of it either..
Marriage as an institution was designed so a man and a woman would create a bond, have children and prevent a society dying off, that’s literally what it’s for hence the legal protections. That would be a fair statement wouldn’t it? Nothing offensive against that. Why would gays want to or need to get married? I honestly think there’s a lot of whinge-baggery going on from some small loud elements within the gay community about discrimination and persecution; they’re parading around in ass-less pants in broad daylight and being completely left alone…oh yeah, it’s Nazi Germany all over again. i know gay people who don’t feel the need to rub our noses in it every year and demand marriage for the sake of it. They keep their sex lives / love lives private. Denise took a lot of flak for highlighting a double standard and was verbally crucified to what equates to cyber bullying by people who claim to embrace equality.
It really annoys me how people in 2013 can still not give people that are gay the same rights as straight people. I’m straight myself but have many gay friends, what the hell do you care who others want to bump uglies with , pride is about going out and being yourself and showing everyone you are proud of who you are! Seriously people we can love who ever we want to as long as we are good people it shouldn’t matter. Show everyone the same respect no matter what their sexuality! It has nothing to do with you so why should you give your opinion on anyone else an who they choose to love! It really confuses me how they can be so judgemental!
Yea Chloe, I’ve no problem with people being themselves. It’s the in your face, recruiting straight people to the cause I have a problem with
What do you mean recruiting straight pdople ?
That’s a new one on me, I must have missed the recruitment drive, I’m still straight, gorsh darn it!
Love is love, be proud,
It’s good to see that Ireland is not all about Pro-life, Catholic Clergy suppressing the reality of clerical child abuse and refusing to atone, and senior public servants and senior politicians, FF and FG, colluding with predatory bankers.
There is another more joyful side to the Irish and only a few anti gay remarks have been posted.
It’s been a good day.
Until you came out with that
Great to see something proud and positive happen in Ireland. Makes a change…
Ok, when you are actually discriminated against for being straight, and you have legions of religions telling you you’re just wrong- then straight pride all the way!!
If you’re just jealous over the party then join in! Nobody will mind!
Legions of religions are already saying its wrong to have heterosexual sex before marriage
I’m 18, don’t really understand that “heterosexual before marriage means” care to relaborate?
Elaborate* damn autocorrect or big fingers lol
Loophole to the sex before marriage thing is don’t get married, then it’s just sex!!
Who needs good weather with all them colours :P
Happy pride everybody in Dublin, from Pride in London :)
Denise, you always come out with negative comments on this topic. More than a bit of a bee in your bonnet, I think based on previous comments.
Ha! You’re complaining about negative comments now?? See above!
Stay away trolls please.
No furry like a Paul furey
Proud as a straight guy to see my lgbt friends being able to enjoy pride, well done everyone involved. Equality for all our citizens love is love.
The guy with the baywatch outfit like a boss lol … putting the ride into pride hahaha
Personally I find men with their asses hanging out of the back of their pants disrespectful and embarrassing, for Gods sake introduce a dress code so that it becomes family friendly!
Raging I packed away my gimp outfit now,looks like a great day,fair play…..should happen every six months,bring a bit of colour into the city.
Down with this sort of thing, careful now
I’d say Ann summers on o Connell street earned some amount of money today in the dildo section :)
Gwan Marty!!!
I imagine if these lads are confident enough to walk down O’Connell St with their asses out then they already have as many dildos as they need. It’s not like they’re an impulse buy!
It looks like Dublin has more gay people than San Francisco.If you going to Dublin be sure to put some flowers in your hair.
You could do with some colour
Matt, Grow up.
Grow up? Something you need to do, sweetheart! Face like a slapped ass!!! Get some pride in your life. You sound like you need it.
Matt Who, afraid to give your name or show your face, I hope you have a job in London.
Denise, I presume that’s you’re roundabout way of saying the parade had a huge turnout, and you’re right. I’ve never seen as big a crowd! It’s fantastic to see this event get bigger and bigger every year. Pic of the parade on O’Connell Street, courtesy of @fionnkidney:
You hope i jave a job in London? Weird!! You have a face only a mother could love
Denise is a hero
Keep up the good work
Denise. U have lovely face. Dont mind them
Agreed Denise, you are a hero. Who cares if they’re gay.
Attention seeking whinge-bags
While there is no need to reduce the conversation to pot shots about appearance, considering your disdain for homosexuals Denise – you do spend a lot of time commenting on articles about them. And in really quite negative tones.
Perhaps a little empathy wouldn’t go too far astray – you would not like to be persecuted for your heterosexuality, so why seek to persecute others because they were made a little differently to you?
Why does other people’s sex lives preoccupy you so much? It seems quite unhealthy.. I try not to think about what other people get up to in their bedrooms because its private.. Why is it the ones with the issues around it are so focused on something that’s none of their business?
Aw true! Great attitude.
I feel so sorry for you, you hateful pig x
Our country has gone down the toilet. Every man, woman and child is screwed financially for the next 40 years and all you lot are proud to march about is the right to ride each other in public toilets and bushes in public parks. You are all a f@#%ing disgrace…
You could have made a point there about thinking there are more important things to think about in today’s Ireland other than Pride but you ruined it with your hatred. You lose.
Beat you dildos on the doors of leinster house and protest against this countrys demise and people might take you seriously you clown…
I’m not gay David, just have more respect for people than you do.
Respect for a grown man prancing down o connell street in tight leather pants with its arse cut out? Youve been drinking too much liffey water..
Not based in Dublin either so you have got me wrong on 2 counts now. You could have made your point in a non derogatory way and you might have gotten some agreement but saying it the way you did negated any real message you may have had
You’re a despicable, appalling, hateful excuse for a human being. If you’re gay, just come out. You’ll be SO much happier
They have to come to themselves first love before coming out to anyone else.
Well this a controversial topic. Lol. Almost as controversial as Lady Gaga. Except she wasn’t a homophobe.
Great to see this. How far we have come! We’ve cast off the shackles of catholic oppression at last :-)
Also some photos here http://www.flickr.com/photos/chedyus/sets/72157634396765600/ :)
Goodnight to you and Your michael jackson defence of “thats just ignorance”…
It’s not ignorance, ignorance can be cured with education. Intolerance comes from sheer stupidity, and sadly there’s no cure for that.
Hope you slept well David, I was merely pointing out to you that your original comment may have had some merit as there are a lot of things happening in Ireland which could be considered to be more important than Pride marches but by being derogatory about Homosexual people you reduce your comment to nothing noteworthy other than a disdain for the gay community
Down with this sort of thing
Your not funny
Get down with this sort of thing!
Go on Denise, fair dues to you. Tell it how ya see it, dont mind that fella saying “You’ve a face only a mother cud love”, your gorgeous so ya are! Some of the carry on in dublin last night was disturbing, and lots off people should have been arrested by the police, and im not talkin about snoggin.
Amazing photo of my beautiful friend Anna in there!
have your say