Dromoland To Host Gay Fest

The Inn at Dromoland in County Clare has been confirmed as the host venue for the next five years of the world’s only LGTBQ+ matchmaking festival.

The organisers have also confirmed they are working with partners to submit a bid to bring EuroPride to Limerick, Clare and the Mid-West Region in 2028, which would mark the first time that the pan-European international event has been held in Ireland. Attracting over 100,000 people from all over the world annually, EuroPride is hosted by a different European city each year.

Now in its 11th year, The Outing is expected to attract more than 1,000 gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender and straight singles and couples from across Ireland and overseas to the County Clare venue this coming Valentine’s weekend from February 9th to 11th.

Organised in conjunction with The Outing Queer Arts Collective with support from Fáilte Ireland, Blacknight Solutions, Visit Clare, Limerick Pride and Quare Clare, the award-winning festival is a fusion of music, comedy, ceilí bands, queer arts and the best of Irish and international performers, drag artists and DJs. This year’s event is being hosted by “The Queen of Matchmaking” Eddie McGuinness, and Victoria’s Secret.

Drag queen and gay rights activist Panti Bliss, a longstanding supporter of the festival, said: “The Outing takes something quintessentially Irish and dips it in glitter. It opens up the idea of traditional Irishness to the LGBT community.”