6,000 join in the pride of Dublin's merriest gay march

Over 6,000 of Ireland's most flamboyant citizens took part in this year's Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender Pride March in Dublin on Saturday.

Various multi-hued floats, dancers and horse-drawn carriages made their way down O'Connell and Dame Streets to the Civic Offices at Wood Quay for an open-air concert.

Gay and lesbian organisations marching included Dublin Pride and OUThouse, the gay and lesbian community centre in South William Street which is home to 30 gay groups. Celebrating its third year in the parade was Greenbow, a gay and lesbian group for the deaf which has been operating through OUThouse for two years. Its aim is to give encouragement to deaf gay and lesbian people by organising interpreters and outings.

Other floats and marchers included Gloria, the gay and lesbian choir, Belfast Pride, Lesbian Line and Time Out. There was representation from Amnesty International, the Socialist Worker and USI.

Saturday's parade was the finale of 10 days of events that began on June 14th with a benefit concert in Vicar Street. Proceeds from the concert went to the HIV respite "comfort fund" in Cherry Orchard Hospital, OUThouse and the Women and Children Group, which supports gay and lesbian families.

Other events included poetry readings, an exhibition at the Arthouse, theatre performances at the Civic Arts Centre, a "queer debs" organised by Out Youth and "Like a Virgin", an amateur drag competition.

Many well-known performers from the gay community attended the gala concert at Wood Quay which marked the pinnacle of this year's festival. Acts included lesbian duo Zrazy, winners of this year's Gay/Lesbian American Music Awards (GLAMA), and former Alternative Miss Ireland winners Vada Bon Rev (1999) and Shirley Temple-Bar (1997). The MC of the concert, Panti, considers Dublin Pride to be one of the best of the international Pride festivals. "There's a real community feel to Dublin Pride. It's the best day out of the year."

Shirley Temple-Bar has performed at the festival for four years and feels it helps promote awareness. The parade co-ordinator, Izzy Kamikaze, said diversity was what Pride was all about. "The march is a celebration, not a protest. It's about people who are on the fringes of society celebrating their diversity and their strengths."