Newry Pride to return this weekend after five year hiatus

However, both agreed that the LGTBQ+ community in Northern Ireland continue to face adversity.

Mr Lee-Surginor suggested that progress in Northern Ireland had been “slow”, pointing to the “localised targeting” that “certain aspects of the LGBTQIA+ community” have suffered, such as transgender people.

“At the end of the day,” he said, “everybody wants to be treated equal and this Pride event is is an indicator of that.

“It’s for us to be visible, to show people that we’re here. We just want to seek equality, want to be treated and respected like everyone else.

“We just have to keep at it and to make it easier for the next generation.”

Mr Byrne agreed: “Change is slow. It’s slower here in the north, and that’s really, really unfortunate.

“We see people within the LGBTQIA+ community being targeted, especially in the trans community.

“Pride is so important – it is a celebration, but it also is a protest for a fairer, more equal community.”