Cork 'drag'-hens top of the pecking order for Limerick contest

CORK “draghens” are set to ruffle feathers as they prepare to compete in a pageant like no other.

Now in its 10th year, Ireland’s longest-running Drag pageant, DRAGHENSDEN, will take place on February 25 at the Castletroy Park Hotel, Limerick.

More than half of the competitors are from Cork and will be judged on a series of skills from lip-syncing to elaborate outfits. The event was introduced as a celebration of the art and impact of drag culture.

This year’s event will see a total of 11 queens from around the country battle it out for the crown. Cork queens will comprise of draguates of Mia Gold’s Drag School-an initiative run in association with the Gay Project, Cork Education & Training Board, Cork LGBT+ Pride Festival and Cork College of FET: Douglas Street Campus. They include Toxic, Jeanie Mac, Boo Boo Oopsie, Éiresure, Jackie Off and Kara Kalua.

Chairperson of Cork Drag Rec Room- a volunteer-led group supported by Gay Project which offers a space for members of the LGBTQ community with an interest in drag-Clío Lawton described the significance of the event.

“Drag for a long time was seen as a niche artform, but its roots are so deep within the history of performance. Now, TV shows such as Ru Paul’s Drag Race are very much in the mainstream and Drag is experiencing a reawakening within mainstream culture. This is a night not to be missed, with three categories for contestants, guest performances, and a room full of like-minded people, it is the place to be for fans of drag. We are looking forward to having a bus full of supporters to cheer our queen on.” 

Reigning DHD Winner, Lucina Schynning is looking forward to this year’s contest “Winning DHD was a huge accomplishment to me as I had first competed back when I had been doing drag for 6 months, and I made a promise to baby Luci that I would come back and take the crown someday. Through DHD I was able to elevate my drag and develop new skills as the competition requires contestants to view their skill set through a new lens. It’s incredible to see so many people from Cork now attending and supporting the show as it exemplifies the sense of community and family that is intertwined with the art form of drag.”