Ireland has won the 2019 Luminary award that celebrated it as a global leader on Irish LGBT+ activism and rights. 

This past Sunday in New York, Irish gay activist Brendan Fay presented the 2019 luminary award to Consul General Ciaran Madden. The award was presented at an event that celebrated the opening of World Pride week, which commemorates the 50th anniversary of Stonewall.

Activist Brendan Fey, the founder of Irish LGBT+ group Lavender and Green Alliance, said the award “honoured our journey as a nation of LGBT+ rights.”

Fey, commenting on Stonewall’s significance to Irish LGBT+ history, said: “The Spirit of the Stonewall uprising reached communities across the world including Ireland where activists organised and in a few years they opened the Hirschfeld centre in Fownes St, Dublin- a safe community space and a disco at a time when it was a criminal offence to be gay. 

“Organising continued in the wake of the brutal anti-gay murder of Declan Flynn in 1982 eventually leading to the decriminalisation of homosexuality in 1993 and the historic vote on May 22, 2015 for marriage equality. Weeks later Ireland passed the transgender rights bill.”

On the future of LGBT+ Activism in Ireland, Fay affirmed: “We hold and carry all those who’ve gone before us and made the road for our equality and freedom – be our LGBT selves. We remember those who died because of violence or during the AIDS crisis. We say thanks to our elders … and welcome to the young.”

The Irish Consulate will be marching in Pride this year once again, and those attending World Pride in New York can still register to march with the Consulate.

#TBT to our fantastic #IrishPride marching group at last year’s #NYCPride. Registration is still open for all who want to join us on June 30 to make #WorldPride2019 in NY the biggest and best yet! Sign up today at https://t.co/tsqd1lXKZB https://t.co/lR6EeTSQrp

— Irish Consulate NYC (@IrelandinNY) June 20, 2019

It's beginning to look a lot like #pridemonth at the Consulate as we prepare to march on 30 June for #worldpride2019 in New York! We had a ball last year, and this year will be bigger and better! March with us on the day by registering at https://t.co/zZ9Tih77xq -all are welcome! pic.twitter.com/zLh6x3T3ky

— Irish Consulate NYC (@IrelandinNY) June 6, 2019

Brendan Fay is a human rights activist and filmmaker. He was born in Athy, Co. Kildare, and now lives in New York. He has engaged in activism surrounding immigration reform, civil marriage, HIV/AIDS awareness, inclusive parades, cultural hospitality, policing reform and human rights and nuclear disarmament.