Bitter split between Gay Pride Festival organisers

A deep split between organisers of the Gay Pride Festival has erupted, with legal letters flying between the sides as plans for two competing events are now being drawn up.

Last year’s event boasting an ambitious programme led by first time chairman Bruce Henry promised a fresh start. It had rebranded as the Galway Pride Festival and attracted new sponsorship partners, publishing a glossy 32-page festival brochure.

However, it was far from plain sailing. Even before festivities kicked off, there were ructions that the main events were not being held in venues in the West End that traditionally hosted the Lesbian Gay Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) community.

The main party was moved to the Black Box, instead of the only official gay bar in Galway, Nova on William Street.

Alternative party nights were then organised in the West competing against the official festival.

Legal threats issued on behalf of the committee, ordering one venue to take down its website, galwaypride.com.

This infuriated other members of the organising committee, who were unhappy the legal correspondence would leave them open to litigation, according to Rob Partridge, who has since been elected chair.

When the festival was over, an emergency general meeting (EGM) was called, attended by 66 people. Bruce and vice-chair Eugene Burke were voted off in their absence, with the committee citing allegations of misconduct.

Meanwhile Bruce and Eugene have registered the name Galway Pride Festival as a limited company and have retained control over the Facebook page.

They have announced their intention to stage the next pride festival, extending it over ten days and two weekends from August 11. They dispute the legitimacy of the EGM.

“These allegations of misconduct were nothing short of ridiculous,” exclaimed Bruce.

“Decisions were made out of need and a duty of care to our sponsors and to the festival. We had secured 14 sponsors who donated €17,000 in cash and services. We had to protect what we had worked so hard to achieve.”

For more on the row, see this week’s Galway City Tribune.
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