culture Archives - Page 3 of 3

Jun 30

Limerick Pride 2015 launch at Dolan’s Warehouse

by richanthon in Advertisement, Art, Audio, Business, Charity, Community, Culture, Dance, Education, Entertainment, Events, Fashion, Festival, Gay, I Love Limerick, Inspirational, Learning, Local Buisness, News, Nightlife, Old Posts, Parade, Performance, Photos, Press, Pride, Promo, Support, Video, Youth 0 comments 3158 0

Pictured: Mrs Elsie Cox, Myles Breen, Richard Lynch, Mayor Jerry O’Dea and Aladdin Kishk. Picture by: Jonathan Baynes.

The countdown to Limerick Pride 2015 officially began with the press launch at Dolan’s in Limerick City on Mon, June 29.

At the Limerick Pride 2015 launch Patrick McElligott, Chairperson of Limerick Pride said: “We are thrilled to be able to offer a fantastic line up for Limerick Pride 2015, running from Tues, July 14 until Sun, July 19. There is something for everyone culminating in the annual Pride Parade on Saturday July 18 and the PrideFest party directly after the Parade. We want to welcome everyone to join us in celebrating LGBT culture in Limerick and show Limerick for the truly open and accepting city that she is. It is set to build on the success and positive energy of previous years festivals, promoting community spirit, community engagement and celebration. This past year the Irish LGBT community has received resounding support from the wider Irish community in their support of equal rights and marriage equality so this will be reflected in this year’s Pride Parade. We will celebrate our freedom and the opportunity we have been given as a community to develop the concept of the family unit within our community.”

Jerry O’Dea, newly appointed Mayor of Metropolitan District of Limerick, showed his support for the LGBT movement at the launch, adding: “In previous years, people who have participated in Pride have felt that this annual event was their only time to be truly express themselves. Since the passing of the marriage referendum, Ireland’s LGBT population has been joined by the wider population in celebration.”

The Limerick Pride Festival 2015 will be taking place starting on Tues, July 14 with events each day until Sunday July 19 and will feature a multitude of events, from educational workshops and discussions to evenings of music and club nights, to cater to the Pride needs of everyone.

This year’s Pride will have an educational aspect. Workshops will be held during the week covering topics such as a Coming Out, Sexual Empowerment and social groups for people of all ages, orientations and genders. All will be welcome to the workshops regardless of their sexual orientation giving the people of Limerick City an opportunity to get to know the Limerick LGBT community more and everyone is encouraged to get involved.

For the first time ever, The Mr and Ms Gay Limerick competition on Sat, July 11 will be held before the Limerick Pride festival at the Best Western Pery Hotel at 9pm, hosted by Paul Ryder with Regina George taking to the decks once the winners have been crowned to entertain us with the best party music around. Tickets are priced at €10.

Limerick Pride’s official Launch night on Tues, July 14 will be in “Stroker’s Gay Bar” on William Street with champagne, finger food and dance floor musical treats.

The ‘Pride Wedding Show’, a wedding fair established in 2014 as part of Limerick Pride Festival, will take place on Wed July 15 at the Limerick Strand Hotel. Sharon McMeel, an award winning wedding planner, said about the fair: “We’ll have different suppliers and vendors there, so all couples regardless of their sexual orientation will have a good opportunity to get answers to their important questions if they are considering getting married. With the historic ‘Yes’ vote this year for the marriage referendum, we actually had many engagements on the day of the referendum. It’s great to be able to look out for all the people who have gotten newly engaged.”

The annual Pride Parade on Sat, July 18, bring some extra colour and music to Limerick City Centre, gathering at City Hall at 2pm, the Parade will make its way at 3pm up O’Connell Street, across Mallow Street to Henry Street, past Arthurs Quay Park and returning to the Potato Market for PrideFest 2015 – a showcase of LGBT Culture in Limerick that you will not want to miss!

This years Grand Marshall will be none other than Limerick legend, actor, director and playwright, Myles Breen. Myles has been a stanch advocate of LGBT rights for decades and in 2009 as part of Limerick Pride, staged his play “Language UnBecoming a Lady”, telling the story of one gay man’s life in Limerick and it left a profound effect on audiences in Limerick. Now as Myles is about to take the play to New York in Sept, it is fitting that he leads the community in their walk through the streets of Limerick celebrating their freedom and new-found equal rights. Myles said: “I am beyond honoured to be asked to be the Grand Marshall of this years Parade. Growing up in Limerick in the 70’s and 80’s, I never dreamed of one day leading a Parade through the streets of my beloved hometown in celebration of equal human rights for the LGBT community. It’s a dream come through and I feel my life has come full circle. I hope everyone comes out to help me celebrate!”

That night after Pridefest, the main “Climax Party” at Dolan’s Warehouse, will feature “Dragged Up” star Paul Ryder and guests Pixie Woo and Victoria Secret performing their colorful show full of energy and movement, followed by DJ Ruth on the main floor and a “Saved by the 90’s” party upstairs.

A full line-up for Pride week can be found at the Limerick Pride website, with updates on their Facebook and Twitter pages. Tag your photos and comments about this years Pride with #ExpressYourselfLimerick.

For media inquires email the Chair of Limerick Pride at [email protected]

For more information on Limerick Pride, click here

Check out the Limerick LGBTQ Facebook here

Check out the Limerick Pride Twitter here

To read more about Limerick Pride, click here

May 30

Tait House Pride of Place 2015

by richanthon in Community, News, Old Posts 0 comments 3372 0

Tait House Pride of Place 2015

Picture L – r back row Olliver Creighton, Deborah O Holloran (Befriending), Tracey Lynch (CEO) Celline Mc Cormack (Befriending), Front row l – r : Pat Begley, Mairead Mc Cormack, Michael Purcell, Michael Jones

The 2015 Pride of Place Awards, which is run by Co-operation Ireland in conjunction with local authorities north and south of the border, aims to recognise and celebrate the vital contributions that community initiatives make to society. This year Tait House Community Enterprise (THCE) located on Collins Avenue on the Roxboro Road, Limerick City has been nominated for this prestigious community award for the recent achievements of their Outreach to the Elderly Befriending Service.

THCE recognised a need for a Befriending service within the local community and in line with Limericks’ Age Friendly Strategy proceeded to establish this service for the people of the Southill area and beyond. The main objective of the service is to generate social inclusion and equality by engaging older people in positive and supportive relationships. The Service operates in collaboration with other services provided by Tait House such as The Action Centre which provides assistance with grant application, form filling, information on rights and entitlement with local Estate Management thus creating a centralised services hub. THCE have formed partnerships with local supportive services such as Social Services, Primary Health Care Team, HSE, An Gardaí Síochaná and LCCC office of Regeneration. By ensuring that the service provided will be delivered through a person centred model of care in a collaborative way with shared responsibility between other service providers, services users and the staff of THCE, We can help to improve both physical and mental health and the overall well being of people as they age.

THCE recently collaborated with An Gardaí Síochaná to deliver a Safer Community Presentation. The Presentation which was held each Wednesday for the month of May informed, educated and assisted older people to ensure greater public awareness of prevention methods on how best to live and support a safe living environment. The attendees were offered a free lock and chain for their door (which Tait House also installed), were provided with information on panic alarms and were given assistance with Grant assistance forms whilst enjoying a beautiful afternoon tea in the relaxing setting of The Mr Tait Café which is located on the grounds of Tait House. Chief Superintendent David Sheahan stated that “We are delighted to be partnering with THCE once again after the success of our work with them on the Team Limerick Clean-up. We work to the same agenda which has community at its core in line with the objectives of the Age Friendly Strategy.”

THCE aims to generate enterprise, employment and training opportunities through the provision of services for the people of Limerick. Tracey Lynch CEO of THCE stated that “we are delighted to be nominated for a ‘The Pride of Place Award 2015’ amongst other great community initiatives. It is a wonderful opportunity to showcase the collaborative approach achieved by Tait House Befriending Services and how this approach can make a real and practical difference to society, by identifying and responding to the needs of the community we ensure that the people within the community are at the heart of each of the services provided by THCE”

THCE have recently presented The Befriending Programme to Limerick Senior Forum in City Hall and to The Probus Association of retired and semi-retired professional and business personnel. Oliver Creigton of the Senior Forum stated that “LSF the voice of the Senior citizens of Limerick welcome the opportunity to work with Tait House in promoting our services to the Seniors of Limerick” Through their work over the coming months THCE hope to engage with many more Community Groups across the City and County.

Limerick City and County Council has announced that Limerick will be represented in the all-island initiative by the Tait House Community Enterprise in Category 5 (Age Friendly Initiative) and also Kilteely in Category 1 for population centres of up to 300 people, Bruff-based BGM Community Council Ltd. in Category 4 for population centres over 2000 and Scanlon Park in Castleconnell in Category 8 (Housing Estates).

The various projects will be aiming to emulate Limerick’s recent success in the competition when Castleview Park in Newcastle West claimed the top prize in its category in 2013 and in 2014 the Community Wellness Empowerment Leadership & Life Skills Project, St Mary’s Community, King’s Island, Limerick scooped one of the Special Awards in the Cities Competition. Radharc na Cille Housing Estate in Kilmallock, Co Limerick also picked up a prestigious runner up prize in the Housing Estates Category last year.

Congratulating the four Limerick projects nominated to participate in this year’s competition, Mayor of Limerick City and County Cllr Kevin Sheahan said the selected projects reflect the “depth and breadth of voluntary activity underway in communities across the Limerick.”

Mayor Sheahan added: “It is very evident from the applications received on foot of the Council’s call to community groups and organisations to participate in this year’s competition that the communities in question are wholly committed to making a really positive contribution to their localities. A key factor in the success of our participating projects this year will be the continued support of the wider community particularly when it comes to Pride of Place judging during July.”

Josephine Cotter-Coughlan, Director of Services, Limerick City and County Council, commented: “The competition offers communities the opportunity to showcase the positive contribution that local groups make to the overall enhancement of their localities. This year, we received expressions of interest from towns and villages all over Limerick. We now look forward to cooperating with the nominees with their preparations ahead of the judging season.”

The 2015 Pride of Place award ceremony takes place in Ennis, County Clare, in November.

For more Information Click HERE
To read more about Tait House click HERE
Check out the Tait House Website HERE
Find them on Facebook HERE
And Twitter HERE

May 26

Limerick Says Yes to Marriage Equality

by richanthon in Art, Awareness, Community, Culture, Entertainment, Events, Festival, Gay, I Love Limerick, Inspirational, News, Old Posts, Press, Pride, Promo, Support 0 comments 3275 0

Limerick Says Yes to Marriage Equality

Limerick Says Yes. Last Saturday, The Yes Equality campaign team was out in force at the count in the UL Arena, conducting tallies as boxes were opened and votes were counted. I spent the day with my crew filming and photographing a very emotional day that will be remembered forever in Irish history as Irish voters decisively voted in favour of marriage equality, making Ireland the first country to do so through the ballot box.

The people of Ireland backed same-sex marriage by a landslide in a referendum that marked a dramatic social shift in a traditionally Catholic country that only decriminalized homosexuality two decades ago. After one of the largest turnouts in a referendum there, 62 percent of voters said ‘Yes’, making Ireland the first country to adopt same-sex marriage via a popular vote. It is a social revolution and it’s very clear that this referendum is an affirmation of the views of young people.

One member of the Yes Equality team, who goes by the name of Billie, got down on one knee to propose to her long-term girlfriend Kate Stoica after the result became clear. “Kate we make a great team. I love you inside and out, head to toe, I don’t want to waste another minute of my life without you as my wife,” said Billie. “I’m very overwhelmed right now,” said Katie, who was surrounded by friends and well-wishers including her mum Jacinta.

Afterwards, we all went to the Kasbah Club at Dolans for the announcement of the National vote. It was like New Years Eve in 1999 as people cried, laughed and held each other. I was in shock. I couldn’t believe it was happening and I burst into tears at the final announcement. I am so incredibly proud of Limerick, of Ireland and of all the people involved in the campaign. What is more important is the key message of equality and inclusion for the LGBT section of our community in Limerick and Ireland, who have gained equality, inclusion and respect. In that regard we all have won as it has brought us forward on a global platform in the fight for equal human rights for all. This campaign energised and brought a whole new generation of our young people onto the electoral register and into politics and voting for the first time. It’s proof that we can change things. Here is to a brighter future and a new vision of love. One huge step for Ireland, another small step for the world.

Limerick Pride 2015 launch at Dolan’s Warehouse

Limerick Pride 2015 launch at Dolan’s Warehouse

Tait House Pride of Place 2015

Limerick Says Yes to Marriage Equality

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