Tens of thousands of people marched through Dublin on Saturday afternoon to celebrate the Irish capital's annual Pride parade, despite significant downpours throughout the day.
This year's parade marked 50 years since the first Pride protest march took place in Dublin in 1974.
Saturday's event kicked off on O'Connell Street before crossing the Liffey and finishing at Merrion Square, where a Pride Village had been established with musical acts, food, and other festivities.
Belong To, an LGBTQ charity advocating for young people in Ireland, served as grand marshal served as grand marshall during Saturday's parade in recognition of the organization's work.
Belong To CEO Moninne Griffith said at a Pride breakfast event ahead of the parade that Dublin Pride was an important day to celebrate diversity.
"For many of the young people, this is their first time being out and proud, joining the community to celebrate their authentic selves," Griffith said at the Pride breakfast event, according to the Journal.
She also said Pride is as important as it has ever been due to a rise in hate crimes and anti-LGBTQ sentiment online and in public.
She said Saturday's event was a celebration but also a reminder of the importance of the need for the Irish Government to introduce hate speech legislation.
Griffith also called on the Irish Government to ban conversion practices, review the Gender Recognition Act, and ensure access to healthcare for members of the trans community.
"We were told in 2015 that it was safe for us to walk down the aisle – now many members of our community don’t feel safe walking down the street," Griffith told the Journal.
"In this context, Pride is even more crucial as an opportunity for young LGBTQ+ people to come together in celebration of themselves and each other, surrounded by community and acceptance."
Several prominent Government ministers, including Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly and Children's Minister Roderic O'Gorman, also took part in Saturday's Pride march.
Delighted to join #BelongTo for today’s #Dublin #Pride pic.twitter.com/vq61PMrC1R
— Stephen Donnelly (@DonnellyStephen) June 29, 2024
Donnelly shared a video of him dancing during the parade alongside Dublin's new Lord Mayor James Geoghegan, while O'Gorman shared photographs of the parade on X, formerly Twitter.
"Today is a momentous day as we mark 50 years since the first Pride march in Dublin. We’ve come a long way.," O'Gorman said on X.
Today is a momentous day as we mark 50 years since the first Pride march in Dublin. We’ve come a long way. From legislating for civil partnership, to being the first country to vote for marriage equality by popular vote and the introduction of the Gender Recognition Act. pic.twitter.com/XW5CkerGnF
— Roderic O’Gorman TD (@rodericogorman) June 29, 2024
Lynsey Marsden, who traveled from Carlow to attend the event in support of her son Rhys and his friends, told the Irish Independent that it was important to "promote pride and equality for everybody".
"When I grew up as a teenager, it was illegal in Ireland to be gay. I am so proud of how far Ireland has come in terms of equality, not just towards gay people, but everybody," Marsden told the Irish Independent.
"My son is free to love who he wants to love, marry who he wants to marry, and just live a normal happy life.
"It is important for people who don’t support gay people, to see they are normal, everyday people, just out having fun."
A large number of marchers also displayed flags and symbols in support of Palestine and Ukraine during Saturday's march.
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