‘A safe space for all’ - Mullingar Pride launch adult social club

A new adult social club launched by Mullingar Pride aims to provide a “safe space for all”.

The first event was held in Belly Café last Wednesday, May 5, and was well attended by the local LGBTQIA+ community.

The plan is for future events to be held on a bi-weekly basis that would include the likes of coffee mornings and activities such as hiking, yoga and bowling.

Mullingar Pride chair Mark Reynolds, who took over from founder Daniel Boyne this year, said the club has been “years in the making”.

“This is needed because a lot of our other events are alcohol-based, drag brunches and things like that,” he said.

“We’re trying to get away from that and have stuff that everyone can go to, which is where these meetups come in.

“It’s going to be things like coffee mornings, a cycle on the canal, things everybody can take part in.

“It’s so we can have somewhere to go and feel safe, especially in a rural town where there aren’t any specific places for our community like you’d get in the cities.”

Mr Reynolds said Mullingar Pride has achieved lots since its launch.

“Daniel Boyne set up Mullingar Pride three years ago and it was just a one-man show at the time until more of us came on board,” he said.

“It was his vision to have pride, have adult meet-ups and have a youth pride too.

“The youth support group was the main thing we were looking for because there was nothing else in the town for LGBTQ youths.

“That’s going very well, and it’s based up at the YoYo Café in Columb Barracks.”

“We have also changed the organisational structure of Mullingar Pride this year, we have a board of directors now and there’s four of us on the board.”

Christine O’Mahony, a co-organiser of the adult social club, said she was excited about its launch.

“Pride month is in June and a lot of people would say: ‘Why do these events only happen in June?’

“So, we’re trying to do it all year round now, starting off with twice a month, and we’ll do more if we get the interest for it.

“Rural communities are crying out for social groups, and we can see there’s a growing interest.

“Many people haven’t met their own community yet and this is an opportunity to do that.”

Debbie Mackin, another co-organiser, said the club was established as the community "needed more options" in Mullingar.

“It’s important to provide a space people feel comfortable in,” she said.

“Since Covid, a lot of people struggled to get out socialising again.

“You might want to try a class like hiking or yoga but might not feel comfortable being yourself there so in this space you can be who you are and try anything.

“We are open for suggestions on activities to do and it’s just another way to meet socially that’s not a night out.”

Mullingar Pride will hold their annual parade in town on July 13 along with a family fun day.

Later that day, the WERK! FEST ‘celebration concert’ will be taking place in Blackhall and headline performers include Linda Martin and Niamh Kavanagh of Eurovision fame.