Pride crossings on Pana a 'permanent statement that the city is open to everybody'
A City Council worker emblazons a crossing with rainbow colours
PATRICK Street has been given a welcome splash of colour with the addition of two Pride crossings, described by one city councillor as a "permanent statement that the city is open to everybody".
Located near Eason and Brown Thomas, the crossings have been installed just ahead of Cork Pride festival which kicks off on Saturday.
The crossings were developed by Cork City Council in conjunction with Cork LGBT+ Pride and the Cork City Council Interagency Group, with motions for the crossings tabled by Labour Party councillor John Maher and An Rabharta Glas councillor Lorna Bogue at previous council meetings.
"Lights go on and go off, flags go up and come down but this is a permanent statement from Cork city," Mr Maher said, welcoming the installation of the two new Pride crossings.
"I think the crossings will spark conversations and, this was my motivation [in putting a motion to Cork City Council], it will give people who aren’t in a position to come out a bit of that they may need. And when the time is right for them, there’s a city here waiting with its arms open."
Mr Maher said the realisation of the crossings is a culmination of the efforts of many.
"It was very easy for a gay councillor to put through a motion because of all the hard work of many, what I would consider a lot braver people than me, to do it [campaign for equality] when it was not easy when it was not welcomed and while we still have our issues now, those people laid the foundations for that motion," he said.
He added that the installation of the crossings ahead of Cork Pride is "very fitting" and that they bring "a bit of welcome colour to Patrick Street".
Mr Maher said the crossings feature the traditional Rainbow flag as well as incorporating the Trans and Progressive flags.
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