Newsletter 18th May 2011

Cork LGB Week

‘Cork LGB Awareness week’ was launched yesterday on IDAHO Day in the City Hall by the
Lord Mayor Michael O’Connell. The week will be primarily about raising awareness about how
gay, lesbian and bisexual people form part if the fabric of every aspect of life in Cork and
throughout the week you will be aware of a number of posters, flyers, displays and events
throughout the city.
This is a key opportunity to create a city where the LGBT organisations and community come
together with local partnerships, agencies, businesses and civil society to work towards
acceptance of sexual diversity and gender freedom. There was a wonderful cross section of
people at the launch yesterday from: members of our LGBT community, children with LGBT
parents to counsellors, representatives from the army, navy and the Gardaí to name but a
few. Con O’Donnell (Chairperson of the Interagency Steering Committee) introduced the The
Lord Mayor who welcomed and addressed the public with a focus on Objective 86:
When developing their strategic plan for the city (Imagine our Future) Cork City development
Board worked with the gay and lesbian organisations in Cork (LINC and The Cork Gay Project)
to ensure the strategic plan took into account the vibrant lesbian and gay communities that
exist in the City. Cork has a long and proud tradition of lesbian and gay activism and this
continued with the inclusion of “Objective 86” in the 10 year plan. Objective 86 clearly states
that
“The Gay, Lesbian and bisexual communities will be enabled to fully participate in the social,
cultural and economic life of Cork City”
To that end an interagency group of the relevant social partners was set up and led by the
City Development Board (CDB). This group has met on a regular basis since and are
responsible for this innovative action plan ‘Cork LGB Week’, the first of its’ kind in Ireland.
Siobhan O’Dowd (member of the Interagency Committee and past Chairperson of LINC)
spoke proudly of the significant work and actions carried out by the I.A.Group, LINC and The
Cork Gay Project over the past few years. She introduced the members (and their
organisations) of the Inter Agency group and Kieran Rose (guest speaker)
Kieran Rose (on behalf of Dublin City Council and also representing GLEN) was the key note
speaker on the day. Kieran spoke highly of the many years of Cork Activism from the first
LGBT Conference in Cork to present day resulting in ‘Cork LGB Week’. He spoke of the
progress for LGB people in Ireland since decriminalisation in 1993 to Civil Partnership for
same sex couples in 2011.
There were recitals from the Buttevant brass band and the first public performance from
Choral Confusion (the mixed choir from The Other Place).
We reckon this group will be Cork’s version of GLORIA… spine chillingly brilliant!!
Check out the LINC website and Facebook for Launch photos.
The message of the week is really quite simple, lesbians, gay men and bisexuals
are your family members, team mates, co-workers, neighbours, and residents and
visitors to Cork. As such they contribute in no small way to the image of Cork as a
vibrant, open and welcoming City which is an attractive place to work, live and
visit no matter what your sexuality.

Phoenix Youth
Just a BIG Thank-you to the group members who took the time to make up rainbow ribbons
for LGB week. The group made near on 1500 individual ribbons which was no easy task as
the work looked a lot simpler than it was! So many thanks to you all.

International Day Against Homophobia:

National LGBT Helpline Expands Service to 7 days
Today International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia (IDAHO) the national Lesbian,
Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) Helpline announce the extension of its service to a 7-
day service.
“Since the launch of the National LGBT Helpline and website (www.lgbt.ie) in November 2010
there have been over 4,000 calls to the helpline, a 30% increase in calls received by regional
helplines which existed before then. Today the national LGBT Helpline announces the
extension of its service from a 5-day to a 7-day service in response to this increasing
demand”, said Bernadine Quinn of the LGBT Helpline.
The national LGBT Helpline provides listening, support and information to LGBT people, their
family and friends who need help or support to overcome any difficulties they may be facing.
It was established with the support of the Community Foundation for Ireland.
“The significant social change in Ireland in recent years has had a very positive impact on
the lives of LGBT people. However, it’s clear that they can still experience difficulties arising
from some people’s response to their LGBT identity. Homophobic bullying in schools,
negative reactions to coming out and past negative reactions to LGBT people can put a
strain on LGBT people’s mental health and well-being” continued Quinn.
The Irish study Supporting LGBT Lives showed that LGBT people can be subject to significant
levels of physical or verbal abuse or harassment. 80% of LGBT people had been verbally
abused in public because of their LGBT identity; 40%% had been threatened by physical
violence and 25% of LGBT people were ‘punched, hit, kicked or beaten’, because they are
LGBT. The study also found that 27% has self-harmed and 18% had attempted suicide, both
being related to stresses encountered when ‘coming out’ as LGBT.

For Further Information, contact: Bernie Quinn (087) 620 0021 Daragh McEntee (087) 754
8319

The National LGBT Helpline number is 1890 929 539 and the website is www.lgbt.ie
The service provides non-judgemental and confidential listening, support and information to
lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people and their families and friends.
The national LGBT Helpline is run as an all-volunteer service provided from seven locations
 around the country. It was established with the support of the Community Foundation for
Ireland.

Womens Camp 2011

Camp this year will be from July 6th to 27th. Land has been secured in Macroom, Co.
Cork.
Further details will be made available in the coming weeks on this newsletter and our
website

Cork Pride Festival 2011 May 29th to June 6th

Committee meets every Weds in The Other Place at 8pm.
Volunteers wanted check out http://corkpride.com/
An Art Link Project for Cork Pride takes place every Mon & Weds at 6.30pm
at Art Link, Shandon Street. All Welcome

LINC Events for Cork Pride 2011

BBQ at LINC Friday 3rd June at 6pm. Mixed Event All

Welcome.

Brunch at LINC Sunday 5th June at 12pm. Mixed Event.

All Welcome.

LINC will be Open to Everyone the week of Pride if

anybody wants to pop in with their family and friends.

We also will do Fun and Games at Late LINC on

Thursday the 2nd of June from 3pm to 8pm.
 Posters/leaflets
We have some new posters and leaflets in LINC so if you think you might be able to
find a good display place for these then we would love to see them out there. Just
call in to the centre to collect them.

Workshops & Activities

Creative Writing Classes

This group continues to meet on Monday nights at 7.30pm. For more details contact us here
in LINC.

Book Club
We will be resuming the Book Club within the next few weeks so if people are interested then
please keep an eye open on the newsletter for the date. This was really popular the last
time it was operational so for a nice monthly get together keep this in mind. By the way
thanks to community members who are bringing in books to the library. We have a steady
stream of people using the facility now, so if you are passing pop in and get yourself a book
to read. Remember you are under no obligation to bring the book back. All we ask is that
you pass it forward keep it in circulation and sometime it will wind up back here in LINC
that’s for sure

Sports

Badminton
Every Tuesday in Carrigtwohill from 8 until 10.
For more details on Badminton please give Nicky a call on 086 8479051

Tennis
(Venue to be confirmed)
 For more details on Tennis please ring Sheila on 087 6129040

Football every Monday in Garryduff contact LINC or Helen on 087 9861037 for
directions

Events

Live Music
West-Cork based Singer/Songwriter Catherine Cunningham plays An Crúibin, (formerly The
Lobby), Sun., May 22nd, 8pm. Adm: €5
Heartfelt, political and thought-provoking, Catherine's songs twist and turn, unravelling
through the most unexpected of landscapes to paint pictures and stories full of longing,
humour and power. Her performances are intimate affairs and with song titles such as
“Bothering the Dead”, “No Sheep in Heaven” and √2, you can expect that not only is the
subject matter unusual, but so is its delivery!
www.catherinecunninghammusic.com

Walking
Walk for women and kids this Sunday in Killarney.
Meet at Molly D'Arceys,Muckross road,Killarney at 11am.
Medium walk, walking boots, water and suncream recommended.
Car pooling rendezvous outside Little Chef restaurant, airport road side of Kinsale road
roundabout
at 9.45 am
 Pride fundraising table quiz at Loafers tomorrow night the 19th
May at 8pm
Only €5 a head , lots of cool prizes to be won and loads of fun
guaranteed

Cork Volunteer Week & Fair: 6th-12th June 2011. For more information log on
www.corkvolunteerweek.ie

Peer Support Groups

Phoenix Youth
Youth Group meet every Weds at 6pm to 8pm in LINC.

Knickerbocker Glories
Are meeting tomorrow night 19th May in LINC at 6pm. All are welcome to come along.

Women In Recovery
Every Friday 6-8pm in LINC

Mna Mna Choir

New members are joining all the time to the Mna Mna Choir so again a group which is going
from strength to strength.
Nice way to spend a couple of hours on a Thursday evening from 8pm in LINC

Bisexual Women’s Drop In

We would like to take this opportunity to thank Beth for the time she spent with the women
who accessed the bisexual drop in service. Due to the lack of numbers attending it has been
agreed that for the time being we will discontinue the Friday evening drop in. However if we
have a group of bisexual women who want to use LINC specifically to meet up then please
contact the centre to arrange times etc.
Tina is the person to contact here so don’t be shy!

Don’t Forget We Are Open

Mon 11am until 3pm
Tues 11am until 3pm
Weds 11am until 3pm
Thurs 11am until 8pm
 Pop in for
tea/coffee/chat/books/info/support