Waterford’s Pride of the Déise may be one of Ireland’s newer LGBTQ+ festivals, but the organisers have been pulling out all the stops since their first Pride festival back in 2019. 

The party starts with Oíche Draíochta: An Evening of Queer Magic & Mischief on June 1, followed by the community Pride Picnic in People's Park the next morning. The crown jewel of the festival, the Pride March, is set to kick off from Cathedral Square on May 31, culminating in the Pride Block Party on O’Connell Street.

June 8 will see a special Queer Storytelling and Open Mic Day where attendees are encouraged to get involved and share their stories. There will also be a Sober Roller Disco on June 11 in the lead-up to the Final Blowout on June 13.

Mixture of free and ticketed events. Various venues, Waterford, Co Waterford, May 27 – June 6.

Have any plans for the June Bank Holiday? Head to beautiful Westport and celebrate Mayo Pride with outdoor adventures, late-night antics and great company.

Kicking off the celebrations on the Friday night is top-class drag queen Panti Bliss with her new show, 'If These Wigs Could Talk', in the The Mariner. Expect cheeky anecdotes and salacious stories from her years in rural Mayo and London's sparkly West End. Besides the Mayo Pride Parade itself, other events include a Queer Trad Session in Matt Molloy's pub, a Pride Boat Cruise around Clew Bay, a Pride After Party in The Mariner and a drag brunch to get your Bank Holiday Sunday started the right way.

Mixture of free and ticketed events. Various venues, Westport, Co Mayo, May 29 - June 1.

Photo credit: @lucyniamhh_

Limerick goes all-out for Pride, with a full week in early July set out to celebrate all things LGBTQ+ in the Treaty City. Families wanting to get in on the action can check out Pridefest which will have plenty of activities, entertainment and live music fit for the little ones. More events are still to be confirmed, but the festival is set to reach its peak with the annual Pride Parade, which will wind through the streets of Limerick on July 11.

Drag queen Victoria Secret will also host the official Climax Party at Dolans that evening, which is sure to be an unforgettable night on the Shannon.

Mixture of free and ticketed events. Various venues, Limerick, Co Limerick, July 6-11.

Photo credit: @limerickinfocus

This year marks the tenth anniversary of Drogheda Pride and to get things started on a high note, Five Good Things are hosting the Drogheda Pride Breakfast, which will be MC'd by sassy drag star Taylor Maid Colby. Once you're fuelled for a bit of fun, make your way to King Street for the lively Pride Parade.

Once the sun goes down, McHugh's Bar and Venue plans to keep the party going. Friday night will see their main stage filled with a mix of talented performers like comedian David McSavage, musician Tara Dignam and drag star Ryo for the Pride Pre Party. Come back the following evening for the Drogheda Pride Main Event where the wonderful Tailor Maid Colby will host fellow drag performers Bon Bon, AIDXN G and Avatar Guille for a night of fun.  

Mixture of free and ticketed events. Various venues, Drogheda, Co Louth, June 19-20.

This year's Cork Pride is set to receive a makeover thanks to volunteer-led group Cork Community Pride taking the reins. Kicking off on August 1, the three-day celebration is all about love and inclusivity for all ages. Although the full line-up is yet to be announced, their Pride March and Pride Family Picnic will make for colourfully fun day out for the whole family. 

Mixture of free and ticketed events. Various venues, Cork, Co Cork, August 1-3.

Summer is always busy in Galway, and the city will be celebrating another wonderful season of Pride from August 2-8. Alongside community gatherings, late-night parties and their energetic Pride Parade, past events have included everything from the Drag Bingo and a Pride Swim in the sea to a Gaylí (a traditional céilí with a rainbow twist) and a LGBTQ+ Tea Party. So, keep a keen eye out for this year's festival programme. 

Mixture of free and ticketed events. Various venues, Galway, Co Galway, August 2-8.

Photo credit: @galway.pride

Hosting one of the last Pride festivals in 2026, Laois Pride will be back for their fifth year in a row with the help of the Midlands LGBT+ Project, taking over the heart of Portlaoise for several days of inclusive entertainment. Event organisers are building up anticipation by keeping all event details tightly under wraps, but the programme will reach its peak on Saturday, September 12 with the parade and street festival.

Mixture of free and ticketed events. Various venues, Portlaoise, Co Laois, September 7-13.