"Perfectly Placed", Pride In Newry is proud and delighted to be able to bid for UK & Ireland Pride 2019 - 31st AUGUST 2019
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31 st AUGUST 2019
“Perfectly Placed”,
Pride In Newry is proud and
delighted to be able to bid for
UK & Ireland Pride 2019…
Newry
Newry is a border city in Northern Ireland Thrones’ territory, and is surrounded by the fairytale
geographically divided by the Clanrye River that splits landscapes of Ireland’s Ancient East. Newry been
the city between counties Armagh and Down. As we inhabited as far back as the Bronze Age and is one of
are about 40 minutes (34 miles) from Belfast and just Ireland’s oldest cities with a modern edge.
about an hour (67 miles) from Dublin we are ‘Perfectly
placed’ to host UK and Ireland Pride 2019. Newry has In the 19th century Newry was a bustling trading port,
excellent transport links coupled with many areas of a place for merchants, markets and noisy city quays.
outstanding natural beauty, a great history spanning It boasts the first canal ever built in the UK. A link to
back thousands of years. Visitors have been flocking the city’s industrious origins can still be seen today in
to this vibrant city for many years to enjoy its location, its place names: Buttercrane Quay, Canal Boat Street,
history, shopping, restaurant scene and nightlife. Sugar Island and Custom House Quay. A heady mix of
retro and modern gives this city a distinct edge, and
Often referred to as the ‘Gateway to the North’, Newry has firmly established itself as shopping mecca
Newry lies just 3 miles from the Irish border, it sits with locals and visitors to the island of Ireland.
snugly amidst the natural splendour of the Mourne
Mountains and the Ring of Gullion bordering ‘Game of
‘Irish Poet, Jonathan Swift famously described Newry:
“High church, low steeple; dirty streets and proud people”
The “dirty streets” are gone but the “proud people” remain!’
Pride In Newry
Pride In Newry is now in its eighth year, the Festival The annual Festival is a major undertaking for the
showcases the wonderful diversity of communities entirely voluntary, dedicated team involved and has
and cultures in Newry and surrounding areas. Pride grown steadily year on year but we have the potential
enables the increasing visibility and portrayal of to grow much larger so whilst it is well attended, we
LGBTQI* people in positive ways in all aspects of the have the capacity and the enthusiasm to do so much
wider local community and civic life and provides a more.
truly inclusive, colourful family festival with something
for everyone; in fact it has become one of the most Newry is the youngest of the three Pride festivals in
anticipated annual festivals in the region. The week the North of Ireland; Belfast and Foyle also host Pride
long Festival and the Saturday Parade is followed by Festivals. Pride in Newry organisers work closely with
an outdoor Concert. All events are completely free. the organisers of these festivals and we have agreed
Pride in Newry has become the premier event in the that if UK and Ireland Pride 2019 status is awarded
area and attracts massive cross community support that we will come together to create the biggest and
year on year. best Pride Festival Northern Ireland has ever seen.
The Festival is listed within the top three Northern The continuing success of the Pride in Newry Festival
Ireland Tourist Board Annual Event listings attracting keeps on growing thanks to the overwhelming
tens of thousands of people into the city. In recent support of local businesses and people. This support
years, the Festival has enjoyed major local and was officially recognised for the first time last year at
regional media interest including BBC, ITV, Q Radio, the ‘sold out’ Pride in Newry Awards gala event which
Downtown Radio, Irish News, Belfast Telegraph, Gay saw over 60 nominees in 12 categories voted for by
Times, Attitude, GCN to name but a few covering the the public. Pride in Newry has close links and good
week of events, the Saturday parade and the closing relationships with the local business community,
concert. council, community policing teams and many others.
“Don’t Allow LGBT+ people in
Northern Ireland to be left behind!
Vote for Pride In Newry - UK and
Ireland Pride 2019”
Why Now?
2019 sees Northern Ireland and Pride In Newry in a Being awarded UK and Ireland Pride 2019 will provide
period of uncertainty stemming from the fact that ours Pride In Newry with an opportunity to highlight the
is not a rights-based society and we are deprived of grotesque disproportionate inequalities that still exit
a government willing to implement legislation that is in Northern Ireland and empower our community to
already in force in the rest of the UK and the Republic be even more vocal on the issues.
of Ireland. The fact is as plain as it is shocking, even if
our government returned tomorrow they would not It is a sobering reality for LGBTQI* people that
implement this legislation. legislation has already been passed in England,
Scotland and Wales to allow for same sex marriages and
We live in one of the most homophobic places in following a successful marriage equality referendum
Europe. We suffer a disproportionately high LGBTQI* in the Republic of Ireland that same sex couples are
suicide rate. LGBTQI* people, their families and their still denied the right to marry in Northern Ireland.
relationships are not recognised via equal marriage Also, couples that are legally married in other parts of
and almost uniquely we face denial of basic human the UK and Ireland become de-recognised as married
rights, anger, resentment and condemnation from under Northern Ireland law – being recognised as only
some parts of civic society, political parties and church being in a civil partnership.
leaders. We also lack a sexual orientation or gender
identity strategy resulting in funding for vital services The Northern Ireland Assembly has now voted five
being at an all time low. With no local government and times for marriage equality; the marriage equality side
Brexit on the horizon the LGBTQI* sector in Northern won the most recent vote for the first time but the
Ireland requires demonstrable support now more DUP lodged a petition of concern vetoing the majority
than ever. vote of the Assembly and the will of the people to
once again block the introduction of marriage equality
In 2016, following the 5th Annual festival, five Pride despite numerous polls clearly showing that over
in Newry committee members were viciously attacked 70% of our population are in support of marriage
in the street in the early morning underscoring the equality. The DUP is now involved in a ‘confidence
urgent need for a robust sexual orientation strategy and supply agreement’ with the UK conservative party
that challenges homophobic behaviour and supports and is actively preventing the UK Government from
those who suffer as a result. The very essence of Pride legislating in favour of LGBTQI* people in Northern
is that everyone should be able to hold their head high Ireland. The government cannot legislate because the
and be treated with dignity and respect regardless of DUP would collapse the government if it did.
their sexual orientation. Our community has stood
strongly together to face down bigots before and we
stand together again now. Our resolve will not be
diminished.
“Visibility is Quay”
In 2019 we will erect over 500
flags throughout the city... The
river quay looks amazing!
Theme For 2019?
LGBTQI*+ people living in Northern are denied the legal and social rights enjoyed by those living in the rest of
the UK and the Republic of Ireland. Northern Ireland is now the only place in western Europe (except for the
Vatican city) without equal marriage or any legislative protections for LGBTQI* people. This fact alone can no
longer be ignored and merits the full support of UKPON.
Our theme will focus on the origins of the pride protest movement particularly around equal rights for instance,
the demand for equal marriage, sexual orientation and gender identity/recognition strategies. Our aim is to
promote an overwhelming grass roots demand for change.
Our Plans
We are thinking big! We will organise a British Isles pre event conference for LGBTQI* groups and pride
organisers to share ideas about the political landscape and we will provide bespoke events for Trans, Pansexual
and Bisexual communities including disabled members of LGBTQI* communities to foster inclusion and
cohesion. Our biggest most diverse and inclusive parade ever, a headline concert act, a breathtaking fireworks
display, rainbow river cruises, ‘Gay’me of thrones tours, camping and over 500 8x5 rainbow and trans flags
flying throughout the district to start with.
Travel & Accommodation
We are working closely with local
hotels, bed & breakfasts, airbnb hosts,
glamping providers as well as sea, rail,
bus and taxi companies. We are also in
discussions with local campsite owners
to explore setting up a PrideCamp with
shuttle services to Pride to meet the
extra demand if granted UK and Ireland
Pride status. Belfast and Dublin are very
well connected to UK airports with very
reasonable fares, flights start at £9.99.
Driving
The road network around Newry boasts
Motorway from Dublin and beyond
while from the north the A1 is now dual
carriageway to Sprucefield and motorway
onto Belfast. Newry is also easily accessible
from the Mourne region through Hilltown,
Rathfriland, Warrenpoint and Burren. It is
less than 20 minutes by car from Armagh
and 30 minutes from Crossmaglen and
the Monaghan border.
Public Transport Parking
Making your way to Newry City is simple and easy if Take advantage of all that Newry has to offer without
you are using public transport. Take the train from the stress of worrying about where to park. The city
Dublin to Newry is just under 1 hour and 15 minutes. has a carpark on Monaghan Street, with extensive
The Railway Station in Newry is located just out of the spaces. The Canal Bank have two carparks also, with
city and takes minutes in a taxi or there is a regular 130 spaces in total. There are 250 Free spaces on
free shuttle bus service into the central bus station. North Street, conveniently located beside the town
Getting the Bus from Belfast to Newry takes as little centre, The Abbey Way Car Park in the Cathedral
as 1 hour and 15 minutes. The Bus Centre is located Quarter has 280 spaces. There is also free parking on
right in the city along the Mall and is within walking Edward Street, Merchants Quay, Railway Avenue and
distance to all local amenities. Catherine Street plus much more.
We hope you enjoyed reading about Pride In Newry & if you have any
questions please contact us via email info@prideinnewry.com
‘Our ethos is,
to be Proud of
who you are &
where you are
from making
the festival truly
inclusive’
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