Tips For Gay Vacations To Ireland
The intriguing country of Ireland has been a popular gay vacations since the days when Oscar Wilde called this nation home. Of course, during his time Ireland was not as welcoming and accepting of LGBT folks and many, including Wilde, were jailed or sent off to hard labor camps for what was then termed “indecency.” Sadly, up until 1861, death was considered an acceptable punishment for acts of sodomy, but today Ireland has moved well beyond these dark days and has recently bested the U.S. when it comes to LGBT rights by legalizing same-sex civil unions in 2009, after decriminalizing same-sex behaviors in 1993.
While these significant legal strides might not mean that every village – or even every larger city – is ready to fully embrace same-sex relationships, Ireland has become a rather welcoming country for the most part and is a wonderful choice for gay travel. Many larger cities, such as Galway, Dublin, Cork and Waterford, have active, visible communities, LGBT-owned and LGBT-friendly establishments, and enough attractions and activities to fill an entire trip; however, whether you travel to Ireland solo or with organized gay tours, you will not want to miss the beautiful Irish countryside or the quaint, small villages that are scattered about the landscape or overlooking awe-inspiring coastal cliffs.
While several larger cities now have annual community celebrations, pubs and clubs, community organizations and a visible LGBT scene, Dublin is unquestionably the center of LGBT life in Ireland and should be part of any gay travel plans to this country. Dublin nightlife offers both a casual pub scene and an upscale club scene complete with dress codes, which allows those on gay vacations to experience two very different aspects of local LGBT life. There are also a number of community festivals that take place throughout the year, including the Dublin International LGBTQ Pride Festival in June, the Dublin Lesbian and Gay Film Festival in July and the Dublin Gay Theatre Festival in May.
Regardless of which time of year you partake in gay travel to Ireland, there will be some sort of activities going on, which will be listed in GCN – Ireland’s most-read community magazine – so, if you enjoy the scene, you will definitely want to pick up a copy when you get to town. Some of the attractions that you will not want to miss while in Dublin include the Book of Kells, the Guinness Storehouse, the Hugh Lane Gallery, the Old Jameson Distillery, the Oscar Wilde House Museum and The George, which is Dublin’s quintessential community bar.
Those planning gay travel tours may want to consider participating in a group gay tour. This is a great way to make sure you are able to enjoy many of the most intriguing natural, cultural and historical attractions this romantic country has to offer.
Info by Howie Holben about Ireland post formulated by Howie Holben. Spirit Journeys proposes gay vacation ideas and gay vacation destinations.
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