Over 500 LGBTQ young people from across Ireland will take part in this Saturday’s Pride parade in the city.
They will march under the banner of ‘Transforming Young LGBTQ+ Lives’- but it’s not the only event taking place this weekend to mark Pride.
Police officers from both sides of the Irish border will march in Dublin..
Uniformed PSNI officers will joined their counterparts from the Gardaí on Saturday.
Gardaí are participating in Dublin Pride in uniform for the first time.
On Thursday the PSNI announced that its officers had accepted an offer from Garda Commissioner Drew Harris to attend.
Mr Harris was one of the senior officers behind the PSNI’s decision to take part in Belfast Pride for the first time in 2017. He was the PSNI deputy chief constable when he invited gardai to join his officers for the Belfast event.
The invitation has now come the other way, with Mr Harris now the top officer south of the border.
Current PSNI Deputy Chief Constable Stephen Martin announced the move.
“Following an invitation from An Garda Siochana Commissioner Drew Harris, the Chief Constable, George Hamilton, has given permission for PSNI officers to take part in the Dublin Pride parade, in uniform, on Saturday 29 June. Police Service staff will also be attending,” he said.
“This will be the first time that officers, in uniform, and staff from the Police Service of Northern Ireland have taken part in Dublin Pride on foot of an invitation.
“Over the last few years, officers from An Garda Siochana have participated with us as part of Belfast Pride.
“Pride is an important series of events for those who identify as being LGBTQ and we see this as an opportunity to continue to support, and build upon our relationship with, the LGBTQ community and our colleagues in An Garda Siochana.”
This year’s Pride parade is kicking off at the garden of the remembrance on Saturday.
The march takes place on the 50th anniversary of Stonewall riots; a series of violent protests against the gay community in New York.
One group who will not be taking part in the festivities is Queer Action Ireland
The group says Dublin Pride has moved too far from it’s roots.
Queer Action Ireland is organizing it’s own alternative parade on Rosie Hackett Bridge on Saturday afternoon.