Sean Meehan (1983 – 2016)

We talk about Sean Meehan with broken hearts. A man, a brother, and our dear friend.

At Sean’s bedside, one of his friends said that it’s a rare thing that you remember the first time you meet somebody. Everyone remembered when and where they first met Sean. And everyone remarked on his eyes. They were the brightest of blue and emitted energy, joy and mischievousness.

Sean embraced everybody, but most of all he embraced himself. While small in stature, his personality was huge. “Good things come in small packages,” he’d say. He was right.

Sean was just about to turn 33 when he passed away in April. His short life was full to the brim of adventures, achievements and advocacy. Sean did more in those 33 years than a lot of us do in a lifetime. He began accepting his true self in Chicago, a place he held dear to his heart, and there, began his journey to becoming the man he knew he always was.

But Dublin was always his home.

Sean was crowned an Alternative Miss Ireland as Funtime Gustavo in 2006. He also won Mr. Gay PantiBar and became first trans man to take part in Mr. Gay Ireland. He was proud of his trans visibility and advocacy. In a play Sean wrote and performed, he said, “Am I normal? No. Am I trans? Yes. Am I gay? Yes. Do I have more labels then TK Maxx? Fuck Yes!” Sean was one of a kind and so special to so many of us.

He nourished his body and owned his it. He was not shy of showing it off. He modeled with the alternative sketch group Dr. Sketchy’s and took absolute pride in the work of art that he was, a work of art he had sculpted and created. We all aspired to reach his level of dedication and commitment.

Sean’s friendships stretched far and wide. He was the epitome of our queer community, bringing all walks of life together on a night out. His presence was felt when he walked into a room, onto a stage or into a club. Everyone wanted to be around him and he relished that.

His smile sparkled. It was a smile that started conversations and built friendships. He emanated enthusiasm and jumped at any chance of devilment he could get. He was a joy to be around.

He was as cute as a puppy and as ferocious as a lion. He was bold and bright. His energy was high voltage. He was creative and a natural performer. He had an inquisitive nature and always wanted to know more. His was a journey of self-discovery and honesty.

He taught us all that.

He was a flirt and a gentleman. His charm and manner will always be spoken about. He touched so many with his gentle demeanor. His laugh will be missed.

Sean was playful but his soul was fearless and brave. In times of adversity he triumphed and soldiered on. Sean was a fighter. His battles were greater than most of us can contemplate. And with such brightness there can often be darkness. The days will be certainly darker without his eyes glistening and his smile beaming.

In this wide circle of friends, Sean was many things to many people, but most importantly he was true to himself. We all loved Sean, and we always will.

Written by Vickey Curtis