Newry Pride returns for first time in five years

The event started at the Quays at Albert Basin at 13:00 BST and included a parade, live music, and funfair stalls

Newry Pride returned to the city on Saturday for the first time since 2019.

And in what is believed to be a first for Northern Ireland, the council's leader and deputy leader are both from the LGBT community.

Chairperson Pete Byrne has described it as "hugely significant" for the area, and deputy chairperson David Lee-Surginor said he was "stoked" about the event coming back.

The hiatus had been blamed on a mixture of a lack of funding, a lack of resources, and the Covid-19 pandemic.

Pete Byrne and David Lee-Surginor have welcomed the return of the event

'Afraid to walk' eight years ago

The event started at the Quays at Albert Basin at 13:00 BST and included a parade, live music, and funfair stalls.

"It's a festival for the whole family," Mr Byrne said.

"It is a real spectacle of colour, of music, of dance, of just pure joy within the community.

"To have it back is absolutely fantastic. When I first became a councillor in 2016, I was afraid to walk in the Pride parade.

"Now eight years after that, we're there hosting it as chair and deputy chair of the council."

Mr Lee-Surginor added: "Eight years ago, we wouldn't even have things like marriage equality. So there have been massive strides for equality."

Newry Pride returned to the city for the first time since 2019

'It's a celebration, but it's also a protest'

However, both agreed that the LGBT community in Northern Ireland continue to face adversity.

Mr Lee-Surginor suggested that progress in Northern Ireland had been "slow", pointing to the "localised targeting" that "certain aspects of the LGBTQIA+ community" have suffered, such as transgender people.

"At the end of the day," he said, "everybody wants to be treated equal and this Pride event is is an indicator of that.

"It's for us to be visible, to show people that we're here. We just want to seek equality, want to be treated and respected like everyone else.

"We just have to keep at it and to make it easier for the next generation."

Mr Byrne agreed: "Change is slow. It's slower here in the north, and that's really, really unfortunate.

"We see people within the LGBTQIA+ community being targeted, especially in the trans community.

"Pride is so important - it is a celebration, but it also is a protest for a fairer, more equal community."

Pride 'really important' for tackling isolation

Jenny Deane, Newry Pride's event co-ordinator, said it had been a "loss" for the LGBT community in Newry not to have a pride event since 2019.

"Newry Pride is a chance for everybody to come together and celebrate," she said. "A lot of the time, being in a minority group is difficult. There's still unfortunately a lot of bullying of the LGBT community.

"Pride is the one day that's the opposite of all of that negativity."

Ms Deane, who is an organiser within the LGBT Newry Women's Group, also highlighted Pride's ability to help people network.

"There are people from rural communities who don't have opportunities to meet other LGBT people and have a day out where they can mingle and chat and make friendships.

"It's a chance for everyone to be there as one big group but also find their wee tribes within that. I think its really important for tackling things like isolation and poor mental health for LGBT people in rural areas."