Tag Archives: Clare Pride

Members of the LGBT+ community feel less safe in Clare than they did five years ago, with an increase in homophobic commentary on social media forcing many people to hide their identity or leave their home county. There was a marked increase in homophobic comments online ahead of this year’s Clare Pride Weekend, which took place at the end of September. A number of these homophobic comments were made in relation to an article promoting Clare Pride which appeared on The Clare Champion website. One comment read, “Please stop propagating the unatural (sic). Why not have an event for normal hetrosexual (sic) people as we seem to be becoming the minority”. Another comment which read, “Oh dear God give us a break from that nonsence (sic)”, was liked 209 times on Facebook before the post was disabled. According to Shannon woman, Karina Murray, who helped organise Clare Pride this year, homophobic behaviour in Clare has increased dramatically over the past …

HISTORY will be made in the Banner this month when the first ever county-wide Clare Pride Festival takes place during the October Bank Holiday weekend, writes Fiona McGarry. A day of free events in towns across Clare on Sunday, October 24, organised by Quare Clare, will culminate in a fantastic Pride Party in Hotel Doolin with cabaret, DJ and finger food. One of the Quare Clare organisers, Sarah Clancy, who works for Clare PPN and is herself a member of the LGBTQ+ community. “This is going to be a fantastic weekend for Clare’s LGBTQ+ community and for people who we hope will travel from around Ireland to be with us this weekend,” she said. “We want our community to be visible and connected to the wider community in Clare. We want young and older people in the towns and villages around Ireland to see how rural Ireland too can embrace difference.” “What better way for us to connect and celebrate …