‘Cowboys, a beetle costume and flamenco style dresses’ – Senator questions St Patrick’s Festival launch line-up

A Senator has raised questions about the photo-op held to promote the St Patrick’s Day Festival earlier this week which included “bizarrely” dressed dancers.

The St Patrick’s Day Festival 2023 launched on Monday, with the theme ‘We Are One’.

The photo-op was held to promote the event, featuring drag queens, dancers, musicians and other cultural artists. 

However, speaking earlier today Senator Sharon Keogan said promotion of the parade was a “bit heavy-handed with the progressivism.” She questioned the placement of a child in the photograph close to a man in “lace tights, “and to take photos showing that, and then say, “Yip, that is what we want to represent Ireland internationally,” and run with it,” she told the Seanad.

The Senator also referred to women wearing “Spanish-style flamenco style dresses” but acknowledged Culture Minister Catherine Martin who had the “good sense” to wear green.

She said she is not alone in her views as they are shared by many.

“I find myself agreeing with many citizens online who voiced the opinion that maybe, instead of the fetishistic exposure at our St. Patrick's Day parade, we just have St. Patrick. It worked very well for the past 400 years.”

Senator Keogan said some of the costumes worn by artists in the photo-op were like “something out of a Marvel movie”.

She said drag queens in photos were put in by Government were to not risk “the ire” of “Twitter addicts”.

“I spotted two cowboys, some girls in an odd sort of beetle costume like something out of a Marvel movie and, of course, the ever-present men in women's faces, who apparently must be included in every public display lest the Government risk the ire of terminally online woke Twitter addicts.”

Speaking to Independent.ie,  Fianna Fáil Senator Malcolm Byrne said St Patrick's Day is an "inclusive international festival".

"St Patrick's Day is an inclusive international festival and a celebration of Irish identity in all its forms.”