Split screen of three vintage H.A.M. posters Niall Sweeney To write the history of H.A.M. is to write the history of one of the most significant chapters in the social and cultural fabric of Dublin. Han Tiernan explains how its evolution would irrevocably shift the club scene and queer nightlife and would leave an indelible mark on Irish theatre, drag, culture, art, and even graphic design. Nestled beneath the vaulted ceiling of POD nightclub in the former Harcourt Street train station, H.A.M. – or, to give it its full title, Homo-Action-Movies for Butcher Queers – delivered a new sensibility ..read more

Three side-by-side photos of performers from June Pride events happening in Ireland Pride season is already in full swing in Ireland, and with so many events happening in June, it’s so easy to fill the entire month with queer joy. From drag balls to dyke nights, if you’ve managed to keep a few spots open in your diary, now is the time to schedule some LGBTQ+ gigs and performances to enjoy in the month of June. MasterclassJune 4-29  After an award-winning international tour, Brokentalkers and New York feminist comic Adrienne Truscott are bringing Masterclass to Ireland for a hilarious ex ..read more

Photo of Alice Linehan, who has been appointed Editor of GCN, smiling at the camera with an outdoor background. Stefano Pappalardo Alice Linehan has been appointed the new Editor of GCN magazine. Having started out as a volunteer in 2021, Alice has been an invaluable member of the GCN team for over three years. After proving her talent and dedication to the organisation while volunteering, in September 2021, Alice took on the role of Project Lead of the award-winning In & Out Digital Festival of LGBTQ+ creativity. She then moved on to become Multimedia Journalist, contributing to GCN’s mi ..read more

Lyra McKee sitting in a bus. @castleDD (via Twitter) The trial for the three men charged with the murder of Lyra McKee has commenced, marking a significant moment in Northern Ireland’s recent history.  Lyra McKee, a prominent queer journalist, was tragically killed on April 18, 2019, while covering a night of violent unrest in the Creggan area of Derry. The 29-year-old was struck by a bullet reportedly aimed at police. The trial, which began on Thursday, May 30, after being delayed amid legal arguments, sees three men—Peter Cavanagh, 35, Jordan Devine, 23, and Paul McIntyre, 56—facing ch ..read more

Photo of seven people sitting in front of Pride Vibes purple background. Pride Vibes Pride Vibes, the radio station dedicated to celebrating the LGBTQ+ community, is back again broadcasting across all Ireland. So get ready for a full month of unforgettable rainbow radio shows! Set to go live on FM from June 1, Pride Vibes is back for its third year with an enhanced lineup of presenters, including Sean Munsanje, Shivani Dave, Crossy, Stephen Byrne, and Vicki Blight. The radio station aims to illuminate Irish queer life by celebrating the triumphs of the LGBTQIA+ community and sparking conversa ..read more

Photo of CMAT performing on stage, she recently pulled out of the Latitude Festival in solidarity with Palestine. https://www.instagram.com/p/C5mEwisMcfN/?hl=en&img_index=1 CMAT has pulled out of her main stage act at the Latitude festival in solidarity with Palestine as Israel continues its brutal war on Gaza. The bisexual Irish singer-songwriter shared that she made the decision because Barclays Bank is the festival’s headline sponsor. In her statement posted to Instagram, CMAT shared that Barclays “increased their financing of various companies who are supplying weapons and military te ..read more

Nicola Coughlan, who accidentally penned the unofficial gay song of the summer, looking at the camera in a striped shirt. In a recent interview with Hits Radio UK, Irish actress Nicola Coughlan opened up about her dream job, admitting that she’d love to make camp music “exclusively for gay men” and accidentally penned the gay bop of the summer in the process.  Coughlan, best known for her roles as Clare Devlin in the hit Channel 4 series Derry Girls, and as Penelope Featherington in the wildly successful Netflix drama Bridgerton, has long been a supporter of the LGBTQ+ community. From he ..read more

From left to right, portrait images of queer celebrities Bambi Thug, Olly Alexander, and Panti Bliss. via Instagram Following an Israeli airstrike on a tented area for displaced people in Rafah on May 26, which is now being referred to as the “Tent Massacre”, a number of queer celebrities spoke out in support of Palestine, renewing calls for a ceasefire and condemning Israel’s genocidal actions.  The recent attack reportedly resulted in the death of at least 45 civilians in Rafah, with images of the aftermath of the assault prompting a number of world leaders and queer celebrities to ren ..read more

A gay couple standing in front of a window holding a baby in their arms. Via Pexels - Karolina Grabowska The Assisted Human Reproduction Bill, a piece of proposed Irish legislation governing surrogacy and family relationships, passed through the final stage of the Dáil last evening, May 29. The bill, which will now travel to the Seanad, seeks to “provide standards and regulation on reproductive healthcare and fertility technologies in Ireland.” As of now, there are no legal measures in Ireland that govern domestic or international surrogacy.  Health Minister Stephen Donnelly praised the ..read more

Side-by-side team photos of Cork Hellhounds and Emerald Warriors who made historic débuts during the International Gay Rugby World Cup Cork Hellhounds RFC, Cork’s first LGBTQ+ inclusive rugby team, and the Emerald Warriors, Ireland’s oldest and leading LGBTQ+ rugby club, made history at the International Gay Rugby (IGR) Bingham World Cup in Rome, where the first of the two Irish teams won the Challenger Cup. This year was the first time both Irish teams took part in the Bingham Cup, a bi-annual competition hosted by IGR, an organisation that brings together LGBTQ+ inclusive rugby clubs from a ..read more