Pride in the name of love shone throughout Laois
Fantastic turn out for Laois Pride
LAST week marked Pride Week in Laois, which ran from Monday to Sunday, 7-13 September. This year’s festival also marked the fifth annual Pride festival in Portlaoise.
This year’s event saw drag queens, comedians, dancers, raffles, bingo and countless cute animals descend on the streets of Portlaoise. Alongside the parade, which ran from Fitzmaurice Palace through the town before concluding at Portlaoise School of Music, this year's event saw the return of the Laois Pride after party.
The party was hosted by Paul Ryder, Irish broadcaster and drag queen, alongside a line-up of other drag queens, with DJ Ruth providing a lively set while the Sing Along Social performed for those gathered on Saturday.
This year’s Pride parade took a route that snaked from Fitzmaurice Place, turning left onto Millbrook and then up towards the Odeon Cinema before turning left at the roundabout onto Church Street, passing by Jeremiah Grants, followed by another left turn onto MainStreet, up towards Portlaoise library, then back onto Church Street Avenue before finally concluding at Portlaoise School of Music.
Laois also commemorated the day in a number of other ways, including Monday 7 September, the Pride flag was raised at Laois Co Council offices and Wednesday 9 September, Dunamaise Arts Centre hosted a screening of Girls and Boys.
