The Pope's recent criticism of homosexuality amounts to justification of violence and homophobia, the organiser of the State's longest running lesbian and gay pride festival has claimed.
Ms Nuala Ward, organiser of the Bród Ireland festival in Galway, said the Pope's comments were "very hurtful" and had caused a lot of anger among Catholics and non-Catholics.
Ms Ward was speaking on the eve of the opening of Bród Ireland tonight in Galway city.
The four-day festival aims to mark the 10th anniversary of the decriminalisation of homosexuality in Ireland - and its own 14th birthday - with what it describes as a "celebration of queer life".
Since its initiation in Galway in 1989, Bród has attracted thousands of visitors, and the "pink euro" adds substantially to the city's economy, according to festival spokesman Mr Mícheál Ó Curraoin.
"Bród (pride) is a party with a political purpose - to make queer existence visible to straight, mainstream society, without compromise and with pride in who we are, both as individuals and as a community," he said.
Highlight of the festival is a street parade and party in the heart of the city on Saturday afternoon, while "Betty Herring", billed as the Claddagh's "irrepressible fish wife", will host a cruise on the Corrib on Sunday morning.
Ms Ward was one of a handful of people, both lesbian, gay and heterosexual, who took part in the first "pride" parade in Galway in 1989, when homosexuality was still illegal in Ireland.
It was inspired by similar "pride" marches held elsewhere to mark the anniversary of the Stonewall Riot in New York in June 1969.
That three-day riot was sparked off by a police raid on a gay and lesbian bar in New York, and is regarded as a key stage in the international movement for gay, lesbian, bisexual and trans-sexual emancipation.
Ms Ward said the first festival had experienced great difficulty in finding a venue in Galway, but Bród is now supported by Galway Corporation, the Garda, and the wider community.
"I remember I was shaking after that first parade, given that I had been attacked and knew so many lesbian and gay people who had experienced physical violence at that time.
" It was a very invigorating and empowering event, and the following year anyone who was out and about in Galway participated."
Bród Ireland's "launch" party takes place tonight in Dominick Street - which the organisers have billed as Galway's own "queer quarter", and among those speaking at the event will be the Irish language author, Mícheál Ó Conghaile.
The festival continues through the weekend with cabaret nights at the Black Box Theatre.
The parade and street party starts from Eyre Square on Saturday afternoon at 1 p.m., and finishes with an "after party" in Claddagh park at 2 p.m..
Artists and writers will host readings and exhibitions over the four days, and there will be a Bród sports day on Sunday afternoon.
Further information is available at www.brodireland.com
