*Eddie McGuinness at The Inn at Dromoland. Photograph: Eamon Ward.
A JOINT bid from organisations in Clare and Limerick has been shortlisted alongside Manchester Pride to host EuroPride 2028.
QuareClare, The Outing and Limerick Pride have submitted a joint application to host EuroPride 2028. The European Pride Organisers Association announced that this submission has been shortlisted alongside Manchester Pride in their bid to host EuroPride 2028. The host location will be announced later this year.
This joint bid has been submitted by The Outing Queer Arts Collective & Festival, QuareClare, and Limerick LGBTQ+ Pride, with the support of Fáilte Ireland, Blacknight, Visit Clare, Goudie Talent, and The George.
Attracting over 100,000 people annually from around the world, EuroPride is hosted by a different European city each year. The event has previously been held in London, Thessaloniki, Cologne, Warsaw, Rome, Oslo, Madrid, and Zurich. This year’s event takes place over nine days this June in Lisbon, Portugal.
Speaking on behalf of the Clare/Limerick EuroPride bid, Eddie McGuinness, Co-Chair of The Outing, described the pan-European event as “a unique opportunity for our international LGBTQIA+ family to immerse themselves in the richness of Irish culture, heritage, and community spirit.”
“Ten years on since the marriage equality referendum, when Ireland was the first country to legalise same-sex marriage in a popular vote, Ireland continues to break new boundaries. Hosting EuroPride 2028 in Ireland for the very first time would be an extraordinary milestone,” he explained.
“Though our island may be small, it is filled with love, diversity, inclusion, and acceptance,” he added. “With the breathtaking Wild Atlantic Way as our backdrop, we would create a truly one-of-a-kind EuroPride experience—celebrating our vibrant community against the stunning landscape of the west of Ireland”.
He stated, “Securing this bid would not only mark a historic achievement for the LGBTQIA+ community in Ireland but also extend ‘Pride in Our Community’ across the region, from Derry to Kerry. The potential to host EuroPride 2028 could be transformative for tourism in the Mid-West, showcasing our vibrant culture to an international audience. Should our bid be successful, our goal will be to paint the Wild Atlantic Way pink during 2028”.
Karen Ronan, General Manager of the Shannon Region Conference and Sports Bureau, which has worked to attract business and sports tourism to the Shannon Region over the past two decades, said, “We are delighted to support this bid to host EuroPride in the Mid-West Region in three years’ time.”
“The value of hosting an international event of this scale cannot be overstated from an economic, cultural, or social perspective,” she added. “Bringing EuroPride here would not only celebrate our diverse community but also showcase the Mid-West’s unique culture and warmth to over 100,000 visitors from around the world”.
Patrick Orth, President of the European Pride Organisers Association (EPOA), which licenses EuroPride, stated, “The high velocity of political change across Europe is making EuroPride even more important for our community to come together and keep pressing for change. The political shifts in the UK and Ireland are no less profound and so it is exciting to have bids from both countries to centre their LGBTQIA+ communities in European consciousness. I look forward to seeing their ambitions in their full bid later this year.”
Visit www.epoa.eu for more on EuroPride.
