Ireland's first LGBT+ network for professionals launches in Cork

Celebrating launch of the Work With Pride - Professional Business Network, at The River Lee Hotel are Lauren Hogan, Kery Mullaly, Evan Murphy Keogh, Mary White, Damien O’Halloran, Aoife Dilworth, Ronan Kenny, Nuttawud Nutchanat, Don Crowley and Darren Fitzgerald

Ireland’s first LGBT+ professional business network has been launched in Cork.

Work With Pride was founded in 2021 by Cork LGBT+ Pride, a charitable organisation that hosts one of Ireland’s largest pride festivals every year. The initiative came about following an inclusion and diversity conference the group held two years ago.

Inspired by the rising numbers of employees coming out in the workplace, the founders wanted to create a safe environment where members of the LGBT+ community could network, build professional relationships and broaden their career opportunities.

“One of the biggest pieces of feedback from the conference two years ago was that people didn’t want to wait another year to get together again,” said Work With Pride’s chairpman Damien O’Halloran. “A group of us then came up with the idea for Work With Pride so we could organise more regular events.

“Diversity, equality and inclusion are big buzzwords now in the corporate and business world but there isn’t always real inclusion.

“There are also people that work for themselves or on farms and so on and don’t have somewhere to talk with other like-minded people.

“This is a practical way of making a difference and connecting professionals.”

So far, 110 people have joined the network, which has been meeting online since the pandemic hit.

The official launch took place last night at the River Lee Hotel in Cork City.

“When we imagined this, we thought that we would probably be having a coffee around a table for our launch. Little did we think that we’d be throwing a big party for over 100 people,” Mr O’Halloran said.

“This is a historic milestone for LGBT+ business professionals, their allies, and the Irish business community.”