Mr Gay Ireland

Mr Gay Ireland is an annual contest for gay men, with regional heats held in gay venues around Ireland, with a grand final held in late October. In previous years the final has been held in The George, Dublin. The 2010 title holder was Max Krzyzanowski. Krzyzanowski won the title of Mr. Gay Ireland 2010 and went on to win the title of Mr Gay World 2010.[1][2]

Founded in 2005 and originally called Mr Gay Dublin,[3] the event is organised by the Dublin Gay Theatre Festival. Mr Gay Ireland has become more than a beauty contest and has become a nationwide community civic and social project designed to overcome negative stereotypes of gay people and to encourage a civic and social action for HIV/AIDS amongst the contestants and their friends.[citation needed]

The contest has previously been hosted by Brendan Courtney, alongside Dolly Grip, one of the George's resident drag queens and cohost of Shirley Temple Bar's Sunday Night Bingo.[4]

Mr Gay Ireland is run by a group of volunteers from the International Dublin Gay Theatre Festival, a registered, not for profit company, limited by guarantee. Since its inception, Mr Gay Ireland has donated almost €50,000 to charitable causes including Round Tower Housing Association (HIV/AIDS), St. James's Hospital Foundation (HIV/AIDS), BelongTo Youth Development, the KAL case and GCN.

Mr Gay Ireland 2008, Barry Meegan, made the grand final in the Mr Gay International Competition in Hollywood in 2008. Both he and Mr Gay Northern Ireland represented Ireland in the Mr Europe Competition in Budapest July 1–6 2008.[citation needed] Mr Gay Ireland 2007, John Rice, was 3rd in Budapest in 2007. Mikey Robinson, Mr Gay Northern Ireland 2007, made the top 8 in Budapest (2007), following Mr Gay Ireland 2006 Keith Kearney's second place in Mr Gay Europe in Amsterdam in 2006.[citation needed] It is the only all-Ireland event of its kind.[citation needed] Entrants have been aged from 18 to 40, with several nationalities competing for the prize. Mr Gay Dublin '07 was Spanish and Mr Gay South West '08 was Polish.[citation needed]

References

  1. ^ "Mr Gay Ireland Crowned Mr Gay World". Gay Community News. Archived from the original on 19 July 2011. Retrieved 20 March 2009.
  2. ^ "Mr Gay Ireland scoops world title". Irish Independent. 8 February 2009. Retrieved 20 March 2009.[dead link‍]
  3. ^ "Mr Gay Dublin 2005". Queerid.com. 2 August 2005. Archived from the original on 17 November 2007. Retrieved 20 March 2009.
  4. ^ "Shirley Temple Bar | Official Website | Shirley Temple Bar | This is Shirl's World | Page 2". Archived from the original on 16 January 2014. Retrieved 16 January 2014.


Stub icon

This Ireland-related article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.

Stub icon

This article about a lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender or queer (LGBTQ)-related festival or event is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.