Cork to celebrate LGBTI+ Awareness Week with a series of events

Cork is to celebrate its LGBTI+ community with a strong expression of solidarity and inclusive events throughout next week.

Labour Party Councillor John Maher, deputising for the Lord Mayor of Cork, Councillor Deirdre Forde, will launch Cork LGBTI+ Awareness Week on Monday, May 15, at 5pm in the Atrium in Cork City Council’s civic offices.

The theme for this year’s Cork LGBTI+ Awareness Week is Together Always – United in Diversity!

The launch will see the Rainbow Flag raised by the city for a ninth consecutive year, continuing the strong visual display of solidarity with the LGBTI+ community.

Lord Mayor Deirdre Forde said: “I welcome the LGBTI+ Awareness Week programme of events and encourage everyone to participate in the Awareness Week. 

"Cork is a city of welcomes and this is just another opportunity to showcase all that is good and positive about our city and the communities within it.” 

2023 is significant as it marks 30 years since the decriminalisation of homosexuality in Ireland. It is also a year which saw hate crime legislation being presented to the Dáil.

The keynote address of this year’s LGBTI+ Awareness Week will recognise this important milestone and is called, ‘30 Years: Decriminalising Homosexuality to Criminalising Hate Crime’, and will be given by LGBTI+ activist and campaigner Arthur Leahy, and policy officer with the Irish Council for Civil Liberties, Luna Lara Liboni. This speech will be delivered at the formal launch of the event on Monday.

Continuing the topic of hate crime and hate crime legislation, a panel discussion focusing on Public Services and Community Organisations Responding to Hate will be held in Cork City’s Central Library on Tuesday, May 16, at 2pm.

Events have been organised in Cork City and Cork County across the week including flag raisings, a seminar on International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia, and Transphobia (IDAHOBIT), film screenings, education and awareness sessions and a Rainbow Picnic that will take place on Saturday, May 20, from 2pm from 5pm in the Marina Park.

Other events include a Cork City PPN Consultation at the Gay Project, Sawmill Street, Cork city on Friday, May 19, from 11am to 1pm, discussing well-being within the LGBTI community, and multiple events at Cork City Library. The library is hosting an LGBT exhibition called ‘The day Ireland made world history.’ 

A full list of the events taking place around the city during the week can be found at www.corkcity.ie/lgbti Participants can register for certain events at www.eventbrite.ie.