Dublin Pride draws 100,000 as Taoiseach and Tánaiste join parade and historic convictions near expungement

Thousands fill Dublin's streets

Around 100,000 participants turned out for the Dublin Pride parade on Saturday, leaving O'Connell Street at 12:30 pm and following a 1.4 km route to Merrion Square. The procession lasted about two hours. Road closures were in effect from 8 am, with O'Connell Street Upper and Lower, Cathal Brugha Street and Talbot Street closed until 4 pm.

This year's theme, 'One Story - Many Voices', aimed to highlight the shared thread that connects LGBTQ+ people across different backgrounds, generations and identities. The parade was led by over 600 LGBTQ+ young people from across Ireland, forming the largest single group.

Pre-parade solidarity and resistance

Earlier that morning, dozens gathered outside the Outhouse community centre on Capel Street. Outhouse CEO Oisín O'Reilly told the crowd that the community was about to "spill into the city" and join "something bigger than any one of us".

Queer people are not marginal, not invisible, and not alone. We're here, organised, and not going anywhere. Today is a celebration but also a statement that we exist in every part of this country and of the world.

He stressed that Pride is increasingly a question of solidarity and resistance, particularly at a time when rights are under attack and trans people are targeted. Among those preparing to march was Violet Brown, who credited Outhouse as a vital community space after she came out as transgender. Drag performer Mary Harness, who has attended Pride events across Ireland, noted the importance of remembering Pride's roots as a protest.

Political leaders join, but rights gaps remain

Taoiseach Micheál Martin and Tánaiste Simon Harris were among those walking the route. Author and activist Philippa Ryder, who published her memoir "My Name Is Philippa" about her experience as a trans woman in Ireland, served as Grand Marshal.

Dublin Pride Co-CEO Jed Dowling said that even as LGBT people have made huge progress on equality, social issues persist.

LGBT people have made huge progress in terms of equality. But there's still social issues in terms of people who don't accept LGBT people, there has been violence and hatred against some. But even aside from all of that Pride is a celebration, celebration is always necessary.

At the same time, a Dáil debate earlier in the week noted that Ireland ranks 14th in Europe for LGBTQ+ human rights and policy protections. Social Democrats TD Pádraig Rice pointed to the absence of a ban on conversion therapy (promised in the 2020 and 2024 programmes for government) as an example. Tánaiste Simon Harris described Pride as "a celebration and a protest" and a "public statement of intent about the importance of quality and inclusion", but no timeline was given for the ban.

Historic convictions set to be disregarded

A separate, but concurrent, legislative push reached an advanced stage inside Leinster House. Under the Government's Criminal Law and Civil Law (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill, historic convictions for consensual same-sex activity will be disregarded. The Dáil passed the legislation two weeks ago; the bill is now in the Seanad, with Minister for Justice Jim O'Callaghan aiming to secure passage before the summer recess.

It is extremely important that we have a disregard scheme to recognise the unfairness that was done to men since the foundation of the State because of their sexuality.

O'Callaghan said a disregard scheme is "better than a pardon as it disregards them [the convictions] and recognises they should never have been imposed in the first place". Campaigners have stressed urgency because the men affected are now older. Sinn Féin TD Aengus Ó Snodaigh had earlier tabled a similar bill that received cross-party support.

A weekend of events

Friday saw the Dublin Dyke March, with an estimated 1,000 participants walking from O'Connell Street to Barnardo Square. Speaker Jay Toole, a self-described Stonewall Survivor from New York, addressed the gathering. On Saturday, after the main parade, a free festival named Pride Square opened at Merrion Square with live music, drag performances and DJs. Multiple venues across the city hosted club nights, exhibitions, cabaret shows and comedy, including the Mother Pride Block Party at the National Museum of Ireland.