It’s LGBT History Month at Tallaght Library
Tags: At Swim Two Boys, bisexual, Brian Lacey, David Norris, Denis Keohe, Emma Donoghue, GAAY Snapshots, gay, gus van sant, Irish Queer Archive, Jamie O'Neill, Jarlath Gregory, Katherine O'Donnell, lesbian, LGBT History, LGBT History Month, Milk, Nights Beneath the Nation, Tallaght Library, Terrible Queer Creatures A History of Homosexuality in Ireland, Tonie Walsh, Transgender LGBT History Month is marked annually in the USA and in the UK, although at different times of the year in each country.
The Ladies of Llangollen, Eleanor Butler and Sarah Ponsonby
In the UK, it takes place each February. This year, for the first time, Ireland marks LGBT History Month, with events taking place at Tallaght County Library each week this February. We’ve previously mentioned 20th century LGBT history from the American perspective on this blog, but it is hugely imporant, too, that Irish LGBTs know their history.
Events at Tallaght Library will take place on 11th, 18th and 25th February 2010, and will include guest speakers Jamie O’Neill (author of At Swim, Two Boys), Denis Kehoe (author of Nights Beneath the Nation), Jarlath Gregory (author of G.A.A.Y. Snapshots), author Brian Lacey and Senator David Norris. On 25th February, there will be a screening of Gus Van Sant’s Oscar winning film, Milk.
Ongoing throughout the month of February will be an exhibition curated by writer and historian, Tonie Walsh, featuring items from the Irish Queer Archive.
Lacey is author of Terrible Queer Creatures: A History of Homosexuality in Ireland, and devotes a chapter to the history of “Irishwomen who loved women.” He opens the chapter with:
A separate chapter on women might seem no more than tokenism in a book like this; however, the limited nature of the history of lesbianism in Ireland is not just because of the usual kind patriarchal historiography. Much of our evidence for male homosexuality in the past in Europe arises from major scandals and from court records. As close and even romantic friendships between women were not considered unusual until the beginning of the twentieth century, and as lesbian sexual relations were never illegal in the way that male involvements were, the same sort of documentation that exists for men is just not available for women.
Dr James Miranda Barry, neé Margaret Ann Bulkley
Certainly invisibility is something that lesbians experience today and in history (and women have long been invisible in history in many ways, due mostly to patriarchy and class division). There are those who strive to uncover our histories, however, the likes of academic Katherine O’Donnell and author Emma Donoghue springing to mind.
Of course, it’s important to avoid applying the attitudes and identities of today onto historical personalities. The notion or identity of “gay” and “lesbian” as we may understand it is relatively new. Even the vocabulary to articulate such identities would not have existed – or was very different – to the language we now use. (Ye olde “mollies” and modern day “gay men” may not be directly comparable, for example.)
And yet, even in recent Irish history, the lesbian noggins don’t feature too prominently above the parapet: many will have heard of Hilton Edwards and Micheál Mac Liammhóir, for instance, but who can point to similarly well-known (and quietly, publicly accepted) lesbians? Perhaps I’m displaying my ignorance, though.
What are your thoughts of Irish LGBT history? Are there any women-loving women who stand out for you?
Frances Power Cobbe
Booking for the Literary Evening and the talk on Irish Gay History is essential. Please Telephone 01-4620073 to secure a place. All are welcome to attend the film night.
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In a lot of the publicity South Dublin Co Co are saying it’s the second time this has been organised in Tallaght – it must not have been advertised very well last year. I also came across a leaflet on LGBT books that Tallaght Library recommended as well which I found interesting and refreshing
As a complete aside there are also moves for South Dublin County Council to speak to Dublin Pride about organising events in Tallaght
http://thelooneyleft.blogspot.com/2010/02/press-release-bring-gay-pride-to.html
Thanks for all your info, Ian!
Oh yeah, I saw Cllr Looney’s blog breifly yesterday – an interesting proposal!
I wasn’t aware that the Library had LGBT History Month last year – oops! Shame it wasn’t advertised as well – do you know if is there any info on what events were held in 2009?
Click Here, can you please tell us if those pictures come from Brian Lacey’s book. I would love to learn more about those women!
No – can find very little info on last year – just a link from a UK blog that doesn’t work
@Betty – No, I’m afraid Brian Lacey’s book is sans illustrations (or at least the edition I have is!). Those images were found on the internet, the first two on Wikipedia, and the last through a search on Google. : )
Unfortunately the chapter in his book about Irish lesbians is a little brief. I’ll see if I can find out more about the women mentioned above – there is certainly information online about them. (Perhaps Katherine O’Donnell has some published works about them?)
@Ian – Ah, I see, tis a shame. (I wonder if the Library might have info about it still..?)
Fascinating thing LGBT history; there were so many quares involved in all manner of historic events, but we’re not told.
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