The History of Irelands longest Free!dom Flag

We have all seen it in meandering and weaving down the streets of Belfast, Cork, Galway and Dublin. It began 60ft long, each year it grew. Now it’s one of the longest in the world. Yes, it’s your rainbow pride flag. Today it has grown to 500ft within a mere five years. So is it a typical scenario of size obsession? Or is there more meaning behind the motivation?

Its size makes a bold statement wherever it is unwrapped. The rainbow flag says ‘we’re out and were proud’. This flag says ‘WERE HERE’ and were not going away. Its volume seizes everyone’s attention. It cannot be ignored. Its size brings us together, all shapes, all sizes and all genders. And for one day in the year it marks the streets of our Cities as exclusively ours, if only for a fleeting moment.

The Flag originated from Free Magazine’s attempt to help bridge the chasms that were emerging within our community. We believed that it was important for us to remain united and strong. It’s dedicated to the memory of a late friend and colleague whom I had the pleasure to work alongside, Angela Clarke. Unfortunately Angela lost her fight with Cancer a month before the flag reached its ultimate size. I still recall her cursing me as she fed reams of fabric through her small sewing machine. It seemed to swallow up the whole room where it was pieced together in Fumbally Curt. But the memory of her face lighting up the moment she unraveled it, always revisits me every Pride day when I see it again. Little did she know that it would flow through the hands of Senators, Lord Mayors and Politicians, as they sought to identify themselves with this robust symbol of our community’s resolve.

But common sense prevails so the flag had to be adapted to ensure its inclusiveness as it didn’t fit down every city’s street. So it had been trimmed and tucked to make it skinner but a further 100ft longer. Cork will be the first to have the longest 600ft Pride flag flow through its streets, followed by Dublin, Belfast and finally Galway.

This years modifications were made by Angela’s good friend Mary. It is my hope that the flag continues to grow and Angela’s memory endures. So as you tighten your grip around the edges of the flag this year remember the woman whose memory it is dedicated to. A woman who had a passion for life and celebrated everything that’s gay.

Many thanks to Dublin, Cork and Belfast Pride for keeping it going. Perhaps one day it will be unraveled from the starting position of the Parade and finish at the end of it.

Eddie McGuinness XXX