Huge turnout for Athlone first Pride parade
By Rebekah O'Reilly
A sense of vibrancy and celebration enveloped Athlone town centre on Saturday, as the Midlands town celebrated its first ever Pride parade.
A procession of hundreds of people made its way from Connaught Street to Burgess Park, where the parade culminated in a market, music, and speeches by LGBTQ+ trailblazers.
Stonewall survivor Jay O'Toole, from New York, and Longford native Rebecca Tallon de Havilland, widely recognised as the first openly transgender woman in Ireland to undergo gender-affirming surgery in 1987, both shared their lived experiences at the event.
The parade was held in honour of the late Michael Woods, an Athlone native who was referred to as the first person to get the ball rolling on Pride celebrations in the local area.
His brother John Woods and niece Tanya Woods spoke at the event, thanking Heartlands Pride for recognising Michael's contributions.
"If Michael was here today, he would've been at the front of the parade, he would've been loving it. He's here in spirit, and he's up there beaming with pride," Tanya said.
Speaking about the success of the event, Heartlands Pride Chairperson Christine O'Mahony said she was "in awe" of the turnout for the parade.
"There were so many people there waiting with their flags, it was a fantastic turnout. The fact that we got to honour Michael Woods, it almost had me in tears," she said.
"The weather held up, and I think that was Michael smiling down at this family and the efforts that were made for the parade. People came from the UK and America to celebrate with us. It was absolutely fantastic, and we made history."
Cllr Frankie Keena extended his congratulations to the Heartlands Pride Committee on delivering the first-ever Pride Parade in Athlone.
In speaking at the event, he praised the Chairperson Christine O’Mahony and the Heartlands Pride committee for the work they carried out in organising this event.
He said that history is being made in Athlone today with this inaugural parade, marking an important milestone for the community.
"Fáilte Ireland identifies this region as Ireland's Hidden Heartlands, but judging by the large gathering present, there was certainly nothing hidden anymore", he said.
Cllr Keena also thanked artist Aoife Doolan, who created the impressive Síle na Gig sculpture float with the support of the Athlone Family Resource Centre and members of the Heartlands Pride group.
The sculpture symbolises an ancient history of censorship and silence, reflecting the way many LGBTQ+ people were treated in the past.
"Seeing the sculpture presented today in vibrant colour representing respect, acceptance, inclusion, and pride is very heartwarming," he added.
Christine added that Heartlands Pride hope to make Athlone Pride an annual event with the support of Westmeath County Council, with talks already in place for the continuation of the celebrations.