Gay Ireland News & Entertament

Contents:

• A LOOK BACK AT DUBL'S INIC GAY CLUB FLIKKERS
• INTYGCN HAS SPORTED EIGHT MASTHEADS SCE S TABLISHMENT 1988, EVOLVG OM AN A3 BROADSHEET NEWSPAPER TO AN A4 FULL LOUR MAGAZE. EACH REBRAND POSNED GCN A NEW LIGHT FOR BOTH S REARS AND ADVERTISERS, ALLOWG TO ENDURE FOR MORE THAN 30 YEARS AS IRELAND’S LGBT+ PRS AND ONE OF EUROPE’S LONGT NNG EE PUBLITNS.THE FIRST ISSUE OF GAY COMMUNY NEWS WAS RELEASED, EDED BY TONIE WALSH AND CATHERE GLENDON AND SIGNED BY NIALL SWEENEY.SEVEN ISSU , GCN WAS RESIGNED BY NIALL SWEENEY. WH ‘GAY’ THE TOP LEFT RNER, WE WERE OUT AND PROUD.A YEAR LATER, SIGNER ANNABEL KONIG REIMAGED THE BRAND, WH THE WORD ‘GAY’ EXPANDG TO BEE A LOGO SELF.DIGNED BY SANDY CAMPBELL AND RICHARD PRENRVILLE, AND EDED BY FRANCIS THACKABERRY, THE NEW LOOK AIMED TO REFLECT A BROADSHEET NEWSPAPER.WH NEW SIGN AND BRANDG OM MRICE FARRELL, GAY COMMUNY NEWS WAS ABBREVIATED TO GCN FOR THE FIRST TIME. AENG CARROLL WAS THEN EDOR.WH REBRANDG BY FNáN HEALY, GCN WENT FULL LOUR, AND CHANGED FORMAT BEG A ‘MAGALOID’, A CROSS BETWEEN MAGAZE AND TABLOID.“GCN MAY HAVE CHANGED, BUT FUNDAMENTALLY ’S THE SAME,” CLARED EDOR BRIAN FNEGAN AS A NEW BRANDG WAS LNCHED, SIGNED AGA BY FNáN HEALY.DIGNER DAVE DARCY REBRAND THE MAGAZE FOR S BIG RELNCH, TRODUCG THE MORN GCN, WH EDOR LISA CONNELL CURRENTLY AT THE VERSLOOKG BACK2017200920031999199219891988HISTORYWHEN GCN ENQUIRED ABOUT ADVERTISG ON 2FM WAS TOLD THAT THIS WOULD NOT BE POSSIBLE, LT RTE BE SEEN AS ‘ADVOTG ILLEGAL ACTIVY’.IN FEBARY 1986, TWO YEARS BEFORE GCN FIRST SAW LIGHT OF DAY, OUT MAGAZE’S ATTEMPT TO BUY ADVERTISG ON RTÉ RAD 1 WAS REJECTED BEE OFFICIALS PLAED ED THE WORD GAY. WHEN PHED ON THE ISSUE, THE STATE BROADSTER MATAED THAT NNG A RAD AD WOULD BE SEEN TO ENURAGE ‘CRIMAL ACTIVY’, GIVEN THE EXISTG LEGISLATN THAT OUTLAWED SEX BETWEEN MEN.FOUND DECEMBER 1984 AND BANKROLLED THE MA BY THE NATNAL GAY FERATN (NGF), OUT WAS IRELAND’S FIRST ATTEMPT AT A MERCIALLY MASTREAM GAY PERDIL, FOLLOWG A LONG LE OF PUBLITNS STRETCHG BACK TO 1975.DISTRIBUTED BY EASON’S, WHO ONLY THREE YEARS EARLIER REFED TO STOCK ANY PUBLITN WH THE WORDS GAY OR LBIAN ON THE ONT VER, THE A4 MAGAZE ACHIEVED MORE WISPREAD PERATN THAN ANY PREV PUBLITN. NELL MCCAFFERTY WAS A REGULAR LUMNIST AND THROUGHOUT S FOUR YEAR HISTORY THE BI- MONTHLY MAGAZE LAID CLAIM TO SOME OF THE BT OF IRELAND’S QUEER WRERS, SIGNERS AND PHOTOGRAPHERS.WHEN THE FIRST AIDS ATHS WERE NOTIFIED 1985, THE DáIL LAYED FIVE YEARS BEFORE DISCSG THE HORROR OUR MIDST.RTÉ’S ATTUDISG WAS TYPIL OF IRISH ERNMENT AND CIVIL SOCIETY’S STUDIED DISENGAGEMENT OM IRELAND’S SEXUAL MORI. WHEN THE FIRST AIDS ATHS WERE NOTIFIED 1985, THE DáIL LAYED FIVE YEARS BEFORE DISCSG THE HORROR OUR MIDST; A FE GAEL MISTER FOR YOUTH CLED TO LNCH THE WORLD’S 2ND INTERNATNAL GAY YOUTH CONFERENCE AT DUBL’S HIRSCHFELD CENTRE, G THE SAME GET-OUT CLSE AS RTÉ; THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH WAS ADVISED BY THE ATTORNEY GENERAL NOT TO FUND A REPRT OF GAY HEALTH ACTN’S AIDS RMATN LEAFLETS; AND ALTHOUGH SENATOR DAVID NORRIS SUCCEED 1988 AT STRASBOURG’S EUROPEAN COURT OF HUMAN RIGHTS, THE ERNMENT DRAGGED S FEET FOR A FURTHER FIVE YEARS BEFORE FALLY REPEALG ALL HATEFUL ANTI-GAY LEGISLATN.WHEN OUT’S PRTERS, THE CARLOW & LESTER TIM, REFED TO PRT S PENULTIMATE ISSUE DUE TO WHAT THEY NSIRED AN ‘OFFENSIVE’ SAFER SEX AD, THE MAGAZE’S OPERATN WAS THROWN TO CHAOS.IN MON WH OTHER PREV PUBLITNS, NORTH AND SOUTH, OUT MAGAZE WAS PERENNIALLY UNR-PALISED AND STGGLED TO ACQUIRE ADVERTISG A SOCIALLY AND ENOMILLY HOSTILE ENVIRONMENT. WHEN S PRTERS, THE CARLOW & LESTER TIM, REFED TO PRT S PENULTIMATE ISSUE DUE TO WHAT THEY NSIRED AN ‘OFFENSIVE’ SAFER SEX AD, THE MAGAZE’S OPERATN WAS THROWN TO CHAOS. IT NEVER FULLY REVERED AND PUBLISHED S LAST EDN SEPTEMBER 1988.GAY COMMUNY NEWS WAS FIRST PROPOSED 1986. ITS ORIGAL A3 NEWSPRT FORMAT AND MIX OF REPORTAGE WAS MUCH FLUENCED BY GAY NEWS (LONDON), BOSTON’S OWN GAY COMMUNY NEWS AND THE BODY POLIC (TORONTO), THE LATTER ONE OF THE MOST SIGNIFINT, QUEER -OPERATIVE PUBLISHG VENTUR OF THE 1980S.SLATED FOR PUBLITN ON CHRISTMAS 1987, PRODUCTN WAS PHED OFF-URSE BY THE ATH ON AUGT 7TH OF ONE OF S - FOUNRS, CATHERE GLENDON, NGF GENERAL SECRETARY. THREE MONTHS LATER, THE HIRSCHFELD CENTRE, DUBL’S LGBT MUNY CENTRE AND NGF HEADQUARTERS, WAS IRREVOBLY DAMAGED BY FIRE, AT A STROKE CUTTG OFF THE MAGAZE’S POTENTIAL FUNDG STREAM.WH EVENTUAL PUBLITN MOOTED FOR ST. BRIGID’S DAY AND OPERATG ON A BUDGET OF IR£300 (€380), GCN FALLY APPEARED OFF THE PRS OF THE MEATH CHRONICLE ON FEBARY 10TH, 1988.GCN FACED ALMOST SURMOUNTABLE ODDS S EARLY DAYS: PERENNIAL EMIGRATN, AGILE, TEMPORARY OFFICE ACMODATN, A GRIM ENOMIC CLIMATE AND EVEN OCSNAL RELUCTANCE OM THE BURGEONG MERCIAL GAY SCENE.ON A NUMBER OF OCSNS, THE MA GAY BARS OF DUBL, THE GEE AND THE PARLIAMENT INN, REFED TO STOCK THE PUBLITN, AS DID POD DANCE CLUB, THE LATTER HAVG TAKEN UMBRAGE AT AN ACIDIC CLUB REVIEW.THE PAPER PLOUGHED ON, BENEFTG HUGELY OM PROGRSIVE BUY- BY REARS AND NTRIBUTORS, TYPIFIED BY THE CLN OF MUNSTER AND CONNGHT SUPPLEMENTS.GOVERNMENT WORK SCHEM, IATED 1989, BEME EVER MORE AMB WH THE ADVENT OF CRIMALISATN 1993 AND THE ROLL-OUT OF SOCIAL CLN POLICI. WHILE OPERATG OM THE TOP FLOOR OF DUBL’S NEW MUNY CENTRE, OUTHOE, THE PAPER HAD A STAFF OF 30, EMPLOYED AS MUCH SELF-DISVERY AND MUNY BUILDG AS LEARNG NEW SKILLS ART DIRECTN, JOURNALISM, PHOTOGRAPHY, ILLTRATN AND THE VELOPMENT OF SKTOP PUBLISHG.GCN TEAMED UP WH CLUB PROMOTER, CORMAC CASHMAN, TO N A WEEKLY CLUB NIGHT, MOTHER, THAT HAS BEE A QUEER SOCIAL STUTN THE TERVENG EIGHT YEARS SCE S CEPTN AT DUBL’S ARLGTON HOTEL.ADVERTISG ALSO BOOMED DURG THE SEPTIC TIGER YEARS, FACILATG THE MOVE TO FULL LOUR ART VERS.ON THE EVE OF THE LENNIUM, THE NEWSPAPER HAD A MAJOR OVERHL, DISPLAYG MUCH CLEANER GRAPHIC SIGN AND CREASED SPOT LOUR. MOVG TO A NEW OFFICE TEMPLE BAR 2001, THE ENDG OF MUNY EMPLOYMENT SCHEM WAS REFLECTED A MUCH RCED STAFF AND GREATER URGENCY TAPPG THE MYTHIL PK RO.ISSUE 165, PUBLISHED 2003, SAW A RADIL RESIGN OM NEWSPAPER TO ‘MAGLOID’. SIGNIFINT FUNDG OM ATLANTIC PHILANTHROPI LED TO A JUMP NFINCE AS GCN REPOSNED SELF TO PETE AN CREASGLY MERCIAL MARKET AND DISPTIVE DIGAL NEWS PLATFORMS. LIFTYLE ADS AND EATG OUT LUMNS ECHOEDTHE ASPIRATNAL, NSUMERIST SIR OF THE POPULATN AT LARGE.INTO THE SEND OF THE LENNIUM, THE MAGAZE GOT ANOTHER MAKEOVER AS A MORE ER-IENDLY A4 MAGAZE. MASTREAM MEDIA BEGAN TO CREASGLY PICK UP S LEAD STORI.THE GREAT RECSN SO IMPACTED THE MAGAZE’S ADVERTISG STREAM, KNOCKG ON AVERAGE €4K OFF EACH ISSUE, THE MAGAZE LNCHED S GCN FOREVER FUNDRAISG MPAIGN 2010. IT ALSO TEAMED UP WH CLUB PROMOTER, CORMAC CASHMAN, TO N A WEEKLY CLUB NIGHT, MOTHER, THAT HAS BEE A QUEER SOCIAL STUTN THE TERVENG EIGHT YEARS SCE S CEPTN AT DUBL’S ARLGTON HOTEL.THE MOST RECENT ERATN OF THE MAGAZE, PRTED ON SURPL IRISH WATER BILL PAPER STOCK, WAS RELNCHED WH GREAT FANFARE AT PANTIBAR JULY 2017.MOTHER’S LARGSE HAS PLUGGED A SMALL PART OF THE HOLE LEFT WHEN ATLANTIC PHILANTROPHI WOUND DOWN S SUBVENTN. IT ALSO SERV AS A REMR OF THE GHT NATURE OF NICHE PRT PUBLISHG, SOMETHG THE MAGAZE RECENTLY ADDRSED - AGA - WHEN LNCHED THE Q RD, AN AMPED-UP SUBSCRIBERS’ LOYALTY RD.THE MOST RECENT ERATN OF THE MAGAZE, PRTED ON SURPL IRISH WATER BILL PAPER STOCK, WAS RELNCHED WH GREAT FANFARE AT PANTIBAR JULY 2017.WH CREASED PAGATN AND A SLEW OF GUT NTRIBUTORS, THE MAGAZE NVEYS NEWLY ENERGISED POLIL AND CULTURAL REPORTAGE THROUGH AN ELEGANTLY SEXY, PARED- BACK VISUAL ATHETIC AND WH A QUIET NFINCE REDOLENT OF S JTIFIABLE POSN, AFTER THIRTY YEARS, AS THE IRISH QUEER PAPER OF RERD.PROCSIN LATE 1986, ACTIVISTS CATHERE GLENDON AND TONIE WALSH PROPOSED THAT THE NATNAL GAY FERATN (NGF), OF WHICH THEY WERE BOARD MEMBERS, PUBLISH AN A3 NEWSPRT PUBLITN.WHEN THE TABLOID EVENTUALLY SAW LIGHT OF DAY, GLENDON WAS AD AND THE NGF’S HEADQUARTERS HAD BEEN TORCHED. FOR THE FIRST YEAR OF OPERATN, THE NEWSPAPER WAS PUBLISHED OM THE DUBL NORTHSI OFFIC OF SENATOR DAVID NORRIS, RECENTLY APPOTED AS IRELAND’S FIRST OPENLY GAY PARLIAMENTARIAN. LACKG FUNDS, WAS A SIMPLE PRODUCTN G NGF’S SOLE TYPEWRER AND OUTSOURCED TYPETTG. NIALL SWEENEY, A 2ND YEAR GRAPHIC SIGNER AT IADT, CREATED THE MASTHEAD AND ART DIRECTED THE PUBLITN S FIRST YEAR. JUDH STORM OF THE NATNAL TRANSVTE LE LIVERED THE LAYOUT BOARDS TO GCN’S PRTERS, THE MEATH CHRONICLE, NAVAN.A YEAR ON, AS GCN EVENTUALLY MOVED BACK TO A PARTIALLY REFURBISHED HIRSCHFELD CENTRE, THREE PEOPLE WERE ENGAGED VOLUNTARILY WRG AND PRODUCG THE PAPER. BY LATE 1989, A FÁS MUNY EMPLOYMENT SCHEME ALLOWED THE PART-TIME HIRG OF A LARGER POOL OF TALENT. THE IMPACT WAS IMMEDIATE, WH MORE EXTENSIVE REPORTAGE AND ADVERTISG.THE OLD TEMPLE BAR HOME WAS SOLD NTROVERSIAL CIRCUMSTANC WH A GAGGG ORR PLACED ON THE NEWSPAPER’S EMPLOYE. BALLARD RPOND BY PUBLISHG A SGLE EXPLANATORY PARAGRAPH SURROUND BY A SEA OF NEGATIVE SPACE.MANAGG EDOR JOHN BERG, HAND OVER TO FRANCIS THACKABERRY JULY 1990, WH 24 PEOPLE PLACE, WORKG OR NTRIBUTG TO THE TEN PAGE TABLOID. THACKABERRY ACCELERATED THE VELOPMENT OF THE PAPER’S CULTURE SECTN AND PRID OVER A YEAR-LONG WOBBLE WHEN FÁS FUNDG WAS CUT DRAMATILLY.THE PAPER BOUNCED BACK UNR THE MID ‘90S STEWARDSHIP OF RICHIE PRENRVILLE, WHO OVERSAW THE TRODUCTN OF VOICEMAIL “CONNECT & CONTACT’, THE NEART THG TO A DATG APP FOR THOSE WHO WERE NOKIA-ENABLED OR HAD ACCS TO A LANDLE. CLASSIFIEDS GREW TO TWO FULL PAG AND FOUR PAGE SUPPLEMENTS WERE EACH PENNTLY PRODUCED BY WRERS AND ACTIVISTS CORK AND GALWAY.CATHAL KELLY BEME EDOR EARLY 1995, AND, WH OFFICE MANAGER MICHAEL MCGRANE AT HIS SI, WAS PERFECTLY PLACED TO EXPLO MANY CULTURAL AND ENOMIC CHANG FLOWG OM CRIMALISATN AND THE ADVANC OF THE SEPTIC TIGER.TWO DISTCT LBIAN PAG WERE ALREADY AN EMBEDD FEATURE AT THIS STAGE, AS WAS B&W VERAGE OF SOCIAL EVENTS. SPOT LOUR AND EVEN THE ODD FULL LOUR PHOTOGRAPH APPEARED WH GREATER EQUENCY, LEADG TO THE FIRST FULL LOUR ART VER DECEMBER 1996. PHOTOGRAPHED BY EAMON DOYLE AND SIGNED BY NIALL SWEENEY, THE VER ALSO ACKNOWLEDGED LATE 90’S RE-APPROPRIATN OF THE WORD ‘QUEER’.DEBORAH BALLARD’S TENURE AS EDOR CID WH A MOVE OM THE HIRSCHFELD CENTRE TO DUBL’S NEW LGBT MUNY ROURCE, OUTHOE, AT SOUTH WILLIAM STREET. THE OLD TEMPLE BAR HOME WAS SOLD NTROVERSIAL CIRCUMSTANC WH A GAGGG ORR PLACED ON THE NEWSPAPER’S EMPLOYE. BALLARD RPOND BY PUBLISHG A SGLE EXPLANATORY PARAGRAPH SURROUND BY A SEA OF NEGATIVE SPACE.SHE WAS ALSO RPONSIBLE FOR THE MEDIAWATCH PAG LONG BEFORE SHE BEME EDOR, G HER FORENSIC LEGAL EYE TO SCTISE MASTREAM PRT AND BROADST MEDIA VERAGE OF LGBT ISSU.BALLARD PRID OVER THE CENTENARY ISSUE, PUBLISHED OCTOBER 1997, WH A WRAPAROUND VER FEATURG THUMBNAILS OF ALL THE 100 VERS, AGA SIGNED BY NIALL SWEENEY. CONTAG AN EXTRAORDARY RANGE OF WELL-WRTEN OPN, THIS 100 PAGE EDN IS NOW RIGHTLY NSIRED A LLECTOR’S EM.IN SPRG 1999, PRINT MARY MCALEE OFFICIALLY MEMORATED THE OPENG OF DUBL’S OUTHOE, WHILE SOME RELIG BIGOTS PROTTED OUTSI ON SOUTH WILLIAM STREET. THE PRINT WAS ALSO BROUGHT ON A TOUR OF GCN’S OFFIC AND THAT OF THE IRISH QUEER ARCHIVE.AENG CARROLL OVERSAW A TRANSFORMATN OF THE PAPER A UPLE OF MONTHS LATER. A GEO, BOLD NEW MASTHEAD WAS SIGNED BY MRICE FARRELL, AND HIS E OF TYPEFACE, JUDIC KERNG AND MORE GENERO NEGATIVE SPACE CREATED AN IMMEDIATELY H, UNCLUTTERED AND ELEGANT PUBLITN OF 48 PAG, READY TO EMBRACE WHATEVER LAY ON THE OTHER SI OF THE NEW LENNIUM.NLGF -CHAIR AILBHE SMYTH BETIFULLY ENUNCIATED A VISN FOR THE 17YR-OLD PUBLITN THAT WOULD SEE ‘VELOPG S NTRIBUTN TO POLIL, TELLECTUAL AND CULTURAL LIFE THIS UNTRY GENERALLY AND TO BE SAYG THAT LGBT ISSU ARE EVERYBODY’S ISSU…SO THAT GCN BE ONE OF THE LEADG, CUTTG-EDGE, THKG PUBLITNS THIS UNTRY.’KERRYMAN AND AMIC, MICHAEL CRON, ASSUMED A SHORT RETAKER EDOR ROLE BEFORE HANDG OVER TO ANOTHER LONG-TIME STAFFER, STEPHEN MULKEARN.ALMOST IMMEDIATELY, MULKEARN ADDRSED THE UNBALANCED INOGRAPHY AND EDORIAL OF THE PAPER BY MISSNG PRODUCTN MANAGER, STEPHEN MEYLER, TO SIGN FOR ISSUE 131 THE FIRST SPECIFILLY LBIAN VER.A MISSN STATEMENT, SIGNED BY GCN STAFF, WAS PUBLISHED JULY 2000, WHICH THE MAGAZE CLARED “WE STRIVE TO PRODUCE A PUBLITN THAT IS RMATIVE AND ENTERTAG, ONE THAT WILL STIMULATE BATE ON POLIL ISSU AND REFLECT THE DIVERSY OF LIVG EXPERIENCE AMONG GAY, LBIANS, BISEXUALS, AND TRANSGENRED AND TRANSVTE PEOPLE”.WHEN MULKEARN STEPPED DOWN TWO YEARS LATER, HE WAS ABLE TO ANNOUNCE A SIGNIFINT TRANCHE OF FUNDG OM ATLANTIC PHILANTROPHI. WRG ISSUE 150, HE TOLD REARS THE GRANT REPRENTED “A TONE FOR THE CURRENT BOARD OF NLGF, WHO TOOK OVER THE MANAGEMENT OF GCN 1999”.THE GRANT ME ON THE BACK OF STRATEGIC PLANNG THAT TOOK TWO YEARS WORK AND WOULD SECURE THE NEWSPAPER FOR THE MEDIUM TERM. AS NLGF -CHAIR, AILBHE SMYTH, BETIFULLY ENUNCIATED A VISN FOR THE 17 YEAR-OLD PUBLITN THAT WOULD SEE “VELOPG S NTRIBUTN TO POLIL, TELLECTUAL AND CULTURAL LIFE THIS UNTRY GENERALLY AND TO BE SAYG THAT LGBT ISSU ARE EVERYBODY’S ISSU…SO THAT GCN BE ONE OF THE LEADG, CUTTG-EDGE, THKG PUBLITNS THIS UNTRY”.WHEN MULKEARN PASSED THE BATON BRIEFLY TO MARIE MULHOLLAND, THE PUBLITN’S SMALLER WORKFORCE MOVED TO A NEW, SLIGHTLY CRAMPED OFFICE AT SRLET ROW, CLOSE TO DUBL’S WOOD QUAY.FORMER STAFFER, BRIAN FNEGAN, WHO CUT HIS TEETH ON THE PUBLITN DURG S OUTHOE NEWSPAPER PHASE, ASSUMED THE EDOR’S JOB MAY 2003. IN THE TERVENG YEARS, BEFORE ASSUMG HIS NEW ROLE, HE EDED IRELAND’S FIRST, GLOSSY GAY NSUMER TLE, GI OR GAY IRELAND.ALTHOUGH AIMED PRIMARILY AT GAY MEN AND FOCSED ON MG THE AGRANT ACQUISIVENS OF THE SEPTIC TIGER YEARS, THE EXPERIENCE OF HEADG UP AN UNAPOLOGETILLY MERCIAL TLE, UPLED WH HIS LONG FAIARY WH GCN, WAS THE PERFECT F FOR THE NLGF BOARD AND A BOON TO THE SLIGO MAN HIMSELF, WHO BEGAN IMPLEMENTG THE LONG-PLANNED CHANG ENABLED BY ATLANTIC PHILANTROPHI’ LARGSE.RADILLY OVERHLG THE A3 NEWSPRT (FOREVER LIMED TERMS OF LOUR REPRODUCTN AND HENCE S APPEAL TO POTENTIAL ADVERTISERS) AND REPLACG WH A 58-PAGE FULL LOUR ‘MAGLOID’ WAS A BOLD STEP, EVEN MORE SO PUTTG IRISH PORN STAR, AIN SHAW, ON THE ONT VER.ISSUE 165’S EDORIAL LAID OUT THE CHALLENG AHEAD: “HOW DO YOU BEE A SLEEK, GLOSSY PUBLITN PETG THE ADVERTISG MARKET AND NTUE TO SPEAK ON A MUNY LEVEL?” A STATEMENT OM THE PUBLISHERS, NLGF, MA CLEAR THAT “GCN HAS TO BEE FANCIALLY STAABLE AND HAS TO REMA RELEVANT AND TERTG TO OUR WI VARIETY OF REARS. THEY ARE NOT MUTUALLY EXCLIVE AIMS, BUT THE BALANCE IS A CHALLENGE”.HERE WAS AN ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF THE NSTANT CHALLENGE THAT HAS FACED THE MAGAZE SCE DAY ONE: PLOUGHG A ROUTE TO SELF-STAABILY WHILE BEG ALL THGS TO ALL PEOPLE, THIS MULTIFAR RABOW SOCIETY THAT HAS RRIED THE PUBLITN SCE 1988 AND WHICH HAS, RIGHTLY, VELOPED A SENSE OF LLECTIVE OWNERSHIP OF THE MAGAZE.HERE WAS AN ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF THE NSTANT CHALLENGE THAT HAS FACED THE MAGAZE SCE DAY ONE: PLOUGHG A ROUTE TO SELF-STAABILY WHILE BEG ALL THGS TO ALL PEOPLE, THIS MULTIFAR RABOW SOCIETY THAT HAS RRIED THE PUBLITN SCE 1988 AND WHICH HAS, RIGHTLY, VELOPED A SENSE OF LLECTIVE OWNERSHIP OF THE MAGAZE.REGULAR LUMNIST, STEPHEN MEYLER, PUT EVEN MORE SUCCCTLY THE 200TH EDN, PUBLISHED JT BEFORE THE CRASH. “IT’S NECSARY FOR GCN TO FOC MUCH MORE ON CROWD-PLEASG NTENT, SCE ADVERTISERS, BOTH GAY AND MASTREAM, NEED TO BE PERSUAD THAT THEIR MONEY IS BT SPENT HERE…HOWEVER, THE MERCIAL ENTY NOW IS NEEDS TO TREAD A FE LE. IF BE TOO AMENABLE TO THE MASTREAM ADVERTISERS, THEN RISKS BEG JT ANOTHER LIFTYLE MAGAZE”.“ON THE OTHER HAND,” HE OFFERED, “BEE WILL BE UNLIKELY TO GET PUBLIC FUNDG THE FUTURE, BEG TOO ‘DISTCTIVE’ AND THEREFORE RELYG ON ‘GAY’ ADVERTISERS WOULD PRIVE OF A LOT OF POSSIBLE E”.AS THE MAGAZE TRIED TO RI OUT THE GREAT RECSN, SQUEEZED THE MAGLOID FORMAT TO A4 AND ED S CREASED PAGATN TO TRODUCE A LOAD OF NEW FEATUR. SIMPLE GTUR LIKE THE FIRST GARDA AD ISSUE 240 SPOKE VOLUM ABOUT PUBLIC PERCEPTNS OF THE MAGAZE’S VALUE AND REACH, EVEN WHILE SOME REARS CYNILLY DISMISSED THE WALL- TO-WALL VERAGE OF THE MOVEMENT FOR CIVIL PARTNERSHIP AND MARRIAGE EQUALY.GCN DOCUMENTED WH GREAT RE THE MYRIAD DRAMATIC PERMUTATNS OF DAVID NORRIS’ PRINTIAL BID 2011, TYPIFIED BY A VER FEATURE ISSUE 259 AND AN EDORIAL WHICH BRIAN FNEGAN EXRIATED SOME OF THE MASTREAM MEDIA’S BEHAVUR TOWARDS THE HOPEFUL NDIDATE. PRCIENTLY PREFIGURG THE PANTIGATE SAGA BY THREE YEARS, FNEGAN LLED OUT THE HOMOPHOBIA UNRPNG THE TREATMENT METED OUT TO THE HAPLS SENATOR.FOLLOWG THE SUCCS OF GENR REGNN AND MARRIAGE EQUALY LEGISLATN 2015, THE MAGAZE RPOND TO S REARSHIP SURVEY BY TRODUCG NEW FEATUR AND EVER MORE VARIED VOIC OF OPN.DURG THE 1916 CENTENARY YEAR, GCN WAS AS MUCH FOCED ON QUEER HISTORGRAPHY AS NEW REALI SHAPG IRELAND’S FUTURE. DISCSNS ON ETHNICY, GAY TRAVELLERS, ASYLUM AND IMMIGRATN, THE GREYG QUEER MOGRAPHIC, NUDY, BODY DYSMORPHIA AND MORE HAVE GRACED THE MAGAZE THE TERVENG YEARS.IT MAY SEEM LIKE CINCE, BUT A REVAMP 2017 HAS BROUGHT NOT JT CLEANER SIGN (BY DAVE DARCY), BUT A MORE ACUTE ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF PRSG POLIL REALI, BOTH WH IRELAND AND BEYOND OUR SHOR.THE MOST REMARKABLE THG ABOUT ALL OF THIS IS THAT IS LIVERED EE EVERY MONTH.MORE
• GAY COMMUNY NEWS (IRELAND)
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• GAY LIFE MORN IRELAND--LIMERICK AND GALWAY
• KEV SPACEY DEFENDS COMG OUT AS GAY AFTER BEG ACCED OF SEXUAL MISNDUCT: ‘I WAS UNR A LOT OF PRSURE’
• JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS ASSISTANT COACH KEV MAXEN MAK HISTORY AFTER COMG OUT AS GAY

A LOOK BACK AT DUBL'S INIC GAY CLUB FLIKKERS

GCN: Gay Ireland News & Entertament. The stori the men this issue share wh rears some of the most breezy they have ever featured, cludg tal of boozy nights out on the gay scene, timate nights , and even tal that highlight some of the good moments to e om this panmic era.

INTYGCN HAS SPORTED EIGHT MASTHEADS SCE S TABLISHMENT 1988, EVOLVG OM AN A3 BROADSHEET NEWSPAPER TO AN A4 FULL LOUR MAGAZE. EACH REBRAND POSNED GCN A NEW LIGHT FOR BOTH S REARS AND ADVERTISERS, ALLOWG TO ENDURE FOR MORE THAN 30 YEARS AS IRELAND’S LGBT+ PRS AND ONE OF EUROPE’S LONGT NNG EE PUBLITNS.THE FIRST ISSUE OF GAY COMMUNY NEWS WAS RELEASED, EDED BY TONIE WALSH AND CATHERE GLENDON AND SIGNED BY NIALL SWEENEY.SEVEN ISSU , GCN WAS RESIGNED BY NIALL SWEENEY. WH ‘GAY’ THE TOP LEFT RNER, WE WERE OUT AND PROUD.A YEAR LATER, SIGNER ANNABEL KONIG REIMAGED THE BRAND, WH THE WORD ‘GAY’ EXPANDG TO BEE A LOGO SELF.DIGNED BY SANDY CAMPBELL AND RICHARD PRENRVILLE, AND EDED BY FRANCIS THACKABERRY, THE NEW LOOK AIMED TO REFLECT A BROADSHEET NEWSPAPER.WH NEW SIGN AND BRANDG OM MRICE FARRELL, GAY COMMUNY NEWS WAS ABBREVIATED TO GCN FOR THE FIRST TIME. AENG CARROLL WAS THEN EDOR.WH REBRANDG BY FNáN HEALY, GCN WENT FULL LOUR, AND CHANGED FORMAT BEG A ‘MAGALOID’, A CROSS BETWEEN MAGAZE AND TABLOID.“GCN MAY HAVE CHANGED, BUT FUNDAMENTALLY ’S THE SAME,” CLARED EDOR BRIAN FNEGAN AS A NEW BRANDG WAS LNCHED, SIGNED AGA BY FNáN HEALY.DIGNER DAVE DARCY REBRAND THE MAGAZE FOR S BIG RELNCH, TRODUCG THE MORN GCN, WH EDOR LISA CONNELL CURRENTLY AT THE VERSLOOKG BACK2017200920031999199219891988HISTORYWHEN GCN ENQUIRED ABOUT ADVERTISG ON 2FM WAS TOLD THAT THIS WOULD NOT BE POSSIBLE, LT RTE BE SEEN AS ‘ADVOTG ILLEGAL ACTIVY’.IN FEBARY 1986, TWO YEARS BEFORE GCN FIRST SAW LIGHT OF DAY, OUT MAGAZE’S ATTEMPT TO BUY ADVERTISG ON RTÉ RAD 1 WAS REJECTED BEE OFFICIALS PLAED ED THE WORD GAY. WHEN PHED ON THE ISSUE, THE STATE BROADSTER MATAED THAT NNG A RAD AD WOULD BE SEEN TO ENURAGE ‘CRIMAL ACTIVY’, GIVEN THE EXISTG LEGISLATN THAT OUTLAWED SEX BETWEEN MEN.FOUND DECEMBER 1984 AND BANKROLLED THE MA BY THE NATNAL GAY FERATN (NGF), OUT WAS IRELAND’S FIRST ATTEMPT AT A MERCIALLY MASTREAM GAY PERDIL, FOLLOWG A LONG LE OF PUBLITNS STRETCHG BACK TO 1975.DISTRIBUTED BY EASON’S, WHO ONLY THREE YEARS EARLIER REFED TO STOCK ANY PUBLITN WH THE WORDS GAY OR LBIAN ON THE ONT VER, THE A4 MAGAZE ACHIEVED MORE WISPREAD PERATN THAN ANY PREV PUBLITN. NELL MCCAFFERTY WAS A REGULAR LUMNIST AND THROUGHOUT S FOUR YEAR HISTORY THE BI- MONTHLY MAGAZE LAID CLAIM TO SOME OF THE BT OF IRELAND’S QUEER WRERS, SIGNERS AND PHOTOGRAPHERS.WHEN THE FIRST AIDS ATHS WERE NOTIFIED 1985, THE DáIL LAYED FIVE YEARS BEFORE DISCSG THE HORROR OUR MIDST.RTÉ’S ATTUDISG WAS TYPIL OF IRISH ERNMENT AND CIVIL SOCIETY’S STUDIED DISENGAGEMENT OM IRELAND’S SEXUAL MORI. WHEN THE FIRST AIDS ATHS WERE NOTIFIED 1985, THE DáIL LAYED FIVE YEARS BEFORE DISCSG THE HORROR OUR MIDST; A FE GAEL MISTER FOR YOUTH CLED TO LNCH THE WORLD’S 2ND INTERNATNAL GAY YOUTH CONFERENCE AT DUBL’S HIRSCHFELD CENTRE, G THE SAME GET-OUT CLSE AS RTÉ; THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH WAS ADVISED BY THE ATTORNEY GENERAL NOT TO FUND A REPRT OF GAY HEALTH ACTN’S AIDS RMATN LEAFLETS; AND ALTHOUGH SENATOR DAVID NORRIS SUCCEED 1988 AT STRASBOURG’S EUROPEAN COURT OF HUMAN RIGHTS, THE ERNMENT DRAGGED S FEET FOR A FURTHER FIVE YEARS BEFORE FALLY REPEALG ALL HATEFUL ANTI-GAY LEGISLATN.WHEN OUT’S PRTERS, THE CARLOW & LESTER TIM, REFED TO PRT S PENULTIMATE ISSUE DUE TO WHAT THEY NSIRED AN ‘OFFENSIVE’ SAFER SEX AD, THE MAGAZE’S OPERATN WAS THROWN TO CHAOS.IN MON WH OTHER PREV PUBLITNS, NORTH AND SOUTH, OUT MAGAZE WAS PERENNIALLY UNR-PALISED AND STGGLED TO ACQUIRE ADVERTISG A SOCIALLY AND ENOMILLY HOSTILE ENVIRONMENT. WHEN S PRTERS, THE CARLOW & LESTER TIM, REFED TO PRT S PENULTIMATE ISSUE DUE TO WHAT THEY NSIRED AN ‘OFFENSIVE’ SAFER SEX AD, THE MAGAZE’S OPERATN WAS THROWN TO CHAOS. IT NEVER FULLY REVERED AND PUBLISHED S LAST EDN SEPTEMBER 1988.GAY COMMUNY NEWS WAS FIRST PROPOSED 1986. ITS ORIGAL A3 NEWSPRT FORMAT AND MIX OF REPORTAGE WAS MUCH FLUENCED BY GAY NEWS (LONDON), BOSTON’S OWN GAY COMMUNY NEWS AND THE BODY POLIC (TORONTO), THE LATTER ONE OF THE MOST SIGNIFINT, QUEER -OPERATIVE PUBLISHG VENTUR OF THE 1980S.SLATED FOR PUBLITN ON CHRISTMAS 1987, PRODUCTN WAS PHED OFF-URSE BY THE ATH ON AUGT 7TH OF ONE OF S - FOUNRS, CATHERE GLENDON, NGF GENERAL SECRETARY. THREE MONTHS LATER, THE HIRSCHFELD CENTRE, DUBL’S LGBT MUNY CENTRE AND NGF HEADQUARTERS, WAS IRREVOBLY DAMAGED BY FIRE, AT A STROKE CUTTG OFF THE MAGAZE’S POTENTIAL FUNDG STREAM.WH EVENTUAL PUBLITN MOOTED FOR ST. BRIGID’S DAY AND OPERATG ON A BUDGET OF IR£300 (€380), GCN FALLY APPEARED OFF THE PRS OF THE MEATH CHRONICLE ON FEBARY 10TH, 1988.GCN FACED ALMOST SURMOUNTABLE ODDS S EARLY DAYS: PERENNIAL EMIGRATN, AGILE, TEMPORARY OFFICE ACMODATN, A GRIM ENOMIC CLIMATE AND EVEN OCSNAL RELUCTANCE OM THE BURGEONG MERCIAL GAY SCENE.ON A NUMBER OF OCSNS, THE MA GAY BARS OF DUBL, THE GEE AND THE PARLIAMENT INN, REFED TO STOCK THE PUBLITN, AS DID POD DANCE CLUB, THE LATTER HAVG TAKEN UMBRAGE AT AN ACIDIC CLUB REVIEW.THE PAPER PLOUGHED ON, BENEFTG HUGELY OM PROGRSIVE BUY- BY REARS AND NTRIBUTORS, TYPIFIED BY THE CLN OF MUNSTER AND CONNGHT SUPPLEMENTS.GOVERNMENT WORK SCHEM, IATED 1989, BEME EVER MORE AMB WH THE ADVENT OF CRIMALISATN 1993 AND THE ROLL-OUT OF SOCIAL CLN POLICI. WHILE OPERATG OM THE TOP FLOOR OF DUBL’S NEW MUNY CENTRE, OUTHOE, THE PAPER HAD A STAFF OF 30, EMPLOYED AS MUCH SELF-DISVERY AND MUNY BUILDG AS LEARNG NEW SKILLS ART DIRECTN, JOURNALISM, PHOTOGRAPHY, ILLTRATN AND THE VELOPMENT OF SKTOP PUBLISHG.GCN TEAMED UP WH CLUB PROMOTER, CORMAC CASHMAN, TO N A WEEKLY CLUB NIGHT, MOTHER, THAT HAS BEE A QUEER SOCIAL STUTN THE TERVENG EIGHT YEARS SCE S CEPTN AT DUBL’S ARLGTON HOTEL.ADVERTISG ALSO BOOMED DURG THE SEPTIC TIGER YEARS, FACILATG THE MOVE TO FULL LOUR ART VERS.ON THE EVE OF THE LENNIUM, THE NEWSPAPER HAD A MAJOR OVERHL, DISPLAYG MUCH CLEANER GRAPHIC SIGN AND CREASED SPOT LOUR. MOVG TO A NEW OFFICE TEMPLE BAR 2001, THE ENDG OF MUNY EMPLOYMENT SCHEM WAS REFLECTED A MUCH RCED STAFF AND GREATER URGENCY TAPPG THE MYTHIL PK RO.ISSUE 165, PUBLISHED 2003, SAW A RADIL RESIGN OM NEWSPAPER TO ‘MAGLOID’. SIGNIFINT FUNDG OM ATLANTIC PHILANTHROPI LED TO A JUMP NFINCE AS GCN REPOSNED SELF TO PETE AN CREASGLY MERCIAL MARKET AND DISPTIVE DIGAL NEWS PLATFORMS. LIFTYLE ADS AND EATG OUT LUMNS ECHOEDTHE ASPIRATNAL, NSUMERIST SIR OF THE POPULATN AT LARGE.INTO THE SEND OF THE LENNIUM, THE MAGAZE GOT ANOTHER MAKEOVER AS A MORE ER-IENDLY A4 MAGAZE. MASTREAM MEDIA BEGAN TO CREASGLY PICK UP S LEAD STORI.THE GREAT RECSN SO IMPACTED THE MAGAZE’S ADVERTISG STREAM, KNOCKG ON AVERAGE €4K OFF EACH ISSUE, THE MAGAZE LNCHED S GCN FOREVER FUNDRAISG MPAIGN 2010. IT ALSO TEAMED UP WH CLUB PROMOTER, CORMAC CASHMAN, TO N A WEEKLY CLUB NIGHT, MOTHER, THAT HAS BEE A QUEER SOCIAL STUTN THE TERVENG EIGHT YEARS SCE S CEPTN AT DUBL’S ARLGTON HOTEL.THE MOST RECENT ERATN OF THE MAGAZE, PRTED ON SURPL IRISH WATER BILL PAPER STOCK, WAS RELNCHED WH GREAT FANFARE AT PANTIBAR JULY 2017.MOTHER’S LARGSE HAS PLUGGED A SMALL PART OF THE HOLE LEFT WHEN ATLANTIC PHILANTROPHI WOUND DOWN S SUBVENTN. IT ALSO SERV AS A REMR OF THE GHT NATURE OF NICHE PRT PUBLISHG, SOMETHG THE MAGAZE RECENTLY ADDRSED - AGA - WHEN LNCHED THE Q RD, AN AMPED-UP SUBSCRIBERS’ LOYALTY RD.THE MOST RECENT ERATN OF THE MAGAZE, PRTED ON SURPL IRISH WATER BILL PAPER STOCK, WAS RELNCHED WH GREAT FANFARE AT PANTIBAR JULY 2017.WH CREASED PAGATN AND A SLEW OF GUT NTRIBUTORS, THE MAGAZE NVEYS NEWLY ENERGISED POLIL AND CULTURAL REPORTAGE THROUGH AN ELEGANTLY SEXY, PARED- BACK VISUAL ATHETIC AND WH A QUIET NFINCE REDOLENT OF S JTIFIABLE POSN, AFTER THIRTY YEARS, AS THE IRISH QUEER PAPER OF RERD.PROCSIN LATE 1986, ACTIVISTS CATHERE GLENDON AND TONIE WALSH PROPOSED THAT THE NATNAL GAY FERATN (NGF), OF WHICH THEY WERE BOARD MEMBERS, PUBLISH AN A3 NEWSPRT PUBLITN.WHEN THE TABLOID EVENTUALLY SAW LIGHT OF DAY, GLENDON WAS AD AND THE NGF’S HEADQUARTERS HAD BEEN TORCHED. FOR THE FIRST YEAR OF OPERATN, THE NEWSPAPER WAS PUBLISHED OM THE DUBL NORTHSI OFFIC OF SENATOR DAVID NORRIS, RECENTLY APPOTED AS IRELAND’S FIRST OPENLY GAY PARLIAMENTARIAN. LACKG FUNDS, WAS A SIMPLE PRODUCTN G NGF’S SOLE TYPEWRER AND OUTSOURCED TYPETTG. NIALL SWEENEY, A 2ND YEAR GRAPHIC SIGNER AT IADT, CREATED THE MASTHEAD AND ART DIRECTED THE PUBLITN S FIRST YEAR. JUDH STORM OF THE NATNAL TRANSVTE LE LIVERED THE LAYOUT BOARDS TO GCN’S PRTERS, THE MEATH CHRONICLE, NAVAN.A YEAR ON, AS GCN EVENTUALLY MOVED BACK TO A PARTIALLY REFURBISHED HIRSCHFELD CENTRE, THREE PEOPLE WERE ENGAGED VOLUNTARILY WRG AND PRODUCG THE PAPER. BY LATE 1989, A FÁS MUNY EMPLOYMENT SCHEME ALLOWED THE PART-TIME HIRG OF A LARGER POOL OF TALENT. THE IMPACT WAS IMMEDIATE, WH MORE EXTENSIVE REPORTAGE AND ADVERTISG.THE OLD TEMPLE BAR HOME WAS SOLD NTROVERSIAL CIRCUMSTANC WH A GAGGG ORR PLACED ON THE NEWSPAPER’S EMPLOYE. BALLARD RPOND BY PUBLISHG A SGLE EXPLANATORY PARAGRAPH SURROUND BY A SEA OF NEGATIVE SPACE.MANAGG EDOR JOHN BERG, HAND OVER TO FRANCIS THACKABERRY JULY 1990, WH 24 PEOPLE PLACE, WORKG OR NTRIBUTG TO THE TEN PAGE TABLOID. THACKABERRY ACCELERATED THE VELOPMENT OF THE PAPER’S CULTURE SECTN AND PRID OVER A YEAR-LONG WOBBLE WHEN FÁS FUNDG WAS CUT DRAMATILLY.THE PAPER BOUNCED BACK UNR THE MID ‘90S STEWARDSHIP OF RICHIE PRENRVILLE, WHO OVERSAW THE TRODUCTN OF VOICEMAIL “CONNECT & CONTACT’, THE NEART THG TO A DATG APP FOR THOSE WHO WERE NOKIA-ENABLED OR HAD ACCS TO A LANDLE. CLASSIFIEDS GREW TO TWO FULL PAG AND FOUR PAGE SUPPLEMENTS WERE EACH PENNTLY PRODUCED BY WRERS AND ACTIVISTS CORK AND GALWAY.CATHAL KELLY BEME EDOR EARLY 1995, AND, WH OFFICE MANAGER MICHAEL MCGRANE AT HIS SI, WAS PERFECTLY PLACED TO EXPLO MANY CULTURAL AND ENOMIC CHANG FLOWG OM CRIMALISATN AND THE ADVANC OF THE SEPTIC TIGER.TWO DISTCT LBIAN PAG WERE ALREADY AN EMBEDD FEATURE AT THIS STAGE, AS WAS B&W VERAGE OF SOCIAL EVENTS. SPOT LOUR AND EVEN THE ODD FULL LOUR PHOTOGRAPH APPEARED WH GREATER EQUENCY, LEADG TO THE FIRST FULL LOUR ART VER DECEMBER 1996. PHOTOGRAPHED BY EAMON DOYLE AND SIGNED BY NIALL SWEENEY, THE VER ALSO ACKNOWLEDGED LATE 90’S RE-APPROPRIATN OF THE WORD ‘QUEER’.DEBORAH BALLARD’S TENURE AS EDOR CID WH A MOVE OM THE HIRSCHFELD CENTRE TO DUBL’S NEW LGBT MUNY ROURCE, OUTHOE, AT SOUTH WILLIAM STREET. THE OLD TEMPLE BAR HOME WAS SOLD NTROVERSIAL CIRCUMSTANC WH A GAGGG ORR PLACED ON THE NEWSPAPER’S EMPLOYE. BALLARD RPOND BY PUBLISHG A SGLE EXPLANATORY PARAGRAPH SURROUND BY A SEA OF NEGATIVE SPACE.SHE WAS ALSO RPONSIBLE FOR THE MEDIAWATCH PAG LONG BEFORE SHE BEME EDOR, G HER FORENSIC LEGAL EYE TO SCTISE MASTREAM PRT AND BROADST MEDIA VERAGE OF LGBT ISSU.BALLARD PRID OVER THE CENTENARY ISSUE, PUBLISHED OCTOBER 1997, WH A WRAPAROUND VER FEATURG THUMBNAILS OF ALL THE 100 VERS, AGA SIGNED BY NIALL SWEENEY. CONTAG AN EXTRAORDARY RANGE OF WELL-WRTEN OPN, THIS 100 PAGE EDN IS NOW RIGHTLY NSIRED A LLECTOR’S EM.IN SPRG 1999, PRINT MARY MCALEE OFFICIALLY MEMORATED THE OPENG OF DUBL’S OUTHOE, WHILE SOME RELIG BIGOTS PROTTED OUTSI ON SOUTH WILLIAM STREET. THE PRINT WAS ALSO BROUGHT ON A TOUR OF GCN’S OFFIC AND THAT OF THE IRISH QUEER ARCHIVE.AENG CARROLL OVERSAW A TRANSFORMATN OF THE PAPER A UPLE OF MONTHS LATER. A GEO, BOLD NEW MASTHEAD WAS SIGNED BY MRICE FARRELL, AND HIS E OF TYPEFACE, JUDIC KERNG AND MORE GENERO NEGATIVE SPACE CREATED AN IMMEDIATELY H, UNCLUTTERED AND ELEGANT PUBLITN OF 48 PAG, READY TO EMBRACE WHATEVER LAY ON THE OTHER SI OF THE NEW LENNIUM.NLGF -CHAIR AILBHE SMYTH BETIFULLY ENUNCIATED A VISN FOR THE 17YR-OLD PUBLITN THAT WOULD SEE ‘VELOPG S NTRIBUTN TO POLIL, TELLECTUAL AND CULTURAL LIFE THIS UNTRY GENERALLY AND TO BE SAYG THAT LGBT ISSU ARE EVERYBODY’S ISSU…SO THAT GCN BE ONE OF THE LEADG, CUTTG-EDGE, THKG PUBLITNS THIS UNTRY.’KERRYMAN AND AMIC, MICHAEL CRON, ASSUMED A SHORT RETAKER EDOR ROLE BEFORE HANDG OVER TO ANOTHER LONG-TIME STAFFER, STEPHEN MULKEARN.ALMOST IMMEDIATELY, MULKEARN ADDRSED THE UNBALANCED INOGRAPHY AND EDORIAL OF THE PAPER BY MISSNG PRODUCTN MANAGER, STEPHEN MEYLER, TO SIGN FOR ISSUE 131 THE FIRST SPECIFILLY LBIAN VER.A MISSN STATEMENT, SIGNED BY GCN STAFF, WAS PUBLISHED JULY 2000, WHICH THE MAGAZE CLARED “WE STRIVE TO PRODUCE A PUBLITN THAT IS RMATIVE AND ENTERTAG, ONE THAT WILL STIMULATE BATE ON POLIL ISSU AND REFLECT THE DIVERSY OF LIVG EXPERIENCE AMONG GAY, LBIANS, BISEXUALS, AND TRANSGENRED AND TRANSVTE PEOPLE”.WHEN MULKEARN STEPPED DOWN TWO YEARS LATER, HE WAS ABLE TO ANNOUNCE A SIGNIFINT TRANCHE OF FUNDG OM ATLANTIC PHILANTROPHI. WRG ISSUE 150, HE TOLD REARS THE GRANT REPRENTED “A TONE FOR THE CURRENT BOARD OF NLGF, WHO TOOK OVER THE MANAGEMENT OF GCN 1999”.THE GRANT ME ON THE BACK OF STRATEGIC PLANNG THAT TOOK TWO YEARS WORK AND WOULD SECURE THE NEWSPAPER FOR THE MEDIUM TERM. AS NLGF -CHAIR, AILBHE SMYTH, BETIFULLY ENUNCIATED A VISN FOR THE 17 YEAR-OLD PUBLITN THAT WOULD SEE “VELOPG S NTRIBUTN TO POLIL, TELLECTUAL AND CULTURAL LIFE THIS UNTRY GENERALLY AND TO BE SAYG THAT LGBT ISSU ARE EVERYBODY’S ISSU…SO THAT GCN BE ONE OF THE LEADG, CUTTG-EDGE, THKG PUBLITNS THIS UNTRY”.WHEN MULKEARN PASSED THE BATON BRIEFLY TO MARIE MULHOLLAND, THE PUBLITN’S SMALLER WORKFORCE MOVED TO A NEW, SLIGHTLY CRAMPED OFFICE AT SRLET ROW, CLOSE TO DUBL’S WOOD QUAY.FORMER STAFFER, BRIAN FNEGAN, WHO CUT HIS TEETH ON THE PUBLITN DURG S OUTHOE NEWSPAPER PHASE, ASSUMED THE EDOR’S JOB MAY 2003. IN THE TERVENG YEARS, BEFORE ASSUMG HIS NEW ROLE, HE EDED IRELAND’S FIRST, GLOSSY GAY NSUMER TLE, GI OR GAY IRELAND.ALTHOUGH AIMED PRIMARILY AT GAY MEN AND FOCSED ON MG THE AGRANT ACQUISIVENS OF THE SEPTIC TIGER YEARS, THE EXPERIENCE OF HEADG UP AN UNAPOLOGETILLY MERCIAL TLE, UPLED WH HIS LONG FAIARY WH GCN, WAS THE PERFECT F FOR THE NLGF BOARD AND A BOON TO THE SLIGO MAN HIMSELF, WHO BEGAN IMPLEMENTG THE LONG-PLANNED CHANG ENABLED BY ATLANTIC PHILANTROPHI’ LARGSE.RADILLY OVERHLG THE A3 NEWSPRT (FOREVER LIMED TERMS OF LOUR REPRODUCTN AND HENCE S APPEAL TO POTENTIAL ADVERTISERS) AND REPLACG WH A 58-PAGE FULL LOUR ‘MAGLOID’ WAS A BOLD STEP, EVEN MORE SO PUTTG IRISH PORN STAR, AIN SHAW, ON THE ONT VER.ISSUE 165’S EDORIAL LAID OUT THE CHALLENG AHEAD: “HOW DO YOU BEE A SLEEK, GLOSSY PUBLITN PETG THE ADVERTISG MARKET AND NTUE TO SPEAK ON A MUNY LEVEL?” A STATEMENT OM THE PUBLISHERS, NLGF, MA CLEAR THAT “GCN HAS TO BEE FANCIALLY STAABLE AND HAS TO REMA RELEVANT AND TERTG TO OUR WI VARIETY OF REARS. THEY ARE NOT MUTUALLY EXCLIVE AIMS, BUT THE BALANCE IS A CHALLENGE”.HERE WAS AN ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF THE NSTANT CHALLENGE THAT HAS FACED THE MAGAZE SCE DAY ONE: PLOUGHG A ROUTE TO SELF-STAABILY WHILE BEG ALL THGS TO ALL PEOPLE, THIS MULTIFAR RABOW SOCIETY THAT HAS RRIED THE PUBLITN SCE 1988 AND WHICH HAS, RIGHTLY, VELOPED A SENSE OF LLECTIVE OWNERSHIP OF THE MAGAZE.HERE WAS AN ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF THE NSTANT CHALLENGE THAT HAS FACED THE MAGAZE SCE DAY ONE: PLOUGHG A ROUTE TO SELF-STAABILY WHILE BEG ALL THGS TO ALL PEOPLE, THIS MULTIFAR RABOW SOCIETY THAT HAS RRIED THE PUBLITN SCE 1988 AND WHICH HAS, RIGHTLY, VELOPED A SENSE OF LLECTIVE OWNERSHIP OF THE MAGAZE.REGULAR LUMNIST, STEPHEN MEYLER, PUT EVEN MORE SUCCCTLY THE 200TH EDN, PUBLISHED JT BEFORE THE CRASH. “IT’S NECSARY FOR GCN TO FOC MUCH MORE ON CROWD-PLEASG NTENT, SCE ADVERTISERS, BOTH GAY AND MASTREAM, NEED TO BE PERSUAD THAT THEIR MONEY IS BT SPENT HERE…HOWEVER, THE MERCIAL ENTY NOW IS NEEDS TO TREAD A FE LE. IF BE TOO AMENABLE TO THE MASTREAM ADVERTISERS, THEN RISKS BEG JT ANOTHER LIFTYLE MAGAZE”.“ON THE OTHER HAND,” HE OFFERED, “BEE WILL BE UNLIKELY TO GET PUBLIC FUNDG THE FUTURE, BEG TOO ‘DISTCTIVE’ AND THEREFORE RELYG ON ‘GAY’ ADVERTISERS WOULD PRIVE OF A LOT OF POSSIBLE E”.AS THE MAGAZE TRIED TO RI OUT THE GREAT RECSN, SQUEEZED THE MAGLOID FORMAT TO A4 AND ED S CREASED PAGATN TO TRODUCE A LOAD OF NEW FEATUR. SIMPLE GTUR LIKE THE FIRST GARDA AD ISSUE 240 SPOKE VOLUM ABOUT PUBLIC PERCEPTNS OF THE MAGAZE’S VALUE AND REACH, EVEN WHILE SOME REARS CYNILLY DISMISSED THE WALL- TO-WALL VERAGE OF THE MOVEMENT FOR CIVIL PARTNERSHIP AND MARRIAGE EQUALY.GCN DOCUMENTED WH GREAT RE THE MYRIAD DRAMATIC PERMUTATNS OF DAVID NORRIS’ PRINTIAL BID 2011, TYPIFIED BY A VER FEATURE ISSUE 259 AND AN EDORIAL WHICH BRIAN FNEGAN EXRIATED SOME OF THE MASTREAM MEDIA’S BEHAVUR TOWARDS THE HOPEFUL NDIDATE. PRCIENTLY PREFIGURG THE PANTIGATE SAGA BY THREE YEARS, FNEGAN LLED OUT THE HOMOPHOBIA UNRPNG THE TREATMENT METED OUT TO THE HAPLS SENATOR.FOLLOWG THE SUCCS OF GENR REGNN AND MARRIAGE EQUALY LEGISLATN 2015, THE MAGAZE RPOND TO S REARSHIP SURVEY BY TRODUCG NEW FEATUR AND EVER MORE VARIED VOIC OF OPN.DURG THE 1916 CENTENARY YEAR, GCN WAS AS MUCH FOCED ON QUEER HISTORGRAPHY AS NEW REALI SHAPG IRELAND’S FUTURE. DISCSNS ON ETHNICY, GAY TRAVELLERS, ASYLUM AND IMMIGRATN, THE GREYG QUEER MOGRAPHIC, NUDY, BODY DYSMORPHIA AND MORE HAVE GRACED THE MAGAZE THE TERVENG YEARS.IT MAY SEEM LIKE CINCE, BUT A REVAMP 2017 HAS BROUGHT NOT JT CLEANER SIGN (BY DAVE DARCY), BUT A MORE ACUTE ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF PRSG POLIL REALI, BOTH WH IRELAND AND BEYOND OUR SHOR.THE MOST REMARKABLE THG ABOUT ALL OF THIS IS THAT IS LIVERED EE EVERY MONTH.MORE

© 2021 GCN (Gay Communy News).

GCN faced almost surmountable odds s early days: Perennial emigratn, agile, temporary office acmodatn, a grim enomic climate and even ocsnal reluctance om the burgeong mercial gay a number of ocsns, the ma gay bars of Dubl, The Gee and The Parliament Inn, refed to stock the publitn, as did PoD dance club, the latter havg taken umbrage at an acidic club paper ploughed on, beneftg hugely om progrsive buy- by rears and ntributors, typified by the cln of Munster and Connght supplements.

Gay Informatn Cork. In 1988 Ireland got a send TV channel, the Molly Malone statue was unveiled on Grafton Street, David Norris won his se agast the Irish ernment at the European Court of Human Rights (which led the existence of laws Ireland crimalisg nsensual gay sex to be illegal) and Ireland hosted the Eurovisn Song Contt for the third time.

GAY COMMUNY NEWS (IRELAND)

And om a ltle office at the top of the Hirschfield Centre Dubl’s Temple Bar, GCN was published for the very first time, wh the missn of beg central to the evolutn of Ireland’s gay muny. Wh a radil look created Niall Sweeney, (who would go on to bee the signer behd inic queer Irish brands, Alternative Miss Ireland, Powrbubble and Pantibar) the very first issue of Gay Communy News was marked by s attentn to whe space, wh s masthead and headl nng down the si of the pag, rather than on top.

Eded by Tonie Walsh and Cathere Glendon, featured articl about cross-drsg, Ireland’s ongog crimalisatn of sexual nduct between men, and a quiz about what rights rears enjoyed, or mostly didn’t, as gay and lbian cizens of Ireland. Seven issu , and Gay Communy News got a new look, also signed by Niall Sweeney.

Wh the word ‘gay’ clearly picked out a black box the ver’s top left-hand rner, we were out and proud.

GAY TEEN ISSUE HERALDS CHANGE AT MAGAZE

The ver story was about the sger Sylvter, who was crilly ill wh Aids-related plitns (he died December 1988), while the centre pag held a report on a lbian and gay Kiss-In at Dáil Eireann. Jt over a year later, signer Annabel Konig reimaged the brand, wh the word ‘gay’ expandg to bee a logo self. “The next few months will be cril for lbians and gay men this untry, ” the ont-page opn clared, as GLEN lnched the Campaign for Homosexual Law Reform.

GAY LIFE MORN IRELAND--LIMERICK AND GALWAY

Elsewhere there was a feature about the film Torch Song Trilogy and a round-up of ternatnal gay news. ‘Holy Homophobia!

KEV SPACEY DEFENDS COMG OUT AS GAY AFTER BEG ACCED OF SEXUAL MISNDUCT: ‘I WAS UNR A LOT OF PRSURE’

’ shouted the ver headle of the new Gay Communy News, beneath which appeared a story about the ban on Irish lbians and gay men marchg the New York Cy St Patrick’s Day Para.

For the first time Gay Communy News moved the directn of a magaze, wh a specially missned full-lour ver photo (by Niall Sweeny and Eamonn Doyle), at the centre of which sat Panti, her first ever ver-shoot.

Insi there was a feature about a kiss- at the Turk’s Head on Parliament Street (formerly the gay Parliament Inn), which had stigated a door policy banng gay people, and there was a special three-page sectn for women lled ‘Lbian Life’.

JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS ASSISTANT COACH KEV MAXEN MAK HISTORY AFTER COMG OUT AS GAY

Wh a major sign overhl and new brandg om Mrice Farrell, Gay Communy News was abbreviated to GCN for the first time.

Edor Aeng Carroll wrote that he hoped “the paper will be more readable and accsible, ” while si there was reportg and opn on the nail bomb attack on the gay Admiral Dunn pub London’s Soho district, which three people died and 70 were jured. The page-unt jumped to 68, and was packed wh news and featur, cludg a tribute to Quent Crisp who had jt passed away, aged 90, reports on an attack on gay bar, The Crow’s Nt Belfast, and a feature about a new mpaign about disclosg your HIV stat to your partner.