• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • Advertise
  • Contact Us
  • About Towleroad
  • Towleroad on Social Media
  • Privacy Policy

Towleroad Gay News

Gay Blog Towleroad: More than gay news | gay men

  • Body
  • Daily Resist
  • POLITICS
  • Travel
  • Music
  • Theatre
  • Film
  • TV
  • Sports
  • Business
  • Men
  • Marriage Equality
  • Space
  • Trans Rights
  • Books
  • Science
  • Gay Iconography
  • TowleREAD

Irish LGBT Visibility Rises With Public Comings Out Of High Court Judge And Football Legend

January 22, 2015 by Anthony Costello

Ireland

On the heels of Irish Health Minister Leo Varadkar's public coming out, an Irish Courts Service spokesperson revealed that Justice Aileen Donnelly (above left) is Ireland's first openly gay serving member of the High Court reports Irish News. Justice Donnelly has been openly gay for many years, and earlier this week she was publicly named on blog theoutmost.com as openly gay, bringing public attention to her orientation. Donnelly's partner, Susan, was present at Donnelly's appointment in July. "Justice Donnelly is in a very happy relationship with her partner Susan," the Irish Courts Service spokesperson said.

Donnelly was educated at UCD and the King's Inn before being called to the Bar in 1988, and later called to the Inner Bar in 2004. She is also a board member and co-chair of the Irish Council for Civil Liberties between 1996 and 2002.

Additionally, Cork ladies football legend Valerie Mulcahy became the first female GAA player to publicly reveal that she is gay. Mulcahy, a schoolteacher with nine All-Ireland titles and five Allstar titles to her name, is featured on the RTE documentary Coming out of the Curve, hosted by former Rebel goalkeeper Donal Óg Cusack. Mulcahy discussed her coming out with the public at the launch of the new Women's Gaelic Players Association, which she happens to be the founder of.

Said Mulcahy:

"Anyone who knows me knows that my sexual orientation is not everything about me. They know who I am, they know I'm an athlete and that I'd rather they'd talk about my skills and football expertise.

"We are female, we are athletes, it's just one small part of us. For some people it's important, but it doesn't necessarily have to define everything that I am."

The increase of LGBT visibility among Irish government officials, including Varadkar, and public figures could prove crucial in the country's upcoming referendum on same-sex marriage in May. Irish Labour Party member Dominic Hannigan expressed that disaffected voters, mainly those who don't know or interact with LGBT people, present the biggest challenge in getting same-sex marriage passed in the country and believes that increased LGBT visibility is the key to tipping the scales in same-sex marriage's favor.

Filed Under: Ireland Tagged With: gay marriage, I'm Gay, Ireland, Leo Varadkar

Recent Posts

  • Bigfoot, Cheyenne Jackson, Meghan McCain, ‘It’s a Sin’, Ted Wheeler, Snoopy, Boise Gay Bar: HOT LINKS

    Bigfoot, Cheyenne Jackson, Meghan McCain, ‘It’s a Sin’, Ted Wheeler, Snoopy, Boise Gay Bar: HOT LINKS

    8 hours ago
  • Black Woman Whose Family Was Cuffed at Gunpoint During Mistaken Vehicle Stop Files Civil Rights Lawsuit

    Black Woman Whose Family Was Cuffed at Gunpoint During Mistaken Vehicle Stop Files Civil Rights Lawsuit

    13 hours ago
  • Twitter Investigating After Kellyanne Conway Allegedly Shared Topless Photo of Teen Daughter Claudia

    Twitter Investigating After Kellyanne Conway Allegedly Shared Topless Photo of Teen Daughter Claudia

    13 hours ago
  • Gay Ballet Dancer Seeks Room to Rent, Goes Viral

    Gay Ballet Dancer Seeks Room to Rent, Goes Viral

    14 hours ago
Previous Post: « Sam Smith Announces Split from Boyfriend Jonathan Zeizel: VIDEO
Next Post: Ellen Meets Dad and Gay Twins Who Came Out in Emotional Viral YouTube Clip: VIDEO »

Primary Sidebar

  • Bigfoot, Cheyenne Jackson, Meghan McCain, ‘It’s a Sin’, Ted Wheeler, Snoopy, Boise Gay Bar: HOT LINKS

  • Black Woman Whose Family Was Cuffed at Gunpoint During Mistaken Vehicle Stop Files Civil Rights Lawsuit

  • Twitter Investigating After Kellyanne Conway Allegedly Shared Topless Photo of Teen Daughter Claudia

Recent Posts

  • Bigfoot, Cheyenne Jackson, Meghan McCain, ‘It’s a Sin’, Ted Wheeler, Snoopy, Boise Gay Bar: HOT LINKS

    Bigfoot, Cheyenne Jackson, Meghan McCain, ‘It’s a Sin’, Ted Wheeler, Snoopy, Boise Gay Bar: HOT LINKS

    8 hours ago
  • Black Woman Whose Family Was Cuffed at Gunpoint During Mistaken Vehicle Stop Files Civil Rights Lawsuit

    Black Woman Whose Family Was Cuffed at Gunpoint During Mistaken Vehicle Stop Files Civil Rights Lawsuit

    13 hours ago
  • Twitter Investigating After Kellyanne Conway Allegedly Shared Topless Photo of Teen Daughter Claudia

    Twitter Investigating After Kellyanne Conway Allegedly Shared Topless Photo of Teen Daughter Claudia

    13 hours ago
  • Gay Ballet Dancer Seeks Room to Rent, Goes Viral

    Gay Ballet Dancer Seeks Room to Rent, Goes Viral

    14 hours ago
  • 19-Year-Old Gets 28 Years to Life for Brutal Murder of Teen He Feared Would Expose Their Relationship

    19-Year-Old Gets 28 Years to Life for Brutal Murder of Teen He Feared Would Expose Their Relationship

    14 hours ago
  • Citi Says it’s Standing by Golfer Justin Thomas After Anti-Gay Slur, Requiring Him to Donate ‘Meaningful Portion’ of Sponsorship Fee to LGBTQ Orgs

    Citi Says it’s Standing by Golfer Justin Thomas After Anti-Gay Slur, Requiring Him to Donate ‘Meaningful Portion’ of Sponsorship Fee to LGBTQ Orgs

    15 hours ago
  • Nikki Haley Says Violent Insurrection on Capitol, Coup Attempt ‘No Basis’ for Trump Impeachment: ‘At Some Point Give the Man a Break’ — WATCH

    Nikki Haley Says Violent Insurrection on Capitol, Coup Attempt ‘No Basis’ for Trump Impeachment: ‘At Some Point Give the Man a Break’ — WATCH

    16 hours ago
  • Hate Crime Charge Added in Case of Gay Man Stabbed and Strangled into Coma by Grindr ‘Date’

    Hate Crime Charge Added in Case of Gay Man Stabbed and Strangled into Coma by Grindr ‘Date’

    16 hours ago
  • Mitch McConnell Caves on Filibuster Demands, Agrees to Senate Power-Sharing Deal: WATCH

    Mitch McConnell Caves on Filibuster Demands, Agrees to Senate Power-Sharing Deal: WATCH

    16 hours ago
  • MyPillow CEO Mike Lindell Permanently Canned from Twitter for Election Conspiracy Theories

    MyPillow CEO Mike Lindell Permanently Canned from Twitter for Election Conspiracy Theories

    17 hours ago

Most Commented

  • Advertise
  • Contact Us
  • About Towleroad
  • Towleroad on Social Media
  • Privacy Policy

Footer

Copyright © 2021 · Log in