Reeling in the Queers: Tales of Irelands LGBTQ Past

The modern story of LGBTQ liberation in Ireland is often framed as one of success, with the triumph of the Marriage Equality referendum in 2015, the passing of the Gender Recognition Act that same year, and later the ascendancy of LGBTQ figure Leo Varadkar to the height of power as Taoiseach in 2017. While a lot has changed for LGBTQ liberation more broadly in Ireland, that is only half the story. The variety of LGBTQ life across the island is too abundant and too diverse to be contained to these singular moments of progress. Ireland’s growing LGBTQ archives, along with the community who lived through decades of activism, contain a rich wealth of records and stories relating to the country’s LGBTQ communities. This book digs deep into these archives and people’s stories. In doing so, the book excavates a community’s history, built by generations of LGBTQ people to offer a rich and kaleidoscopic window into the lesser told stories of Ireland’s LGBTQ activism and history, from the visit of Hollywood royalty to Dublin’s “gay scene”, to the mother of a gay son who caught the ear of a government minister and changed history, to a group of LGBTQ people who became involved in the Republican struggle to how Ireland’s current President fought against conservatism to ensure an AIDS awareness campaign made it to television. These are just some of the stories that spin a rich tapestry of LGBTQ life in Ireland. As we approach 50 years since the founding of a gay rights movement in Ireland in 2024, Reeling in the Queers, seeks to offer an overview of individual perseverance, poignant losses and stirring collective gains, as it provides a front row seat to over 50 years of LGBTQ life across the island, while lifting the lid on Ireland’s hidden histories.