them. It could be that they didn’t get to wear the outfit that made them feel like themselves. The team wanted to turn back time and reimagine what the infamous end-of- summer romp could be, with a queer twist and ideally, no trauma. We wanted the event to be as accessible, inclusive and intergenerational – to create a space that could bring together all sides of Cork’s queer community to celebrate how we live and how we love. As part of the event-building, Dee, Hannah & Alana decided early on that they wanted their Debs to have a unique offering for people who may want to party in a different way to standard club nights. Thus, Intermission Bar became a chill zone, complete with pronoun stickers, ear defenders, colouring pages, and a DJ set at a lower volume. The chill zone also gave people a place to mingle and make new friends but still in a glamorous Debs environment.
In 2023, Dee from Cork Pride met Alana – a filmmaker who had just launched their short film Homofónia during the festival. The short centred around two girls, in love, in the closet in an Irish language classroom trying to decide whether or not to go to the Debs together. So one evening, over hot dogs and burgers at the Cork Pride community barbecue, Alana and Dee had a conversation along the lines of “imagine if we did a Debs for queer people who weren’t out when they were in school, that’d be class, wouldn’t it?” “The night was filled with love and acceptance and a home for all the queer people of Cork to enjoy their Debs as themselves without judgement.” - Conor (he/him) And with that, the idea was in motion. The following months were a chaotic blast of conversations featuring pitches for fireworks and drag king pirates and most importantly, the introduction of Cork production designer Hannah B Lane to help step up the tone for what a big, queer Debs event could look like. It was, after all, the first-ever Debs that identified itself as being big and queer, so the team wanted to do it right for Quorkonians!
THE BIG QUEER DEBS: AN ODE TO FIRST LOVES, NEW LOVES & SELF-LOVE.
“I got the Debs I never had, both from being gay and avoiding the straightness of Debs culture and the hard time of COVID. It made my young adult years to have a Debs where I was welcomed and loved before I stepped in the door.”
This year’s theme will be…. Drumroll please… THE BIG QUEER DEBS DISCOTHÉQUE! Think seventies, big hair, big flairs, dancing and disco tunes… CLASS OF CORK PRIDE 2025, WE CAN’T WAIT TO WELCOME YOU HOME.
By Alana Daly Mulligan (they/she), Dee Finn (she/her) and Hannah B Lane (she/her)
“This event was an absolute shining star during Cork Pride, providing a safe and friendly environment for us all to party and celebrate in unity.” – Evan (he/him)
“It was a great night, I felt very safe and danced the night away.”
“Being the token straight friend in my friend group, I thought it might be a little weird for me to attend but I had the best night of the year. Everyone was lovely, the outfits & the glitter were truly spectacular. Little touches like earplugs, flag stickers, and pronoun stickers made sure everyone could feel seen and appreciated.” - Sonja (she/her)
So after, months of paper-chain-making escapades, meters and meters of tinsel fringe, bespoke cocktail debates, and a handmade balloon arch, The Pav was transformed into a 1950s-esque wonderland, complete with drag queens, a fortune teller, a photo booth, a live band in the form of Cliffords and the first annual Cork Pride Regency Pageant. Think Grease meets every John Hughes movie ever, but make it GAY. We are so excited to announce that the Big Queer Debs will be returning to Cork Pride this year as a bigger, queerer and debsier event than ever! You can still expect the same cosy nostalgic vibe but with a few new surprises and added flair (see: more glitter and shiny things).
“Wonderfully whimsical chance to relive a night that should have been this way the first time round.” “Absolutely amazing night! The music selection did not miss, and I got a chance to see some banging fits!!”
At the heart of the Big Queer Debs is the want to give queer people a second chance at a formative life event. Many within the queer community may have been let down by the experience of their Debs for various reasons. Perhaps they weren’t able to bring their dream partner(s). Maybe they couldn’t be called by the name that felt true to
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