"Child of Drag"
Has Mayo Pride overstepped the Mark?
Mayo Pride has an interesting mascot this year.
A Child of Prague figure desecrated in trans colours and glitter.
A black heart, black cross, black hands, black lips and heavy black eye liner.
Catholics consider pride as the most serious of the Seven Deadly Sins. Alongside but elevated above greed, wrath, envy, lust, gluttony, and sloth, pride is defined as inordinate self-love, putting oneself above others or even above God.
Pride is ‘the essential vice, the utmost evil,’ according to CS Lewis.
“Pride leads to every other vice: it is the complete anti-God state of mind,” he wrote.
The LGBT movement considers the use of the word Pride as a reclamation of sorts, transforming its meaning into a righteous affirmation of identity.
In Westport tomorrow, Mayo Pride kicks off with a series of events running through to bank holiday Monday, when it culminates in a ‘Big Gay Hike’ up the holy mountain of Croagh Patrick.
I had a look at the official website yesterday morning, which flagged the hike as a method of ‘penance!’ for sins committed over the weekend. Curiously, that wording has disappeared from the site this evening. Evidence removed?
Something else that has disappeared from the internet is the post above, dated May 26 2025, which appeared on the Mayo Pride Instagram earlier this week.
Why delete the post?
Did someone point out to the organisers that their desecration of Catholic icons and mockery of the faith belies something more sinister within the movement?
If Mayo Pride use blasphemous iconography grossly offensive to Catholics as a promotional tool, should they be facilitated by sponsors, including Mayo County Council and pharma company Abbvie, along with Gardai, to ‘hike’ Ireland’s Holy Mountain in an official Pride event? The removal of the Instagram post surely denotes something a little sinister is afoot?
The transgender pride colours transferred upon the 16th Century religious icon have specific meaning. Is the purpose of ‘Child of Drag’ to target children specifically?
When someone sent me notification of the ‘Big Gay Hike’ yesterday, I was at first conflicted. Perhaps they will have a spiritual moment on the mountain. Maybe the experience will bring them closer to God?
But the spirit of the climb is important. And those ascending under a spirit of mockery will suffer for those actions. This is my belief, as a Christian.
The Child of Prague is a deeply significant religious figure in Catholic tradition, particularly in Ireland, Spain and parts of Eastern Europe. The icon represents the infancy of Jesus Christ and is venerated as a symbol of divine protection and providence, especially in times of need. In Ireland, it holds a specific folk resonance in the invocation for good weather, to be placed outside on the evening before a wedding.
Catholics see Jesus not only as a crucified savior but also as a child. Vulnerable, accessible, and pure. The Child of Prague statue invites believers to reflect on God’s humility in becoming a child and entering the world in innocence.
What might this tell us of what Mayo Pride hope to achieve for innocent children?
Is the official promotional image below, suitable for something that’s billed as a community event?
On the Mayo Pride Facebook page, Co-Chair Shaun talks about the need for visibility for the LGBT community. He says that LGBT community members in rural Ireland face specific challenges such as ‘isolation or access to healthcare.’
Notably, the blurb on his Facebook video notes that the festival needs ‘now more than ever to pushback against rising hate.’
Does the content of this Substack constitute hate?
The image below contains the official list of Mayo Pride sponsors. These include pharma company Abbvie, which is involved in the production of puberty blockers, and two State institutions, Irish Rail, and Mayo County Council.
Le Chéile is a national, volunteer mentoring and family support service co-funded by the Government of Ireland and the European Social Fund, it works with young people and their families, where the young person is involved in or at risk of offending.
OutWest is a voluntary social, support and advocacy group for LGBT+ people in the West of Ireland. It was originally founded in 1997 as Mayo Roscommon Outreach.
Are these sponsors content to fund anti-Catholic promotional material that desecrates the faith? Might these actions not be described as hate?
What spiritual dangers are the organisers leading young, vulnerable or unwitting attendees into?
Is it not troubling that such events mock not only the faith of so many Catholics in Ireland, but their own ancestors also? How many climbed barefoot to attend Holy Mass on the mountain top across centuries of difficult times - oppression, hunger, war, emigration? Maybe the Mayo Pride organisers’ own ancestors climbed the mountain for them?
How is it acceptable to promote the desecration of an icon that adorned window sills in cottages across the country - a symbol of faith - so closely interwoven into our cultural identity?
Remember this episode at Mayo Pride last year, when the Irish political establishment fell asunder and then fled, when faced with the honest question:
‘Have you anything to say about Enoch Burke?’
Is it not time that the membership, promoters and sponsorship of Mayo Pride answer some honest questions too?
Thanks to those supporting this work:
Louise, thanks so much for highlighting this desecration. These people crave controversy and attention, because their message is sterile and boring. The sexual depravity and crimes against decency have reached the limit of what is achievable, and are no longer controversial enough. Their need for "recognition" can never be met, because there is and always will be a gaping hole in their lives-the hole filled not with pride in, but true love for family, faith and fatherland. Vacuous victimhood is all they have, and in their rage seek to destroy what others hold dear. June is and has been for centuries, the month of the Sacred Heart. Enjoy it.
It will never cease to amaze me that they only use Catholic symbols to desecrate and mock and never other religions. That shows cowardice as a root of this movement.