Monday 15th August
Galway Community Pride 2011 will be launched on Monday 15th August at 1pm in the Galway City Museum. The City Mayor, Cllr. Hildegarde Naughton will officially launch the festival. A week of activities and entertainment that will run until Sunday 21st August. Everyone welcome
Tuesday 16th August
AIDS West Open Day
AID’s West will be celebrating Pride with an open invitation to their premises located in Ozanam House on St Augustine Street. Lorraine O’Connell will meet and greet all visitors, starting at 2.30 pm. Everyone is welcome so pop in for a cuppa.
Making Connections: Equality and Diversity
Hanna McGinley, Galway Traveller Movement, and Oein De Bharduín of LGBT Pavee, will host a discussion to look at the experiences of Travellers in the LGBT community and hopefully to increase awareness of a significant minority within the community. This will be located in the shOUT office on Prospect Hill at 6.30pm. Everyone welcome.
Wednesday 17th August
How to have great Sex!!!!!
Want to learn how to have great sex? Come and find out from the best sexologist in the wesht!
Siobhan O’Higgins, Sexologist and AIDS West Education Co-ordinator, will teach us how to keep the spice between the sheets.
6.30pm, VEC Offices on New Dock Street.
Thursday 18th August
Open Day
Open day with local and national LGBT and community organisations, with lots of information and support. 12.30-4pm, VEC Office on New Dock Street.
Making Connections: Equality and Diversity
With Ireland’s growing cultural diversity, Vicky Donnelly, from the One World Centre will host a workshop/ discussion. This is an opportunity to explore some of the issues and challenges facing new members of Irish society today.
6.30pm, shOUT office, Prospect Hill.
Friday 19th August
LGBT Information Day
Members of Galway’s LGBT Community will provide information about our community to visitors and staff at UCHG hospital foyer for the afternoon.
Seirbhís Cuimhneachán/ Memorial Service
Seirghís Cuimhneachán in onoir ar gcairde ata imigh ar sli na fireanna. Memorial service in honour of our friends in the after life.
A time of reflection for members of our community, families and friends. This will be an informal gathering. An opportunity for those attending to remember loved ones and say a few words if they wish. This will be located in Woodquay Park from 8pm.
Offical Community Pride Party (Doors open 9.30 pm)
Friday will kick off with a bang, with the amazing local talent of Vickers Vimy to get you in the mood for a night of frolicks. The provocative Burlesque troupe Ooh La La will take the stage and entice us with their sultry and teasing dances and songs.
Keeping this alluring atmosphere going DJ Princess Matthew will be spinning the discs with the sexy Mervue Boa strutting his stuff to keep you hot on the dancefloor. Entry €10.
Location: Radisson Blu Hotel, Lough Atilia Road (Weekend passes €20 from Radisson Blu or Mez’s Masquerade)
Saturday 20th August
Galway Community Pride Parade
Bring your flags and banners, follow our Parade Marshall Debz Kennedy dressed in costume for her interpretation of the ‘Pride Brick Road’ theme. Having trouble with costume ideas? Pop in to Mez’s Masquerade on Middle Street packed full of costumes and ideas.
Assemble at 1.50pm for a 2pm start outside the Town Hall Theatre.
Post Parade Party: Spanish Arch/ City Museum
DJ Betty will be spinning the discs. A taster teaser of burlesque dance troupe Cabaret Ooh La La. shOUT and Noise drummers and whatever the weather permits.
Community Pride Party
The one and only Sara O’Kane will take the stage doing her stuff and also performing the fabulous Adele Tribute. DJ Matthew will keep you in the mood hitting the decks throughout the evening interspersed by Cabaret Ooh La La (Burlesque Troupe), Donegal Divas Lucy Lashes & Scarlet Rose and our own fabulous Mervue Boa.
The renowned hip-hop artist and DJ Qboy who will be doing a DJ set into the small hours.
Qboy, from London, is one of the pioneers of ‘homo-hop’ music. He has played Europride to audiences of 80,000, as well as pride in London, Manchester, Stockholm, and Reykjavik. He organised the first gay hip-hop music festival in Europe. He has featured in the Pink Paper, Gay Times and AXM, as well as the Guardian, Time Out and Metro also featuring on BBC Radio One, 1Extra and Five Live. Qboy presented a Channel 4 documentary ‘Coming Out to Class’. He cites the likes of Lil’ Kim, Foxy Brown, Notorious B.I.G. and Salt n Pepa as influences and has sampled Kate Bush and Neneh Cherry. www.qboymusic.com
The Party will kick off at 9.30pm in the Live Lounge, at the Radisson Blu Hotel on Lough Atalia Road. Entry €10 (Weekend passes €20 from Radisson Blu or Mez’s Masquerade)
Sunday 21st August
Football Tournament
The annual Eamonn Duddy Memorial Soccer Tournament will kick off at 11am at the Plots on Dyke Road. Bring your Pride Boots!
Corrib Cruise
The ever popular annual cruise up the Corrib will start at 4pm from Riverside, Woodquay. All aboard for entertainment, sponsored by Wildes and Dignity, provided by the popular Mr Pussy. These limited tickets snap up early so get your quick from Wilde’s Bar or Mez’s Masquerade. Costs €10
Closing Party
Catch your breath and be entertained by Elaine Mai and friends, singer songwriters. Recoup your energy with the Donegal Divas & the Mervue Boa and prepare yourself for the grand finale on the dance floor, kicking off with Galway’s own DJ Matthew.
International DJ Corey Hadley will spin the discs. Corey is resident DJ at the famous Nightingale nightclub in Birmingham, the oldest community run LGBT nightclub in Britain. Corey comes to Galway sponsored by Nightingale Club. Responding to the ever changing demands of the new gay generation winning the Midlands zone Best DJ Award on countless occasions, DJ Corey will keep you on the floor with the best hands -in-the-air tunes for your final Pride fling.
Entry is € 5 (Weekend passes €20 from Radisson Blu or Mez’s Masquerade)
More Info
For more info email pride@amachlgbt.com
Find us on our facebook page Galway Community Pride
For a map: http://www.galwaytourist.com/towns/galway_city/#map
Note: Sincere apologies. An oversight on our part occured on the Galway Pride brochure map guide. Number 11 is not accessible for people with disabilities.
