A new radio documentary, 35 Years of GCN, is coming to Irish airwaves. Produced by Shaun & Maurice for Documentary and Drama on Newstalk, the project explores the history of Ireland’s queer community through the pages of yours truly, GCN, the country’s national LGBTQ+ media.
Gay Community News was co-founded by Catherine Glendon and Tonie Walsh in the late 1980s during the height of the AIDS epidemic. The first edition was published from the Hirschfield Centre in Dublin’s Temple Bar in February 1988, and since then, it has been at the heart of the Irish LGBTQ+ community, reflecting the lived experiences of queer people the length and breadth of the island and beyond.
The magazine has witnessed the nation’s seismic cultural shift from a repressive church-dominated state to a more tolerant and inclusive society. From decriminalisation to the introduction of civil partnerships, the passing of both the marriage and abortion referendums to the passing of the gender recognition act, GCN has been at the forefront of recording these totemic changes.
In 2022, the organisation pledged to digitise its entire print catalogue, comprising over 300 issues. The first decade of the magazine is now available to view online in the GCN Archive, making it accessible and freely available to readers anywhere in the world.
Newstalk’s documentary explores some of the stories covered by the publication, and interviews trailblazers like Tonie Walsh and David Norris about its foundation and impact. It also features conversations with former GCN editors Brian Finnegan and Lisa Connell about the struggles and celebrations that have been documented throughout GCN, such as those mentioned above.
Ireland’s “queer paper of record” has been with us for so long, it’s easy to take it for granted. This is a timely reminder of @GCNmag essential role in both disseminating and preserving stories of LGBTQ+ liberation and survival.https://t.co/Ho6nWWk3JB via @NewstalkFM
— Tonie Walsh (@tonie_walsh) November 7, 2023
The new radio documentary, 35 Years of GCN, will be broadcast on Newstalk on Sunday, November 12 at 7am and repeated on Saturday, November 18 at 9pm. The programme was produced with funding from the Coimisiún na Meán Sound and Vision scheme.
© 2023 GCN (Gay Community News). All rights reserved.
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