'We need the spirit of Pride' Rose of Tralee Caoilfhinn

There was a record attendance at this year’s Mullingar Pride family event in the town park and at the 18+ event in the evening, the committee have said. Chairperson, David Reinhardt, said he and his colleagues were delighted with how the event went, and are grateful for the response they received.

"I am so impressed with our midlands community, Mullingar, how it’s come together," said David, speaking on the afternoon of Saturday week last. "I think it was incredible that the Rose of Tralee, who we’re all so proud of, agreed to be our grand marshal – she really embodies so much of what we’re here for, which is accepting yourself, loving yourself, and building a really beautiful and vibrant community that is here to support each other."

Looking around the town park, David praised the atmosphere on the day: "There’s such a good vibe, so many people here, vendors, families having a great time.

"Leading up to today, we in the committee were all around town putting up posters, going into businesses, seeing if anyone would want to sponsor prizes. We have something like 50 sponsored prizes – and people were so encouraging and excited about what we’re doing. The community pulled together, the whole community has made this happen."

As David mentioned, 2026 Rose of Tralee Caoilfhinn Ní Choiligh had accepted the invitation from the local Pride committee to lead their parade as grand marshal.

Addressing those gathered at the town park before the parade set off, Caoilfhinn said it was one of the first events she had done as the Rose of Tralee, and discussed the ‘pride’ – "I think a very powerful word".

"It encompasses so much and it means a plethora of things, but it’s also so deeply personal. And I think everyone has a different experience of pride. It can be a journey for many people. I know in my experience, pride is something I grew into. It’s a word that means strength, passion, kindness and acceptance.

"When it comes to my journey with self-acceptance, it was a 10-year thing, and I think that’s the greatness of what a broad meaning it can be, it’s something we grow into. It’s something powerful that can mean community and it can mean kindness, because there really is a strength in numbers.

"When I started losing my hair and I found the community bit the hardest to grasp. I felt very isolated, very alone. I felt I was the only one going through it. And while I am a straight woman, I am not a member of the LGBT community, I think I can share a lot of the same values, and I think that’s something we need to bring more into the community – the spirit of Pride."

Referring to negative comments and responses to Pride, Caoilfhinn said: "I think we just need them to understand that Pride is about the values of the community and that we can all share that as an ally. For me, community is so important, building your own community, and that’s why it’s so great to see so many people here today, because that’s what we’re doing, we’re building something that’s very needed.

"So, for anyone that is struggling with that self-acceptance, I think the easiest thing to do is try to share your story, share your experiences, to find like-minded people, to find your family ,really. When you do that, you feel less alone, you build your strength, you build your resistance and your resilience, and then you really start to blossom.

"Anyone who’s feeling that little bit alone or feeling a bit, just overwhelmed, I think finding your community is the core to then building up your confidence. Then you really see yourself thrive."

Caoilfhinn went on to say that she took inspiration from drag queens and the trans community to learn about wigs when she started losing her hair. "I feel like I owe a lot to them," she said.

Concluding her remarks, she said: "I think you just really start to feel comfortable in your own skin and then you start to thrive. A lot of positives have come out of the growth of the LGBT community, especially here in town, it’s going strength to strength.

"I really hope that the committee builds on that year on year, and we need the community to also help them do that. We need to turn up, shout, support, and then we’ll see it become something really powerful to the people who need it."