Come walk with us in Galway

Galway Pride Parade is happening in August, which gives us plenty of time to get ready and build on the success of Dublin Pride. It was fantastic to march with Travellers in the parade yesterday. About time. Gay Travellers and gay settled people, straight Travellers and straight settled people walked together behind the Pavee Point and Irish Traveller Movement banners. It was great to see the Traveller Community supporting it's LGBT members and the LGBT community including Travellers.

It was an important step for members of the Forum yesterday regardless of whether or not you were there. Those of us in the Parade knew that we were there representing others from the Forum who were at home or in the sidelines. Marching doesn't suit everyone of course but having the opportunity to participate is a step forward for us. Thanks to Hanu Fein (happy birthday too!), the Traveller organisations and the Dublin Pride Committee who helped make this possible.

Congratulations to the gay Pavee who participated in the parade. They are truly giants in the Traveller Community.

There is a new organisation started in Galway called Amach LGBT (www.amachlgbt.com). Their vision statement indicates a willingness to reflect the diversity of the LGBT community by encouraging positive participation from the community. Members of the Gay Travellers Support Group have been invited to meet with members of Amach LGBT and have also been warmly welcomed to the launch of Amach LGBTon 5th July at 2.30 in the Galway Museum. It is terrific to be greeted by open doors and be welcomed where we belong. Let's take our seats!

id love to be involved in this if not the actual march then the after

That would be terrific Guiney. Remember too the launch of Amach! LGBT tomorrow? David Norris is launching the group at the Museum in Galway at 2.30pm. It should be a bit of fun. All are VERY welcome. There will be members from this site present. See you there if you can make it!

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2010/0706/1224274101678.html

Hanu Fein and I attended this event on Monday representing the Gay Travellers Support Group, and received welcomes from Board members of Amach! LGBT. We enjoyed David Norris' humourous and moving words during his speech, as well as having the pleasure of meeting him. It's great to see Travellers taking up seats in the LGBT Community.

I would like to assure members that there is a lot of good will towards Travellers from many settled people in the queer Community. Hopefully more members from the Forum will consider joining in Galway Pride, whether that's marching in the Parade, watching from the side lines, dancing at the parties or in some of other way.

There is a big welcome waiting for you in Galway no matter how you chose to enjoy your Pride.

I wont be walking but I WILL be there x

It's great that you'll be nearby Moniker. Hopefully we can meet up before or after the Parade.

While we were camping it up last week we designed a banner. Hanu Fein has the drawing so I'll try describing it from memory.

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lgbt Pavee

rainbow coloured triangle here

www.lgbtpavee.com
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Then there are 7 or 8 words from the Forum topics around it - life, healing, etc

The banner will be started in the midlands in the next couple of weeks. If anyone would like to join us to work on the banner you can contact one of the moderators for details.

If you can't make it to work on the banner you might like to donate some coloured material or buttons for us to include. We will be looking for material that is red or orange or yellow or green or blue or purple or black. It might be old clothes of yours or someone elses that you'd like to have worked in to the banner.

Guiney, this may suit you - working on the banner or giving us some material or buttons. It would be lovely to work as many of us as possible in to the banner.

I look forward to dancing at the Pride Party after the march. Who'll be along from the Forum?

Saw ye in dublin. Was suprised. Guess I hadnt being on in a while to know. You were all amazing. Met a member after. Just in passing. Dont know if I could walk but could I meet ye later? Thanks
Darren

I plan to be there.

I'm sure people have noticed that I haven't being around much. I have being very much in challenge with myself of late and slowly coming around to the realisation that I cant hide from who I am.

About time we became a force worth reckoning with.

Those that know me please hunt me down and make sure I put in an appearance, even if I'm lushed!

P

The last little parts of the banner are being sewn this week. Some of us are getting sore fingers from sewing and our eyesight is failing trying to get cotton through needles. Members who manage to get there on Saturday will represent the rest of members who for various reasons cannot attend.

If you can make it to Galway, whether you march with us or not, do approach the members carrying or around the banner. Everyone is welcome to join us of course, but we all understand that we're all at different places in relation to our sexuality. Walking with us doesn't mean that you are a LGBT Traveller/ Settled person, it means that you support LGBT Travellers and those questioning their sexuality.

LGBT Pride in Dublin was great fun. I'm sure Galway will be even more special for us as we march for the first time behind our own banner.