Awareness
PHOTOS: A Day in May photograph exhibition for Limerick LGTBI Pride
Journalist and author, Charlie Bird with the Limerick participants for ‘A Day in May’.
Picture by Cian Reinhardt/ilovelimerick.
A Day in May photograph exhibition for Limerick LGTBI Pride. A Day in May.
A Day in May photograph exhibition will launch in The Belltable, 69 O’Connell Street on Monday July 11 from 6pm-7.30pm. The exhibition will remain open to the public until July 15 to coincide with Limerick LGBTI Pride.
On May 23 2015 the people of Ireland made history by becoming the first country in the world to pass same sex marriage by popular vote. The joyous scenes from across Ireland and Dublin Castle, as the historic vote was declared, made headlines across the globe.
But more than anything else, the May 2015 vote was about changing the ‘Real Lives’ of the largest minority of people in Ireland: the LGBT Community.
Charlie Bird, distinguished RTE broadcaster traveled the length and breadth of Ireland to record the moving stories of some 80 people impacted by the Marriage Equality referendum. 52 stories and personal photographs are combined in the ‘A Day in May’ book published by Merrion Press.
Featuring stunning portraits by leading Irish photographers: Karl Hayden, Tristan Hutchinson, John Minihan (famous for his portraits of Samuel Beckett), Peter MacMenamin, John McColgan of Riverdance fame and Kate Nolan.
Included in the portraits are Limerick locals Sharon Slater, Jenny Hannon and Caroline Steward, all of whom shared their story in the specially produced book, “A Day In May” by Charlie Bird – a poignant record to be read by everyone, gay and straight alike. The portraits compliment the voices on paper to powerful effect, amplifying the life-affirming impact of the Day in May 2015 when Ireland said Yes to Equality.
All proceeds from the sale of the book are going to suicide awareness and prevention. The event is organized by Yes Equality Limerick and supported by Limerick LGBTI Pride and GOSSH.
“…these stories collected by Charlie Bird, filled with bracing honesty and heart-breaking personal revelation, make clear that being gay in Ireland was perhaps a more essential aspect of Irish history and Irish reality than anyone was aware.”
Colm Tóibín
Read more about The Limerick LGBTI Pride Festival 2016 here
Find out more about LGBTI community here
Pictures by Cian Reinhardt/ilovelimerick