Cork Pride Pictures: 'Love who you want to love. Be who you want to be'

It was a beautiful August bank holiday Sunday afternoon and the sunshine on Kennedy Quay was almost as warm as the smiles at Cork Pride.

On the last day of Cork LGBT+ Pride 2023, as Sparkle the band blew what few doors are left on the docks off, and anticipation built ahead of an appearance by Eurovision stars Wild Youth, there was an air of giddy celebration about the place.

Little kids ran around wearing elaborate costumes fashioned from balloons as their parents danced and sang, while people of all ages and genders had the craic, held hands, waved rainbow flags, wore rainbow capes, kissed, chatted, had fun, smiled, ate fast food, drank soft drinks, and were just plain happy to be out and about, in whatever fashion they wanted to be.

Not that Pride needs rebranding, but on Sunday afternoon in Cork city, another good name for it would have been “joy”.

The Lord Mayor of Cork, Cllr Kieran McCarthy, noting that this was the 30th anniversary of Ireland decriminalising homosexuality, said he had two messages for Cork Pride.

“Firstly, love who you want to love. Secondly, be who you want to be.”

In a reference to events which last week saw anti-LGBT+ agitators protesting on the Grand Parade and Cork Central Library closed, Cllr McCarthy said those “who remain as bigots and lack empathy must never become the mainstream narrative”.

“Pride is a very important time of year. It gives the LGBT+ community and its supporters the opportunity to come together, build a sense of togetherness and celebrate Cork as a diverse, welcoming city and region,” Mr McCarthy said.

Labour Party councillor John Maher said Cork Pride had been a great triumph for the city, and for Cork’s LGBT+ community and its allies.

“It’s the Cork that I know, the Cork of inclusion of diversity, of welcomes, of family,” he said.

“I do think that Cork City Council now needs to put its money where its mouth is and fund Cork Pride appropriately.”

Clive Davis, chair of Cork LGBT+ Pride, said this year’s festival had been a huge success, and he thanked all of the volunteers and sponsors who had made it happen.

“I think the colour that we brought to the city today, I think every single person should be so, so proud, I think it really brings Cork to life on the August bank holiday weekend, and we’re so proud to do that,” he said.

“The biggest message we need to get out is the support we need to gather from our allies, to ensure that what people see now is love, and people need to inform themselves and get behind us and support us.”