A rainbow crossing on the Main Street of Arklow, Co Wicklow, will be allowed to fade away after Wicklow County Council said it would not repaint the colours.
The crossing, featuring rainbow colours painted on each side of a standard pedestrian crossing, symbolises an inclusive and safe space for members of the LGBTQ+ community and others.
In recent years, a number of local authorities have painted rainbow crossings, sometimes called Pride crossings, to show support for the LGBTQ+ community. This was done, at least in part, as a response to physical attacks on members of the LGBTQ+ community.
Arklow was among the first towns in Ireland to install a “permanent” rainbow crossing in December 2021. It followed Dublin City Council’s painting of a rainbow crossing outside Pantibar on Capel Street, Dublin city centre. Similar crossings have been installed in Limerick, Cork, Galway, Carlow, Portlaoise, Co Laois, and Edenderry, Co Offaly, among other locations.
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Dublin has multiple rainbow crossings, particularly along a route in the city which Fáilte Ireland calls the “Rainbow Mile”, taking in Dame Street, George’s Street and Parliament Street.
In its annual report for 2021, Wicklow County Council said: “Arklow leads the way by installing the first Pride crossing in the Republic of Ireland.” The report said the “Arklow Municipal District, Arklow town team and its elected members are very proud to show their support for the LGBTQ+ community”... with “the installation of a Pride crossing on Main Street”. The remarks were repeated in the council’s 2022 annual report.
However, at a recent meeting of the Arklow Municipal District, members were told the crossing will not be repainted and will be allowed to fade away.
We cannot allow Ireland’s first permanent Pride rainbow crossing to be scrubbed from existence
— Dave Thomas
In response to questions from The Irish Times, the council said support for the community would instead be shown through other actions, possibly a painted bench.
In a statement, the council said: “Arklow Municipal District have no plans to remove the crossing, however they are not in a position to refresh the paint having regard to current legislation.”
The council said it continues to support diversity and inclusion, but added that “pedestrian crossings are regulatory road markings and as such, it is not open to Wicklow County Council to ignore the detailed specifications set out”.
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Filmmaker and Wicklow Pride co-founder Dave Thomas, who led a five-year campaign to have the crossing installed, said the relevant legislation relates to safety and this had been audited before the rainbow crossing was put in.
Mr Thomas said: “We are asking the public, our allies and our leaders to speak up. We cannot allow Ireland’s first permanent Pride rainbow crossing to be scrubbed from existence. To do so would be an act of erasure – not just of colour on tarmac, but of the lives, identities and contributions of LGBTQIA+ people across this country."
A demonstration in support of retaining the rainbow crossing will be held at the band stand in Arklow this Saturday, June 7th, at 2pm.
