With a long history and a notable influence on the Western culture, the Irish have a lot to be proud of and a lot to celebrate. In 2015, Ireland added another notch on the belt of major achievements that influenced the world by becoming the first country that legalised same-sex marriage by popular vote. While the road from the conservative Ireland to gay Ireland wasn't as short as most of us would like, it was still remarkable and worthy of many celebrations. And when the words "gay" and "celebrations" are used in the same sentence, the first thought that pops into the mind is - Pride parade. And the island of gay Ireland has plenty of those. Dublin, the capital of Ireland, has the largest parade in the country and the second largest parade on the island. The Dublin LGBTQ Pride Festival usually takes place near the end of June, and it's filled with events and celebrations. The parade is the crowning event of the festival, and it's as fun and as colourful as one would expect a Pride parade to be. The Belfast Pride Festival is held a month after the Dublin festival, in late July and early August. It's the biggest Pride festival on the island, even bigger than Dublin's, and it's been known to draw 50,000 visitors. The festival usually lasts for ten days, with the parade usually held on Saturday, the ninth day of the festival. Besides the two big festivals in the two biggest cities, gay Ireland plenty of smaller towns that have smaller Pride festivals. Cork, the third largest city on the island, has a Pride festival every year in July and August. Besides the parade, Cork's pride festival also hosts many cultural events. Galway will be hosting its 28th Pride festival this year in August. The Foyle Pride Festival has been taking place in Derry-Londonderry each year in August since 1993. Sligo, a town with 20,000 residents in the north-west of Ireland, also has a Pride parade, sometimes affectionately called "the smallest Pride parade in the world." Besides the many Pride festivals, Ireland also has other gay-themed festivals that celebrate LGBTQ people, their history, and their work. Some of the most popular take place in Dublin each year, such as the GAZE: International LGBT Film Festival and the International Dublin Gay Theatre Festival. And then there's The Outing, an event which takes place as part of the Matchmaking Festival, which is something that has to be experienced to be understood. Saying 'Yes' in Gay Ireland No matter how far we've come in the fight for LGBTQ equality and recognition, we cannot allow ourselves to forget that we still have ways to go. And we can never forget that, while we can choose who we love and marry freely in Ireland, some people don't have the same liberties. In some countries being gay or lesbian is still against the law. In other countries, you can be gay but you can't really talk about it. And there are countries that will tolerate you being gay but will not allow you to register your same-sex partnership or get married to your partner. As a gay person, you can legally get married in only twenty-two countries in the world. It's no wonder, then, that a lot of gay people are coming to these twenty-two countries to say 'yes.' Ireland joined the ranks of countries that legalised same-sex marriage in 2015 by a historic popular vote. Since then, the country has tried to establish itself as one of the world's premiere gay wedding destinations. Within twenty-four hours of the vote that made same-sex marriage legal in Ireland, Tourism Ireland launched a campaign aimed to make Ireland the go-to destination for gay weddings and honeymoons. In the two years that followed, gay Ireland opened its doors to many couples that chose it as the place where they would tie the knot. Gay Ireland has plenty to offer to couples looking for a place to get married. How many places in the world can say that, if you'd like, you can get married in a real castle or a nineteenth-century manor? Or, if you're not a fan of the gothic castles and want something less dramatic, gay Ireland also has plenty of country houses that serve as beautiful and intimate wedding venues. If you want an eco-friendly wedding with organic food and wine, it's something you can find in Ireland. Even though the Irish weather can be traitorous and change on a whim, gay Ireland remains a good gay wedding destination for two simple reasons. The first is that it has plenty to offer in terms of venues and gay-friendly wedding suppliers. With a plethora of options, chances are good that any gay couple will find something that matches their desires. The second reason is that it combines dramatic and tame scenery. It has the beaches, the rolling hills, the cliffs, and the beautiful nature that can serve as the backdrop for the most important day in a gay couple's life. The Making of Gay Ireland The world, and Ireland with it, has changed a lot in the past 150 years. We drive cars, watch TV, travel by aeroplane, cure a large number of diseases, use the internet, carry powerful computers in our pocket. We can do amazing things today, not the least of which is - get married. If you're gay, Ireland is a place you can go to and get married. But that's not a change that happened overnight. 150 years ago, you could have been arrested and prosecuted for same-sex acts. Technically, you would be charged for "buggery," a term was applied to various sexual activities that were outlawed, and which put homosexuality in the same pen with bestiality. The qualification of homosexuality as something that is not legal was in place for a long time. It was illegal to be gay in Ireland in the 1970's, which is when the first movements that sought change came about. The Irish Gay Right Movement was founded in Dublin in 1974, and the National Gay Federation was established five years later. The next big step for gay right in Ireland came in 1983 when two things happened. David Norris, who previously took the Attorney General to High Court in order to fight against the laws that criminalised homosexuality, took the matter all the way to the Supreme Court of Ireland - and lost. This later led to him taking the Supreme Court's decision to the European Court of Human Rights which found in 1988 that the criminalisation is against the European Convention on Human Rights. The other event was the decision to give suspended sentences to people who murdered Declan Flynn, a gay man, a year earlier. This lead to public marches and the very first Pride event in Ireland. Homosexuality was eventually decriminalised in Ireland in 1993, five years after the European Court of Human Rights' decision, and twenty-six years after it was decriminalised in the United Kingdom. It took seventeen years for Ireland to say 'yes' to civil partnerships. This huge step towards marriage equality, which happened in 2010, was soon followed by talks about full legalisation of same-sex marriage. The matter was put to a referendum in 2015, and with 62% of those who voted saying 'yes', the Constitution of Ireland got its thirty-fourth amendment, and gay people in Ireland won another fight in the battle for equal treatment before the law. Gay Ireland - Outside of Dublin It's easy for gay visitors to Ireland, as well as Irish gays, to get lulled by the charms of the gay life in Dublin. It is the capital and the largest city in Ireland, and it has the most to offer to gay people looking for social engagement or pursuit of their interests. But just as Ireland is more than Dublin, gay Ireland is more than gay Dublin. There are a lot of organisations in Ireland which allow gay people to socialise and enjoy various activities. And we're not talking about pubs and clubs. The second biggest city in Ireland is also the city which has the most to offer in terms of gay groups outside of Dublin. Cork Meet n Greet is an LGBT social group from Cork that's perfect for those who don't want gay pubs and bars to be the focus of their social life. Those who like nice food can see what Out4Dinner are planning - this group meets once a month and socialise over good food. If you need to burn out the calories after fine dining, you have two choices in Cork - the Rainbow Ramblers, which organise social walks, and the Cork Gay Hillwalking Club. And most importantly, if you're lesbian in Cork and in need of support, Linc Peer Support provides a safe space where you can get it. There are support groups for gay people dotted across Ireland. Amuigh LGBT is a support group that operates from Letterkenny. Galway has GOSSIP - The Gender Odyssey Support Service And Information Project. In Limerick, LOOK - Loving Our Out Kids - offers supports to friends and family of LGBTQ people. Longford LGBT operates as a social and support group, as does OUTWEST in Mayo. Waterford has two support groups - LGBT Parents and sOUTh, a volunteer committee established to provide help to LGBT people is south-east Ireland. Some towns have groups formed around common interests. Sligo, for example, has the Over the Rainbow Drama Group, a straight-friendly group for people who like to perform. Other cities have groups that don't have a theme apart from the desire to socialise - LGBTinC, in Cavan, organises weekly gatherings for a chat over a cup of tea. But whether you're from Ireland, or you find yourself in Ireland, you don't have to turn to Dublin to find company, help, or things to do. Gay Ireland has lots of ways to help you defeat loneliness. What To Expect As A Visitor To Gay Ireland Ireland has become the newest darling of the international LGBT community after it legalised LGBT marriage in 2015. The country seems to be on the fast track to improving the position of its LGBT population, even though it was pretty late when it came to decriminalising homosexuality, having done it in the early 90's. But things are looking up for gay Ireland, and it's attracting more and more gay visitors from around the world. For a first time visitor, here is some information that might be useful. The centre of gay life in Ireland is Dublin. The city has the most developed gay scene in Ireland. It also has the most to offer to LGBTQ people who want to do something off-scene - it has gay social and sports clubs, as well as groups centred around various activities. If you want to explore gay contributions to the arts, you can do that in Dublin as well - the city is home to a gay theatre festival, as well as a gay movie festival. Dublin might be the centre of life in gay Ireland, but it's not the only place worth of a visit. Cork also features a burgeoning gay scene, as well as some off-scene groups that offer an alternative to pubs and clubs. If you're willing to explore the whole island of Ireland, you can also find a gay scene in Belfast, as well as the biggest Pride parade on the island. If you have to go to a city that's not near to any of the centres of gay life in Ireland, you shouldn't worry. Many cities have social or support groups for LGBT people. Some of these groups cover whole regions of Ireland, so even if they city you're in doesn't have a group of its own, the biggest city in its vicinity is bound to have one. Ireland is a curious mix of progressive and conservative values. While it might be legal to marry a same-sex partner in Ireland, public displays of affection are generally frowned upon and should be avoided. You also might notice a lack of specialised offerings for gays - you can have a hard time finding a gay guided tour around Ireland. You are expected, instead, to go on a regular tour. And if you're a tourist looking to stay in a bed and breakfast in Ireland, there is a small chance that you'll end up staying in one that's not particularly gay-friendly. Ireland, like any other place in the world, is home to all kinds of people, and some might be more conservative than other. But you're more likely to enjoy your visit to the Emerald Isle than not.
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