Photo by Hazel Coonagh
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While writing a doctorate, and later a book, about the role of Irish LGBTI+ civil society in social change for young people in the Twenty First Century I found that: 1. It was very difficult to access significant materials which help tell this story and 2. The materials that were available were often being used out of context. For this reason I’ve created this website. It is presented here in the spirit of shared learning and open access to materials for civil society organisations, students, researchers, activists and anyone involved in working for social justice.
I have been involved in the production of all the materials here in various ways. Some I have been centrally involved in - as an author, producer or commissioner. With other materials I have been less involved - as an advisor or contributor. All were produced by brilliant teams who are acknowledged and to whom I am enormously grateful.
ABOUT ME
I have been a social justice advocate since the 1990s, including as a youth and community worker, an executive director, (of BeLonG To, EQUATE and The Rowan Trust), a researcher, a grant maker and a volunteer. I’ve been involved in the Irish and international LGBTI+ rights movement, I’ve worked with people who are homeless, promoted sexual health and campaigned for equal access to education. Throughout this work I’ve been part of cross-community coalitions for social justice.
I am a doctoral graduate in social science from Maynooth University, Ireland and I write on social movements and social change - including with the Council of Europe in the areas of Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity and of Anti-Discrimination and Protection of National Minorities. As Executive Director of The Rowan Trust, I am deeply committed to the role independent funding can play when it works in partnership with others to achieve social justice.