The authorities at Dublin’s prestigious St Andrew’s Church of Westland Row are defending their decision to cancel a concert that was <a href="https://x.com/dublingaychorus/status/1782412976483442988"><mark style="background-color:rgba(0, 0, 0, 0)" class="has-inline-color has-vivid-cyan-blue-color">due to be given on 23 June by the Dublin Gay Men’s Chorus</mark></a>.
The church maintains that the concert would have been a Pride event, which was not made clear at the time of the original booking. The choir denies this, saying that the title "Pride – In the Name of Love" was a reference to the famous U2 song “Pride (In the Name of Love)", the smash hit and second track on the band's 1984 album <em>The Unforgettable Fire</em>.
"St Andrew's Parish is happy to welcome groups from all backgrounds to perform concerts in the church,” the church said in a statement released to <em>The Irish Tim</em>es and <em>The Irish Catholic</em>.
"However, the parish is disappointed that the nature of this event was not made clear at the time of booking. We have learned that in form and content it is being presented not as a simple choral recital but as a Pride Festival event in a context which is not compatible with our mission as a Roman Catholic Parish Church.
"In the circumstances the parish is unable to facilitate the <mark style="background-color:rgba(0, 0, 0, 0)" class="has-inline-color has-black-color">performance on June 23</mark>."
St Andrew’s is one of the city’s most prestigious churches, and Archbishop Dermot Farrell has petitioned for it to be <a href="https://catholicnews.ie/archbishop-farrell-to-seek-status-of-cathedral-for-saint-marys-and-basilica-for-saint-andrews/#:~:text=During%20his%20homily%2C%20on%20the,Row%20as%20a%20Minor%20Basilica."><mark style="background-color:rgba(0, 0, 0, 0)" class="has-inline-color has-vivid-cyan-blue-color">declared a basilica</mark></a>, with St Mary’s Pro-Cathedral being given official cathedral status, a reversal of plans previously announced.
Choir chairman Patrick McNamara said in an interview with <em>RTE’s</em> Claire Byrne that "It is our annual summer concert that we do every year in June and we do in different locations around Dublin and happens to be this year built into St Andrew's church in Westland Row.”
"It appears that they are happy for us to potentially perform once we don't align ourselves or be our real selves or show solidarity with our colleagues within the LGBT+ community," Mr McNamara said.
He said that the church was advertised as a concert venue and they had booked it in April and given the choir’s name. He added this had been confirmed by email but was cancelled on 11 June.
McNamara denied any intention to provoke the Church and said: “In December last year another LGBTQ+ choir performed in St Andrews…we do not see how we differ from any other LGBTQ+ or community-based choir". He also noted that his choir has performed in Catholic churches before.<br><br>"When we learned our concert booking was cancelled, we were heartbroken", McNamara said in a <a href="https://x.com/dublingaychorus/status/1801666904588718297"><mark style="background-color:rgba(0, 0, 0, 0)" class="has-inline-color has-vivid-cyan-blue-color">statement</mark></a> released on social media platform <em>X</em>. "Ireland has made enormous strides in the pursuit of greater equality for LGBT people, yet the term 'Pride' has become a loaded term for some."
Noting the concert taking inspiration from U2's hit song, McNamara says "the song is about Martin Luther King Jr, a man who worked tirelessly for equality and freedom, and ultimately gave his life for it".
He added: "Our concert will be a celebration of love, solidarity, and family, and I cannot think of a more fitting title or association."
The chorus had sold around 300 tickets at the time of the <a href="https://www.rte.ie/news/dublin/2024/0613/1454557-concert-cancelled/"><mark style="background-color:rgba(0, 0, 0, 0)" class="has-inline-color has-vivid-cyan-blue-color">venue cancelation</mark></a> by the church, according to McNamara, and those tickets will be valid at the new venue that has been secured at the Anglican Sandford Church in Ranelagh for the same date. Since the publicity generated by the cancelation, all tickets have reportedly now sold out, with the chorus issuing a note of thanks "for the huge show of solidarity during a difficult time for the choir".
Ireland was the first country in the world introduce same sex marriage by popular vote in 2015. Ireland has had a gay Taoiseach (prime minister) in Leo Varadkar, and gay politicians have featured all the main parties.<br><br>Whether the decision by St Andrew’s was a move by church authorities to push back against increasingly liberal attitudes to homosexuality in the Republic is unknown, but the decision has attracted media coverage because such an overt move is rare in Ireland. It has also been notable that there has been no reaction to the decision by local political representatives.<br><br>At the same time, St Teresa’s Catholic Church on Dublin’s Donore Avenue, to the south of the inner city, is to link up with St Catherine’s Church of Ireland – Anglican – for an ecumenical service on 27 June aimed at the local LGBT population, their families and friends, allies and parishioners. This will be the third such service.<br><br><em>Photo: Screenshot of advert for original concert at St Andrew's, taken from 'X' social media <a href="https://x.com/dublingaychorus"><mark style="background-color:rgba(0, 0, 0, 0)" class="has-inline-color has-vivid-cyan-blue-color">account</mark></a> of Dublin Gay Men's Chorus. </em>
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