Update

The Minister’s office confirmed that she will be viewing the Parade today and will meet a group of Irish American LGBT’s on Monday in the Consulate.  The people she is meeting are from the St. Pat’s for All parade which takes place in Queens.  Those who protest the Manhattan Parade exclusion from Irish Queers have not been invited.  Irish Queers wrote to the Minister yesterday and asked her to acknowledge the issue ‘rather than let it go by in silence. We also invite her to participate in, or at least send a message of support to, the annual protest at the parade itself.’

Original Post

It’s time for my annual post on the St. Patricks Day Parade in New York and the exclusion of Irish LGBT’s from the parade.

Last year the Tanaiste met some representatives of the lgbt community when he visited New York and spoke out against exclusion. He still went to the parade.

This year the government sent a representative to the St. Pats for All Parade which takes place in Queens. (This is an alternative event established to include all diverse voices.) Minister for State Kathleen Lynch attended on March 4.

Honoured to have been the first official representative of the Irish Government to attendthe New York St Pat’s for All Parade. Today in NY

— Kathleen Lynch (@KathleenLynchTD) March 4, 2012

However it appears the government are still sending an official representative to the Manhattan Parade which has excluded LGBT’s for over 20 years and describes itself as a Catholic private event (with 3 million attending).

Minister Joan Burton is in New York at the moment until Monday 19th. No word on whether she will be meeting with lgbt’s while there or any mention in the press release regarding taking part in the parade itself. I’ve put a query into the press office.

Irish Queers will be protesting as usual. Their targets are the New York Police Department, the Fire Department and Mayor Bloomberg. They will meet on Saturday, March 17th on Fifth Avenue between 56th and 57th street (on the west side) from 11am – 1pm.