Cork LGBT+ Festival organiser gets injunction lifting suspension

The only full time employee of the Cork LGBT+ Pride Festival CLG has been granted a High Court interim injunction lifting his suspension of nine months ago over allegations of misconduct.

Kery Mullaly, a business developer of Market Street, Thomastown, Co Kilkenny, has been employed to prepare and obtain sponsorship of the annual Cork Pride Festival which is due to take place again between July 26 and August 3.

He claims he was suspended on September 13 last without any prior notice of eight misconduct allegations against him which he vehemently denies.

The allegations include that he attended the Electric Picnic Festival while on certified sick leave, that he allegedly had "no regard" for the chairperson and board members and that he was allegedly aggressive and pressuring to Irish Water when seeking their sponsorship.

It was also claimed unnamed members of the festival board were allegedly approached by unnamed sponsors complaining about Mr Mullaly's behaviour and withdrawing sponsorship.

The board later decided the investigator would only look at three allegations including the Electric Picnic attendance and his contract of employment.

It is alleged he himself drafted his contract giving him €2,000 per month for work on preparing the festival and €100 per hour for work on securing sponsors and fundraising streams. He says the contract was reviewed and signed by the then treasurer of the board.

He says, in an affidavit, that he worked with the festival since 2011 first as a volunteer and later as an independent contractor. In 2021, he was made an employee by the board.

He says since his suspension nine months ago his income has been drastically reduced despite a promise that he would remain on full pay while on suspension.

He fears his reputation will be irreparably damaged if he remains suspended for the upcoming festival "where I have had, at each of the last 14 festivals, a visible and important presence throughout my role with the defendant".

He also says that in 2024 he noticed a change in that the previously convivial working relationships between people became strained. He found himself excluded from meetings and events and following the 2024 festival he went on sick leave due to stress and anxiety.

He says the allegations against him are contrived to cause him maximum stress and anxiety which they have done. He believed they "could be seen off quickly" and he would be back to work in time for the 2025 fundraising round.

Despite extensive communications from his trade union representative and his solicitor to the board no steps have been taken to address matters, he says.

On Friday, Mr Justice Brian Cregan granted him interim injunctions lifting his suspension and restraining the board from imposing any disciplinary sanction on him other than in strict compliance with his contract, natural justice and fair procedures, pending further order. The application was made by his counsel Cathy Smith following a one-side only represented application.

The judge said it was "an extraordinary and regrettable tale" and it was quite clear Mr Mullaly was entitled to the interim relief sought. The case comes back next week.