DUBLIN LGBTQ PRIDE has said that it has decided to postpone its annual parade and festival until September due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

The Pride Parade and Festival takes place every June, attracting thousands of spectators and participants. The provisional date is now 12 September, but that it subject to change.

The Parade’s organisers said that the decision would “come as no surprise”, adding that “right now, it is very clear what we all have to do – stay at home”.

Who would have thought that after decades of asking you to come out, we’d be asking you to stay inside? Right now that is the very best thing most of us can do, but that doesn’t mean you’re alone.

Support and respect the workers who can’t. Maintain social distance. Wash your hands. Check-in on vulnerable people, be kind to yourselves and others and always get health information from trustworthy sources such as the HSE.

“Over the past few days we have kept hearing the phrase ‘In this Together’, a hard reminder that this virus shows no favour to anyone, but more than that, it is a call to arms, a plea to everyone to join the fight and do their part.

“This will be the theme of the Dublin Pride, not just our festival, but our whole year. We stand ready to answer Ireland’s call in whatever way we can, and we ask you to do the same and when the crisis is over, Pride will be ready to play its role in bringing communities together and breathing life back into the city.”

Organisations like LGBT Ireland, TENI, BeLongTo, Outhouse, Linc, and many others are offering phone and online services to those who need them.

Dublin LGBTD Pride said it is working closely with the Department of Health, The HSE, Dublin City Council and An Garda Siochána and will always act in the best interests of all our communities.

“We look forward to better times when we can march beside you again. Until then remember, we’re in this together. Táimid leis seo le chéile,” it said.