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Evanna Lynch supports keeping same sex marriage legal in Maine

ANTOINETTE KELLY

IrishCentral.com Staff Writer

Published Friday, October 16, 2009, 11:58 AM

Updated Friday, October 16, 2009, 4:22 PM

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Read more: Harry Potter, Maine, Concerts and Tour Dates, Entertainment, Music, Evanna Lynch, Social Issues, LGBT Issues, Same-Sex Marriage, Special Interest Groups

Evanna Lynch: Lending her name to a "Harry Potter" cause

“Harry Potter” star Evanna Lynch is headlining part of a grassroots effort to keep same sex marriage legal in the state of Maine.

The Irish actress is part of an effort to defeat a November 3 ballot initiative in Maine that seeks to repeal a recent state law legalizing same sex marriage.

The Massachusetts-based nonprofit group called the Harry Potter Alliance, which is “dedicated to bringing the themes of Harry Potter into the real world,” announced an October 24 concert series called “Wrock 4 Equality!” in Portland, Maine where they will campaign to get the repeal turned down.

During this “magical day of activism,” two indie rock bands called Harry and the Potters and Draco and the Malfoys will perform at a “live wizard rock show.” Then the bands, along with concert goers, will spend the day going door-to-door, encouraging Maine voters to vote against Proposition 1.

A second concert will be live-streamed to fans across the world, who are urged to take part in a phone bank by registering in a one-day House Cup Competition.

Participants will register in the Hogwarts House of their choice: Ravenclaw, Gryffindor, Slytherin and Hufflepuff.

Evanna Lynch, who plays Luna Lovegood in the “Harry Potter” series, will serve as the Head of Ravenclaw.

Points will be awarded to a Hogwarts House each time someone calls in, or someone knocks on a door in Maine to advocate protection of marriage equality.

“The parallels in Harry Potter around equal rights, including marriage equality, abound,” said Andrew Slack, the Harry Potter Alliance’s executive director.

In fact, “Potter” author J.K. Rowling announced to the world that beloved character, the Hogwarts Headmaster Albus Dumbledore, is gay.

“He hasn’t changed – he’s still our Dumbledore,” Lynch said at the time.

Maine's same sex marriage law was passed in May and a marriage equality bill was signed by the governor in September, but opponents gathered enough signatures to organize a ballot that would repeal the law. The ballot is called Proposition 1 (similar to California’s Proposition 8), and the Harry Potter Alliance, along with Mass and Maine Equality, gay rights groups, have set out to promote a “no” vote.

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As the Irish people have a genuine sense of fun, Irish entertainment can be found in every town, village, city and county. One of the most popular forms is the festival, which is used to celebrate all sorts of occasions &emdash; everything from literary pursuits to a love of oysters. Here are a few highlights of entertainment in Ireland throughout the year: Londonderry boasts the biggest Halloween Festival in the world with around 30,000 celebrating the ancient Celtic New Year every October. Grab a dodgy mask and join the party! / The Belfast Festival at Queen’s is Ireland’s biggest International Festival and boasts an eclectic mix of music, talks, comedy, exhibitions and film. / The Galway Races, the Rose of Tralee Festival, Puck Fair in Killorglin, and the Oul’ Lammas Fair in Ballycastle are world famous and offer a great chance to enjoy Irish entertainment, life and laughs with the locals. / Food festivals are now a big draw in Ireland with local produce scoring high among international foodies. Head to the famous oyster festivals in Clarenbridge in Galway, or Hillsborough, County Down. / Tune in to a spot of music with the Open House Festival in Belfast, the Waterford International Festival of Light Opera, or the Feile an Phobail in west Belfast. Or grab a pint and tap your feet to some cool tunes at the Guinness Cork Jazz Festival. / If you prefer your festivals small and intimate, try the harp festivals in Roscommon or the rough and ready horse and pony fairs from Cavan to Cork. Even today, the horses are priced in guineas, and bought and sold with a spit in the hand. / At the other end of the scale of entertainment in Ireland lies the Wexford Opera Festival with full-scale opera productions, concerts, recitals, talks, cabaret, fireworks, and, of course, parties. / For something a little different, try the Magnus Barelegs Festival in Downpatrick offering a slice of Viking life, or the Eagle Wing Festival in Groomsport, County Down, which celebrates Ireland’s cultural links with America. / Theater fans should head to Dublin for both the Dublin Theatre Festival and the excellent Dublin Fringe Festival, with wildly exciting performances taking place in fabulous venues. / Around March 17, the country turns a shade of green for a host of St Patrick’s Festivals. All over the country, from the Saint’s hallowed burial place in Downpatrick to the more carnival atmosphere of parades and exceptional fireworks in Dublin and Belfast. / Literary lovers should head to Dublin in June for the intriguing Bloomsday Festival, where fans of Joyce’s Gargantuan Ulysses dress up in traditional gear and scoff old Dublin food like “nutty gizzards” and “urine-soaked kidneys”. Alternatively, seek out the delights of the Aspects Literature Festival in Bangor in September, an annual celebration of Irish literature with lectures, discussion and music. But festivals are just one aspect of Irish entertainment—let's not forget about music! From impromptu sessions in your local bar to the thrilling beat of U2, Ireland has always been home to the best sounds of music. Ireland’s massive successes in the Irish entertainment world include some bands and artists you may have heard of…U2, The Corrs, Enya, Westlife, Snow Patrol, Ash, David Holmes, Van Morrison and The Thrills, to name just a few. Unique and distinctive, the harp holds a special place in Irish entertainment and has come to symbolize the harmony of people and music in Ireland. It’s the earliest musical instrument mentioned in Irish literature and has been used as an official emblem for Ireland since medieval times. Today, it’s on Irish passports and stamps. But there's more: Fleadhs, or festivals, are a major part of Irish entertainment as well as cultural life, and impromptu trad sessions have become the stuff of legend at West Belfast’s Feile an Phobail, the Galway Racing Festival or Kerry’s Puck Fair. Rock and dance music festivals are also big news with the Oxegen Festival, Tennents Vital Belfast and the Electric Picnic held in summer.

Evanna Lynch supports keeping same sex marriage legal in Maine

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