RTÉ came under fire when they were accused of misgendering Dr Barry and in 2019, acclaimed author EJ Levy was also criticised after referring to Dr Barry using she/her pronouns.Īssistant Professor of Gender Studies at UCD, Dr Mary McAuliffe, however, said “In the histories of James Barry there have been suggestions being a hermaphrodite, of being intersex. However, when Dr James Barry died, the public became aware that he was in fact assigned female at birth. He had requested upon his death that there should be no examination of his person. One of his most impactful relationships was with George Dyer, as depicted in the film Love Is The Devil as a small time thief who met Bacon when he attempted to rob his house.Ī historical military surgeon, Dr James Barry was one of the most celebrated in his field.
FAMOUS GAY MEN HISTORY SERIES
The unique and autobiographical nature of much of his work has gone on to inspire some of the biggest names in art such, as Julian Schnabel and Damien Hirst.īacon was a gay man and had a series of relationships with men. Read stated how she identified with neither women nor men, stating, “I am just me”.įrancis Bacon is one of Ireland’s most celebrated artists. The women rejected the gender expectations placed on them and dressed how they wished. Both were born into modest backgrounds, but defied their circumstances and entered a predominantly male profession. However, an expert group in 2002 concluded that there was no doubt to their authenticity, thereby confirming Casement’s identity as a gay man.Ī recent audiobook series brought the story of queer pirates, Mary Read, and her partner, Irish woman Anne Bonny, to life.
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Some Republicans claimed that the diaries were forgeries and refused to recognise Casement’s sexuality as valid. They contained often explicit and detailed descriptions of his encounters with other men. Casement kept journals that came to be known as the Black Diaries. Casement’s sexuality was disputed for years following his death. Their inscription reads “faithful comrade, lifelong friend”.Īnother well-known figure in queer Irish history, Casement was an Irish patriot in the 20th century. Today, the couple are buried together in Glasnevin cemetery. At the end of the Easter Rising, it was O’Farrell who delivered the surrender notes to the rebel garrisons, while Grenan was one of the last rebels to leave the GPO in 1916. After attending convent school together, they together entered the world of activism.ĭuring the Rising, Grenan and O’Farrell worked as couriers, delivering ammunition, and caring for the injured. O’Farrell was a nurse, while Grenan was a dressmaker and furrier.
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Two heroines of the Rising, Elizabeth O’Farrell and Julia Grenan were also a couple. He was incarcerated in London’s Pentonville, and after his release from prison, he spent his remaining years in exile in Paris until his death at the age of 46 on November 30th, 1900.Įlizabeth O’Farrell and Julia Grenan Elizabeth O’Farrell (L) and Julia Grenan (R) Educated in Trinity College Dublin and Oxford, he wrote globally-renowned works such as The Picture of Dorian Gray and comic masterpiece, The Importance of Being Earnest.Īlthough married to a woman, Oscar Wilde was a gay man and was famously imprisoned for gross indecency following consensual encounters with men.
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One of the most acclaimed playwrights, poets and novelists of the 19th century, Oscar Wilde is arguably the most famous figure in queer Irish history. In recognition of LGBT+ history month, and the contribution of Ireland’s queer community to politics, art and culture, we have compiled a list of nine trailblazing figures in Irish history.īy no means exhaustive, this is just a small list to encourage you to look further into Ireland’s queer history. Queer people have been shaping history since the birth of humankind, but shame and secrecy have meant that these people’s queerness is often forgotten.