The National Library of Ireland (NLI) has received a significant donation with the addition of the Katherine Zappone and Ann Louise Gilligan Papers, a collection that offers a deeply personal and historic insight into one of Ireland’s most influential partnerships in the struggle for equality.

Donated by Dr Katherine Zappone, former Minister for Children and renowned LGBTQ+ rights advocate, the archive chronicles the lives, work, and legacy of Zappone and her late wife, Dr Ann Louise Gilligan.

The papers span the breadth of the couple’s personal and professional journey. Among the most poignant items are documents from their 2003 wedding in Canada, an event that would later play a central role in their legal challenge for the recognition of their marriage in Ireland.

Their case, Zappone & Gilligan v Revenue Commissioners, became a landmark moment in the national conversation on marriage equality, highlighting the deep injustice faced by same-sex couples long before Ireland’s historic referendum of 2015.

Beyond their legal advocacy, the collection captures the couple’s lifelong commitment to social justice and education. After meeting in Boston in the early 1980s, an encounter Zappone describes as “love at first sight”, the pair settled in Ireland, where they co-founded An Cosán in Tallaght.

The community education centre became a cornerstone of their mission to create opportunities for women and families who had long been excluded from educational pathways. Their work helped to shape policy discussions and inspired generations of learners and activists.

The papers also offer intimate reflections on their personal relationship and shared purpose. Zappone has often spoken about the challenges they faced in keeping their partnership hidden during the early years of their return to Ireland, when being publicly out could have jeopardised their careers. Yet their quiet determination and later public advocacy helped to shift cultural attitudes and galvanise the movement for LGBTQ+ rights.

In announcing the donation, the NLI emphasised the importance of preserving records that illuminate Ireland’s social and political evolution. Once catalogued, the collection is expected to be available to the public in 2026 and will serve as a vital resource for researchers, activists, and anyone who may be interested.

The Zappone and Gilligan Papers stand not only as a testament to a remarkable couple, but as a celebration of the progress they helped to achieve and the stories that continue to shape modern Ireland.