Irish deaf author Dominic McGreal has released a new novel, The Revolutionary Lover, following the intense love story of two men navigating the harsh realities of a society that rejects them. The book was published on October 20 and is available to purchase here, but if you’re feeling lucky, GCN has a copy to give away to one lucky reader!

Coinciding with The Revolutionary Lover‘s release, we spoke to Dominic McGreal to find out more about his newest project. Dominic is the secretary of Greenbow Deaf LGBT Society of Ireland and has demonstrated his passion for the arts throughout his life, particularly in theatre.

“The Revolutionary Lover is a story that explores the complexities of love and sexuality in early 20th-century Ireland,” he explained, adding that the two main characters, Sean and Neill, “represent the struggles many LGBTQ individuals faced” at the time.

McGreal started writing the story 20 years ago, inspired by the lack of gay books available in libraries and shops. He wanted to craft a new kind of love story, one that he could relate to.

The Mayo-born author began struggling with his own sexuality in the ’80s and remembers being “bullied and mocked by the boys at Catholic school” as a result. The hardships he experienced continued beyond the decriminalisation of homosexuality in 1993, and he explained, “There was a big fear that someone would attack you for being gay. I was attacked by two men because I was gay.

“It was a horrifying experience. There was no protection in society or a safe place.”

However, this pain has spurred Dominic on to become a writer. He said he really loved penning this story and getting to share it with “mainstream society” to help more people understand “the situation of everyday life”.

“In Ireland, the traditional family always expects someone to get married and have children…However many gay people were not allowed to mention (their sexuality) or even come out. They would throw you out of the house or not see you as part of the family. It was a harsh reality in society,” he said.

McGreal continued by saying he hopes the book helps readers understand the struggles gay people went through and how they “suffered” and were “mistreated by society in the past”. He added the important message that LGBTQ+ folk deserve “love and support from a family who are accepting and open-minded”.

The Revolutionary Lover is available to purchase now, but if you’d like a chance to win a free copy of the new book, simply answer the following question:

Who wrote The Revolutionary Lover?

The competition closes at midnight on Thursday, December 7, 2023. Winners will be contacted directly and shared on social media.

By submitting this form, you give GCN consent to process your personal information for the purposes of conducting this competition. More information on how we protect your privacy can be found here.

This competition is now closed, please visit our Competitions page for more.