6,000 likely to join gay pride march

Some 6,000 people are expected to participate in the annual Dublin Pride parade, which takes place on the streets of the capital this afternoon.

The Dublin Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender Pride Parade starts on Parnell Square at 2 p.m. and finishes at the Civic Offices amphitheatre on Wood Quay, where it will be followed by the "Pride in the Park" party from 3-6 p.m. The parade has been held annually since 1992, when only 400 took part.

But the parade has also become the focal point of a two-week-long Gay Pride festival, which began on June 17th and ends tomorrow.

Other events today include a pre-parade champagne breakfast and, this evening, a Mass at Redemptorist headquarters in Rathgar, hosted by a gay Christian group.

Parade participants are asked to assemble at the Garden of Remembrance at 1.15 p.m. and traffic restrictions will apply along the route.