Although Fórsa members are not a rare sight at Pride, Saturday 29th June 2024 marked the first time we marched together under the union's banner.

A festive atmosphere reigned when members assembled on O’Connell Street, in defiance of the torrential rain, with rainbow colours only slightly muted by the clear plastic of ponchos. The union group was joined by Fórsa president Martin Walsh, and general secretary Kevin Callinan. 

Also marching with Fórsa was Kieran Rose, lifelong union member and LGBTQIA+ activist. 

Putting the day into historical perspective, he said “The trade union movement was hugely important in progress for LGBT people in Ireland from the early 1980s when we had few supporters but many powerful enemies.”

Kieran recently produced a new publication on the trade union movement’s important role in the struggle for LGBTQIA+ rights in Ireland. A struggle that has its beginning with a motion put forward by Kieran, when he was in the Cork Branch of the LGPSU, one of the predecessor unions to Fórsa, calling for lesbians and gay men to be protected by the unfair dismissals act. 

The most popular part of the Fórsa contingent on the day was the Queer Library Alliance, their banner receiving raucous cheers and applause from fellow marchers and those gathered along the parade route.

The Queer Library Alliance are a group set up last year by LGBTQIA+ library staff and allies in reaction to increasing incidents involving the far-right in libraries across the country. They campaign against the intimidation and censorship of queer staff, patrons and literature.

In a statement released on Monday, the Queer Library Alliance said “We were proud to march with Fórsa at Dublin Pride in solidarity with all library workers affected by far-right and anti-LGBTQIA+ aggression and library censorship.”

Fórsa national secretary and equality officer Ashley Connolly said: “Unions played an important role in the furthering of LGBTQIA+ rights. Now as the far-right threaten those rights, it’s important we show solidarity not only with our LGBTQIA+ friends and family, but with our librarian colleagues who have found themselves on the front lines of a culture war no one asked for.”

Rob Partridge, of the Galway Health and Welfare Branch, made his way to Dublin for the day. Some may recognise Rob from national conference where he received a standing ovation for his presentation of a motion to establish a Fórsa LGBTQIA+ Network.

Arm-in-arm with his husband, soaked and beaming joy, Rob spoke of why marching with fellow members was important to him.

Rob said “Every year, for as long as I can remember, there has been someone from this union attending the Pride march in Galway. They haven’t gone to say, ‘Look, here we are, we’re going out again.’ They’ve come to say, ‘We’re supporting the community’.”

Having proven a success this year, the Fórsa block at Dublin Pride has undoubtedly laid the foundations of a yearly tradition.  

There’s never been a better time to join a union, and it’s never been easier. Join Fórsa today.