Welcome to the last issue of GCN magazine for 2023.

We thought it only fitting to have the marvellous David Norris as our cover star, photographed beautifully by Hazel Coonagh. Norris announced his retirement from the Seanad after 36 years. He talks to GCN about his career and legacy.

We also acknowledge some of the unsung pioneers responsible for many firsts in Irish queer history. Several organisations are platformed, with MPOWER celebrating its accomplishments to date, Outhouse shedding light on the need for solidarity, while Midlands LGBT Project call for support to enable them to continue operating into 2024.

We look at the biggest queer news stories from the past 12 months, while Kate Moynihan from LINC discusses their plans for the future. We discuss the origins of Israel’s occupation of Palestine and amplify some of the LGBTQ+ voices close to the matter.

The queer communities of India and Ireland are compared by one writer, while the capital’s beloved queer venue, PantiBar, is spotlighted in another feature.

Mammies For Trans Rights tell us the story of their foundation, while a young trans person bravely shares their experience of coming out at school.

We take a look at queer student life in Irish colleges and the challenges some LGBTQ+ folk face during the festive season, as toy collectors let us into their world.

We’d like to wish all our lovely readers a very happy and safe holiday season. Thank you for your support throughout 2023, and we look forward to what 2024 has in store.