Limerick Pride Parade 2015

Pictured: Nollaig Malone, Miss Limerick 2015,Marianne Madoxx, Richard Lynch, Hugo Dahn and Myles Breen, Grand Marshall Limerick Pride 2015. Picture: Dolf Patijn.

Limerick Pride Parade 2015 was held this year, Sat July 18, for huge crowds coming out to participate in this year’s festivities.

There has never been more reason to celebrate Limerick Pride than there has been this year, because of Ireland’s decision to legalise same-sex marriage earlier in May. National pride was celebrated after the marriage referendum but local pride in the decision was celebrated today, with three marchers carrying a Limerick flag near the front of the parade, with the words; “Limerick Said Yes”, printed on the front.

Elaborate outfits, colourful posters and rainbow pride flags covered the streets of Limerick City. A number of groups donated their time and effort to take part in the parade, as well as political parties Fianna Fáil, Labour, Sinn Féin and AAA showing their support.

The parade, leaving City Hall at 3pm, wound its way around our city, through O’Connell Street, Mallow Street and Henry Street, before arriving back at City Hall. The Parade Grand Marshall was Myles Breen, who rode in the back of an open-top car as it travelled the route of the parade. Myles, in his ever cheerful and charismatic manner, interacted with the crowds as he passed, and later referred to them as he addressed the growing crowds at the after-party: “I’m sure everyone who marched in the parade with me must have been overwhelmed by the response of people and with the positivity, respect and just sheer acceptance.”

The parade after-party, hosted by Paul Ryder, held performances by The Voice contestant Niall O’Halloran and Retro Fusion Gospel, a unique group that mixes different genres of music. Myles Breen performed his annual tea dance and took on a new spin, integrating elements of the rumba dance style. 

Lisa Daly, chairperson of Limerick Pride, said the event was only possible ‘because of everyone coming together, not just as a country but for everyone behind the scenes, to send a very strong message that we’re all finally equal.”

Richard Lynch, Festival Organiser, said a few words at the after-party in The Orchard, saying ‘that now the LGBT community were equal in the eyes of the world in terms of Marriage Equality, our next goal is for complete equal rights of our transgendered brothers and sisters.’

Richard interviewed people on the day about what was the next step for the LGBT community in terms of equal human rights and the general consensus was that Trans people are among the most vulnerable members of Irish society and experience high levels of stigmatisation and marginalisation. Research shows suicidality, regular harassment and violence and systemic discrimination are commonplace. The good news is since June trans people in Ireland will now not have to rely on testimony from psychiatrists or endocrinologists to have their gender recognised by the state.

Instead, their self-declaration will be accepted, for the purpose of updating passports, driving licences, obtaining a new birth cert, and getting married. While the legislation is still not perfect, and we must not forget those under 18, non-binary people and people with an intersex condition, it is wonderful that Ireland recognised its citizens’ rights to determine our own identity. We are in a new era for trans rights in Ireland.

The Climax party, held in Dolan’s Warehouse on Saturday, wrapped up the day with performance by Dragged Up, later followed by DJ Ruth.

This year’s festival was focused around the theme of not only accepting others, but also accepting and expressing yourself. 

Visit the Limerick Pride website here

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Read more about Limerick Pride here

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
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Check out the Tait House Website HERE
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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. 

Read more about equality here.

JP McManus Fund finances programme for students with disabilities at Mary Immaculate College

JP McManus finances MIC students with disabilities, the JP McManus Fund recently announced details of its intention to provide much needed funding to the Certificate in General Learning and Personal Development (CGLPD) programme at Mary Immaculate College (MIC) Limerick.

The CGLPD programme, which has been in existence in the College since 2013, has as its main aim to enhance the quality of life of young adults with intellectual disabilities by providing third level opportunities.  MIC, the only provider of teacher education in the country to offer this accredited programme, receives no public funding towards the programme as current national policy has yet to recognise that adults with intellectual disabilities are entitled to study at a higher education campus.

Anne O’Byrne, Lecturer in Inclusive Education, MIC, first investigated the possibility of hosting this programme at MIC in 2009 as according to her “Traditionally, young adults with intellectual disabilities have not been given the opportunity to participate in third level education. While third level education is a valuable pursuit for young adults in society, it has not generally been afforded to this group, who historically have occupied marginalised identities. A third level education experience allows students to develop and mature in an educational and social context and assists with future employment prospects”.

The two year programme is devoted to the academic learning, personal growth and career development prospects of the student whereby the full development of each student’s potential, dignity and self-worth is embraced. The programme, according to Prof. Michael A Hayes, President of MIC; “is an example of what can be accomplished by thinking ‘outside of the box’. This initiative represents a radical reconceptualisation of third level education. Mary Immaculate College has been to the forefront of the development of inclusive practice at preschool, primary and post primary levels and this initiative represents an opportunity to apply those values, skills and attitudes to our own third level setting”.

While the programme in CGLPD programme has direct benefits for the students enrolled on the programme, there are also many benefits for the students’ peers and the larger student body at MIC. According to Prof. Teresa O’Doherty, Dean of Education, MIC, this programme has potential for far greater impact than would be possible on other campuses as it is situated within a Faculty of Education which is home to 1400 pre-service teachers and 300 early childhood educators. “The exposure and engagement of MIC’s total student body to the programme will have ramifications for approaches and attitudes to the inclusion of young children within Irish schools and crèches nationally” she said. “As teacher education providers we need to challenge all our students to be advocates for inclusion, we need to enable them to view inclusion as a normal way of working each and every day. Equity and equality must motivate our work and theirs in the classroom, and they need to be prepared adequately to live out their commitment to inclusion within schools”. 

According to Prof. O’Doherty international research has shown that one of the greatest barriers to successful inclusion is the attitude of teachers. “Teachers need to have positive attitudes, tolerance and understanding of inclusion and diversity. They need to be convinced of the benefits of inclusion and develop a sense of responsibility for all learners.  The continued provision of the CGLPD programme on the MIC campus will have a cascading impact on the schools and early childhood settings in which they will ultimately work”.

Speaking on her hopes for the programme Anne O’Byrne said “We at Mary Immaculate College believe that this programme will increase access to work life experiences as well as nurturing educational and social outcomes for students with intellectual disabilities and further extend their personal capacity to become self-determining human beings.  My hope is that this programme will cause us all to reflect on the dignity of the person, what it is to be human, and to accept, quite simply, that who we are is enough”.

The JP McManus Benevolent Fund supports local community initiatives and non-profit organisations throughout the Mid-West of Ireland. To date it has awarded an impressive €11,367,667 to community, healthcare, local infrastructure and education development projects.  Prof. Hayes, paid tribute to the JP McManus Benevolent Fund saying “We are indebted to the JP McManus Benevolent Fund for their generous funding of €200,000 towards this programme, ensuring its future for the next four years.   MIC’s Mission Statement commits ‘to promote equity in society and to provide an environment where all have freedom and opportunity to achieve their full potential’.  This funding further enables us to deliver on our commitment to inclusivity”.

Continuing he said; “We believe that the learning from this initiative will inform inclusive policy and practice at third level in the future locally, nationally and internationally”.  He concluded by paying tribute to the programmes partners, the Brothers of Charity in Ennis, Enable Ireland in Limerick, St. Cronan’s Association Ltd., and St. Joseph’s Foundation.

Commenting on behalf of the JP McManus Benevolent Fund, Ms. Sue Ann Foley, Chairperson, said;“We are delighted to support such a wonderful initiative like CGLPD.  A programme like this serves to benefit not only the students and their families, but the wider community involved. Supporting educational initiatives is an important criteria for the Fund and we look forward to monitoring the progress of those involved.”

Although further philanthropic funding will be required to fully meet the resource requirements of the CGLPD programme the College is confident it will secure the necessary funds and the programme will continue as planned with the next intake commencing in September 2015.

For more information, check out JP McManus’s Benevolent Fund website here
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Check out Mary Immaculate College’s website here
Check out Mary Immaculate College’s Facebook here
Check out Mary Immaculate College’s Twitter here.
Read more about JP McManus’s Benevolent Fund here and Mary Immaculate College here.