“We demonstrated to be considered part of the Irish race” - Derry man commemorates 50th anniversary of first Irish gay rights demonstration

The invitation was extended to Mr. Kerrigan by the Provost of Trinity College, Linda Doyle, the college’s first female provost, as part of Dublin Pride celebrations. 

Professor Linda Doyle, right, Provost of Trinity College Dublin with Evan Blake, left, organiser of Trinity staff LGBTQ’s at Provost's Garden Party and Micheál Kerrigan in the middle

Micheál explained the establishment of a gay college society which was radical for its time. He said: “I was a student at Trinity and I got a scholarship in the Bogside, I was one of the first Catholics to go there. I had to get special permission from the Bishop of Derry to be able to go there. The Bishop said ‘No.’, but my mother said ‘yes you can.’ I was very surprised she defied the Bishop, so anyway, off I went and this was what came of it.

“Now in universities and colleges all over the world they’re called ‘gaysocs’, gay societies, but in those days there weren't any. Really we weren’t allowed to use the word ‘gay’, so when we set up ours we called it the Sexual Liberation Movement."

The SLM was diverse and inclusive. Topics for discussion were varied and included feminism, racism, colonialism, art, poetry, and literature.

“So from there we organised a symposium on homosexuality in the junior common room and afterwards we had the first gay disco there. This was all happening in 1974 the same year we decided to organise a demonstration outside the Department of Justice, in an attempt to legalise homosexuality. It was illegal up until 1993 in the Republic. 20 years before that, it wasn’t legalised yet.”

The law changed in the UK in 1967, which decriminalised private homosexual acts between men aged over 21, while at the same time imposing heavier penalties on street offences. In the North, this law was not put in place until 1982.

Following the footsteps of the New York Stonewall Riots of June 1969 and the annual commemorative Pride Parades in the US from 1970 onwards, the first public Irish gay rights demonstration took place in Dublin on 27 June 1974. 

Dublin Pride events have been held in the city annually from 1979, and the date of the SLM demonstration is considered the inaugural date. 

“The demo was for legalisation,” continued Micheál. “To make us part of the race, part of the Irish race. The feeling on the day to be honest was surreal. There were eight of us walking around the Department of Justice, and it was a sort of a weird feeling. It was received with bewilderment to be honest. The traffic around St. Stephen’s Green was slowing down to look at us and stopping, wondering what was going on. 

“It was surreal, a bit odd, a bit strange to be walking around there with the placards. Now nobody said anything to us, there wasn’t any violence or trouble, but I was shaking. I was very nervous and full of anxiety, turmoil and confusion. I thought ‘Oh my God, I better write to my parents and tell them I’m gay before they see me on the news.’”

Speaking of the commemoration of the demonstration on Thursday, Micheál said: “We were invited down by the Provost of Trinity College, Linda Doyle. As part of Dublin Pride Week,  she had a garden party for the LGBT community of staff and students. We also did a gay tour of Trinity, in the footsteps of Oscar Wilde and I spoke a little after. She had the first one last year, which I was at as well, and has decided this year that this will be an annual occurrence, which is brilliant.

Micheal enjoying the garden party

“Linda Doyle welcomed me and those left of the original group. There are very few of us left, it was only actually me and Mary Dorcey that were there from the original group.” 

There were ten people in the original group - Micheál Kerrigan, Mary Dorcey, Ruth Riddick, Margaret McWilliams, Irene Brady, Gerry McNamara, Hugo McManus, Peter Bradley, Edmund Lynch, and David Norris. 

“I will go around later today to the Department of Justice, just in memory of and to reflect on the 50 years since, you know?”

Micheál Kerrigan’s play ‘Nancy Boy Shenanigans’, which deals with all the conflicts, confusion and debates that went on through this period of his life, will be shown in The Playhouse on 22-23 August. 

Nancy Boy Shenanigans promotional poster - Photograph by Teresa Lyle

Nancy Boy Shenanigans is produced by Shá Gillespie, directed by JP Conaghan, and will be performed by Andy Doherty. Performances will be at 8pm each day, and tickets can be purchased in The Playhouse or on their website - derryplayhouse.co.uk for £15/12.