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 mission to inform, educate, connect, platform, entertain and advocate for Ireland’s LGBTQ+ community by creating and writing content online and in print.

She has demonstrated her value and skills since her volunteering days, and during her time at GCN, she has grown and evolved with the organisation. Her passion for the LGBTQ+ community and commitment to ensuring that all the marginalised voices in our rainbow family are heard have shone through her work.

Now, Alice is moving on to the next chapter of her GCN journey as she is appointed Editor of the magazine.

Commenting on her appointment, Chair of the National LGBT Federation (NXF), Anna Nolan, said: “Lisa Connell, ex Managing Editor of GCN, told me: ‘Alice showed herself to be an all rounder in GCN from her first weeks as an intern with the organisation. Her natural aptitude and talent for writing and journalism and her sense of community meant that she made a quick and brilliant impression’.

“Since then, the board has seen Alice grow in the organisation since her early days. She has contributed to all aspects of GCN’s work and has developed key skills to enable her to take on the role of Editor.

“The NXF sees this as an exciting and dynamic appointment and I am personally looking forward to see where Alice brings GCN.”

GCN’s newly appointed Manager, Stefano Pappalardo, said: “Since her first day in GCN, Alice has become a vital part of the team, a wonderful colleague and a dear friend. It’s been an absolute joy to work together and see Alice progress from her beginning as a volunteer back in 2021, to her appointment as Multimedia Journalist and, finally, Editor of our magazine.

“I know Alice will bring her talent, integrity, creativity, and passion to our beloved publication, nurturing emerging writers and creatives, and I am so excited to see her flourish in her new role. The magazine is in safe, capable hands. Huge congrats Alice.”

Former Editor of GCN Magazine, Peter Dunne, also welcomed the news, saying: “With the appointment of Alice Linehan as Editor of GCN, the magazine is in safe hands. I am excited for the community to see the talent, dynamism and insight she will bring to the role. I wish Alice and the GCN team all the best and look forward to enjoying the undoubtedly fantastic magazine issues that lie ahead.”

Alice’s colleagues also congratulated her, saying: “We are beyond happy to see Alice move to the new position as Editor. In the last couple of years, Alice has been one of GCN’s pillars, often taking on responsibilities that were beyond her job description. She has already shown how capable and dedicated she is time and time again, so we have no doubt that she will continue to do so as she takes the reins of the magazine.

“This is so well-deserved and we feel lucky to be working alongside her. Beyond being just a colleague, Alice is part of GCN’s family, and we’re so excited to see what great things she will bring to the magazine.”

Speaking about her appointment, Alice said: “I’m incredibly honoured to take on the role of Editor, following in the footsteps of some of my greatest inspirations within the Irish LGBTQ+ community. I started in GCN as a volunteer with very little writing experience, and the fact that I have grown enough to assume this position is a testament to the work the organisation does to nurture young talent.

“Since 1988, the magazine has been recording the triumphs and tribulations of the Irish and global LGBTQ+ community. I hope that I can contribute to making the next chapter in its legacy one to be proud of; that those who have been with us throughout the past 36 years will enjoy what’s to come, and new audiences will feel compelled to pick up a copy of Ireland’s national LGBTQ+ press for the first time.

“More than anything, I hope that GCN can continue to impact others the way it did me. I hope our readers will feel reflected in its pages; celebrated, understood and included, and emerging writers will have a space to amplify their voices and find their truest selves.

“To the outgoing Editor, Peter Dunne, your generosity and belief as a mentor have impacted me more than you’ll ever know. If I can do half the job you did, I’ll consider it a success. To the rest of my GCN fam and the NXF Board, thank you for the trust and encouragement you’ve given me throughout the years, and for hustling hard day in and day out to ensure GCN thrives through the good times and bad. They say the people make the place and that is certainly true in this instance.

“I look forward to taking on this new challenge and hope you, our readers and contributors, will continue to lend us your eyes, ears, minds and voices well into the future.”