'The response has been so positive': Show of Pride must go on in Cork!

The flagship events of Pride festivities in Cork almost didn’t happen this year following the liquidation of Cork Pride, the previous organisation behind the week’s events.

If it wasn’t for a group of strangers coming together a few months ago, the annual Pride Parade and Family Picnic would not be going ahead.

Fundraising efforts have been taking place all summer in order to finance events being organised by a brand new grass roots organisation, Cork Community Pride, for the August Bank Holiday weekend.

While previous years have seen a week’s worth of pride events, this new group has decided to focus its energy on the key events previously held in Cork for Pride: the Pride Parade, as well as a Family Picnic in Fitzgerald’s Park. Organisations like Gay Project and Linq will still run their annual independent pride events that week.

Cork Community Pride has been working closely with these pre-existing organisations in Cork to make sure that the streets are filled with Pride flags, allies, and its vibrant LGBTQ community.

Alex Fuertes Roper, leading the committee’s communications, stated “Everyone has been involved! We have always welcomed volunteers and still do to this day. It’s been such a positive process, we have all learnt to take on different jobs depending on our capacity.

“We have all been helping each other to make Cork Community Pride happen”

The outpouring of support from Cork and the wider LGBTQ community has made a huge impact on the committee as they learn how to navigate all the behind-the-scenes work to make these events possible.

“The response from the community has been so incredibly positive, we have received overwhelming support by artists inside the community, many offering their time or venue for free or an extremely reduced fee.

“One really good example is the Saints fundraiser where the Saints community gave 100% of their proceeds to Cork Community Pride,” Alex said..

‘Saints’, ran by drag duo Krystal Queer and Lucina Schynning, has been a successful event held in the Kino, and once they got word of a brand new organisation this Pride season, they dedicated their very next show to Cork Community Pride.

With combined efforts from people like Krystal and Luci, as well as everyone attending coffee mornings, book binding events and more, Cork will have its Pride Parade as well as the family picnic.

Sophie Bourne, Chair of Fundraising, said: “Cork Community Pride has a dedicated and enthusiastic fundraising team, focusing on grassroots donations, fun social events and welcoming support from our local partners and performers.

“We have been overwhelmed with the generosity shown by the LGBTQI+ community and allies in coming together, digging deep and making this Pride happen. Thank you all so much.”

Frank Dermody, one of the main organisers of the parade this year, spoke to me about the committee’s hopes for the fast approaching, August Bank Holiday weekend.

“This year’s parade is very much going back to our roots; what it means to be queer and from Cork. We’re very much focused on the groups that helped get us to where we are as a community, because without them we wouldn’t be here right now.

“There was very much a fear that Pride this year would not be happening, and without the tireless campaigning of those community groups, we would not be here right now,” he said.

“We will have a stage down the bottom of Grand Parade with lots of very colourful acts, DJs, and a few speakers on throughout the day, starting at 1pm all the way up until 5pm.

“The parade will kick off at 2pm and march down the traditional route of South Mall and back up Patrick Street right back to Grand Parade again.

“Everyone is invited to come along because this is a community event for all of Cork and beyond,” he added.

Cork Community Pride also announced their theme for this year’s events: ‘Celebrate the Past, Fight for the Future’.

“The theme this year is very much about remembering our past and also not forgetting that what we do now affects the future,” said Frank. “Very much so, as humans we always live in the here and now, and sometimes it’s easy to forget the sacrifices that people before us have made to make our lives more comfortable.

“We want to thank those who helped shape the community in Cork throughout the decades, while at the same time giving hope and reminding people that what we do, we do for everyone going forward.

“For me, it’s very personal as I met my husband on the first large Pride Parade that Cork held back in 2006. Mind you, I didn’t know he was my husband at the time, and here we are 20 years later. While everyone’s experience of Pride is different, I want what I experienced through pride for others in the future.

“Never forget where we came from and never forget why we do it,” Frank added.

Cork Community Pride’s Family Picnic will take place on Saturday, August 1, in Fitzgerald’s Park with bouncy castles, face-painting, a dog show and food trucks with lots of fun for all the family. The Pride Parade will take place o Sunday, August 2, on Grand Parade, assembly from 1pm.

For more information and updates, head to @corkcommunitypride on Instagram or their website corkcommunitypride.ie