Cork Queeros – a new photography exhibition capturing some of the wonderful folk who make up Cork’s incredible LGBTQ+ community – launches on July 24 in Cork City Library.

Featuring an array of activists, artists, athletes and change-makers, the exhibition showcases self-selected photographs by the participants alongside biographical information showing their connection and contribution to the Cork’s queer community.

The exhibition is the brainchild of Orla Egan, founder of the Cork LGBT Archive and is supported by Cork Pride and the Heritage Council of Ireland. Speaking of the inspiration for the project, Egan said, “It is about increasing the visibility of the Cork LGBT Community and giving us an opportunity to see ourselves, as Cork LGBT people, reflected in this exhibition.

“It is particularly important to give young LGBT people, and those who may be exploring their sexuality or gender identity, an opportunity to be able to see the diversity and fabulousness of our Cork LGBT Community. This is just the beginning – the plan is to add to the collection over time, including even more Cork Queeros.”

Honoured to be included in the #CorkQueeros exhibition alongside many great people who have made Irish queer life immeasurably better!

The exhibition, which is part of @corkpride, runs from 24 July – 7 Aug at @corkcitylibrary 🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️💪💜 pic.twitter.com/KZHwSIzmI6

— Pádraig Rice (@PadraigRice) July 21, 2021

The exhibition will open during Cork Pride celebrations and run until August 7. Kery Mullaly, Business Development Manager at Cork Pride, shared, “The Cork Queeros project is hugely important record of Cork’s Queer Heroes and is a veritable who’s who of the community over the past 40 years.”

Mullaly, continued, “Cork Queeros acknowledges and celebrates the contribution of many high profile community figures and activists – but also importantly highlights the work of those not-so-familiar names that have effected such valuable work behind the scenes over the years for the betterment of our LGBT+ community in Cork, and beyond.”

Patricia Looney, the Executive Librarian at Cork City Library, added, “We are Proud to support Pride. We hope to see many of you coming to view the Cork Queeros exhibition in the library, which is open to welcome all from across the city.”