Irish Queer Archive
The Irish Queer Archive (Cartlann Aerach na hÉireann) is a living archive containing the most comprehensive collection of material in Ireland relating to homosexuality, LGBT history and literature.
The Irish Queer Archive provides a fascinating and valuable insight into the social, cultural and political history of the LGBT communities in an Irish and international context from the mid 20th century to early 21st century. The main collection was donated in 2008 to the National Library of Ireland by the National Gay Federation (now NXF). As a living archive, the Library continues to gratefully receive related donations of material from representative groups and by individuals.
The collection of mostly organisational records, includes papers of the the National LGBT Federation (NXF), Lesbians Organising Together (LOT), Out Magazine, the Dublin Lesbian and Gay Film Festival (GAZE), Alternative Miss Ireland, Sexual Liberation Movement (SLM), Gay Health Action (GHA), the Irish Gay Rights Movement, Union for Sexual Freedoms in Ireland (USFI), GLEN, Dublin LGBT Pride, Gays Against Imperialism, GCN, and other organisations
In addition to archival records, printed and other material includes periodicals and monographs, both national and international, as well as press cuttings dating from the 1960s to the early 2000s. Amongst material yet to be catalogued are items on film and audio, photographs and slides, flyers, posters, badges and other ephemera.
Complementing the NLI’s IQA Collections are websites collected and preserved in the Library’s Web Archive. Included in this collection are the websites captured during the campaigns at the time of the 2015 Marriage Equality Referendum. This collection of 47 website can be found in the NLI's Web Archive.
Some images from the collection
An ad for Gay Switchboard. In Touch newsletter, Irish Gay Rights Movement (IGRM). Late 1970s-early 1980s.
Pre-publicity flyer for Out magazine, published in Dublin, Winter 1984.
Panti at the Dublin Pride March, 2003. Photograph: Chrisopher Robson.
In June 1974 Belfast's Gay Liberation Society (GLS) published its ground-breaking pamphlet "Gay Forum: Seven Essays on Homosexuality".
Flikkers 5th annual Hallowe'en Ball 1987. A5 monochrome flyer designed by Maricon.
"Last House" on Thursday, July 24th, 1975, was RTÉ's weekly look at "summer season happenings with emphasis on people and entertainment". Produced by John McColgan.
"Local Elections" by Walter Kilroy, in OUT magazine, June/July 1985, p. 16.
Lesbian/Gay Pride Week 1984: Rally at GPO, Sat 30th June 1984. Photograph: Tony O'Shea.
2nd International Gay Youth Congress, 1985. Dublin. Photographed by Thomas Anthony O'Shea.
Christopher Robson Photographic Collection
Christopher Robson (1941-2013) was a leading LGBT+ activist who took thousands of photographs documenting decades of gay activism. In 2015, in accordance with Christopher’s wishes, his partner Bill Foley generously donated 2,000 photographs to the NLI, dating from 1992 to 2007, many recording Dublin Pride marches.
In an exhibition “Living with Pride” which opened in the National Photographic Archive in 2021, the NLI celebrated the photographs, and honoured Christopher Robson, an extraordinary man who lived with Pride. You can now view the exhibition online and read more about the collection.
Bill Foley, Minster Catherine Martin and former NLI Director, Sandra Collins at the launch for the Living With Pride exhibition
Sandra Collins (NLI) and Tonie Walsh (IQA)
Sandra Collins and Catherine Martin
A series of panel discussions to celebrate the launch of the Living with Pride Exhibition.
To find out more about the Irish Queer Archive please contact mqueries@nli.ie
or read more about the collection in our catalogue