As part of our Annual General Meeting, our Chair gives a report on how the past year has gone. This is the report that our Chair, Vanessa Monaghan, delivered.
Firstly, as Chair of The LGBT Network thank you all for being here.
I think this year, as a group we’ve managed to achieve something great. We had some online meetups and conversations, we took part in our St Patrick’s Day Parade, and had a councillor from Limerick and a member of Mammies for Trans Kids walk with us in this year’s parade.
With a massive amount of work, we had the first Pride Parade in the Embassy and we managed to have a very brilliant event, yes a very brilliant one. As we managed to bring new faces to the Embassy and let’s face it, a bit of irreverent humour.
I was asked by the Ambassador to address the room. I reflected on where we’ve come, from Ireland, with the struggles that came with that, to equal marriage, seemingly equality and to today’s Britain where homophobic and transphobic attacks are on the rise. But I was also optimistic for the future and hopeful for those who follow us.
The Ambassador brought myself and Mark T Cox, who performed on the night, upstairs for a chat before the event. He and Mrs Fraser were extremely welcoming, very open to listening and getting to know and understand our community, and ensuring we knew that we were always welcome in the Embassy.
Last week when I was at an event there, a couple of people who were present were also present and the event. People are still speaking about how it was so different from other embassy events, so joyous, vibrant, and open. We also have to acknowledge those who founded the group and set us on the right path.
It’s a very unfortunate thing to have to say that if a group of us are gathered, openingly being ourselves, it may not be necessarily safe right now. Both personally and as Chair of the group, I’ve always promised I would provide a safe space if we gather in public. And I will not put the safety of any of our members at risk, there’s also the added issues of security and insurance.
This is why I’m thrilled and delighted with the work that has been put into the St Patrick’s Day parade. City Hall don’t need us to run an event. Since I’ve been on the Community Advisory Board, I’ve advocated for more queer visibility. And 2024 is going to be the queerest yet.
We also successfully managed to receive funding this year, something that we should never take for granted. Things are getting stricter with reporting and governance and as Chair I have an obligation to ensure the monies are used for their intended use. Money from the ESP funding pays for our Zoom, website domain, and hosting, and sundries like badges and flyers.
I have to thank our committee for all their work, their friendship, and banter this year. It’s easy to forget that we’re not like a lot of other Irish community groups. We don’t have paid workers, everyone is voluntary, putting in their own time. Sometimes that means we have to do a tag team thing, if someone is at work, someone else can carry the baton. I have to especially thank our networking Queen, Yvonne Devine, who is amazing.
Whenever we’re invited to an event, we owe it to ourselves and our members to put our own agendas aside and represent the group in the most professional way possible. It’s beautifully reassuring to know that when Yvonne is representing the group, she puts the needs of the group first, promoting the group face-to-face and introducing the group to other members of the Irish and Queer communities. Thank you for that.
Here’s to what’s next.
Personal Statement from The Chair
It’s three and a half years since I was elected as interim Chair and later Chair of London Irish LGBT Network and I’m extremely proud of what I’ve achieved in that time.
From providing a safe space and solace during lockdowns and after, to coordinating the first Pride event at the Embassy of Ireland. I’m well chuffed.
The hard work I’ve put in through proper dialogue and discussion means that the Queer community is now represented and visible not only at our St Patrick’s Day parade but also on the main stage. Next year will be something special.
I also believe that it was by showing I could be trusted and that I followed through on promises that led us to co-host a fantastic ‘Rainbow Crossings’ online event with the Embassy and then earlier this year the fantastic Pride event at the Embassy.
First and foremost, as Chair, I’ve always strived to ensure I could provide a safe space for any of our members, friends, and allies who chose to join us.
But the reality is more and more people are moving outside London. I’m going to be one of them. As it stands, I can’t commit to another twelve months of physically being in London.
During my time here, through my radio work, my 9-5, and chatting with people, I’ve learned that there is a need for a group that celebrates the Irish Queer community UK-wide.
At the event in the embassy, I spoke to some people, who came 2 / 2 and a half hours outside London to the event. Just because they knew there would be Irish queer people there.
London represents about an eighth of the UK population and there are huge Irish communities in Leeds, Manchester, Liverpool, Birmingham, and Glasgow. There are Irish people everywhere and even looking at the telly, everything is London-centric. There are also remote parts of the UK where you’ll find Irish people.
With the work I’ve already done with online meetings, it won’t take too much more work to tell other Irish people nationwide about these online events. I have a lot of contacts around the UK and in other community groups I’m not going to say it will be easy, it won’t. But, the hardest thing is starting. Once everything is set up, reaching 2000 people will take the same amount of time and effort as 20.
I want to engage with Irish community centres across the UK, organise online chats for older Irish LGBT people. As we all know, people came to the UK because they couldn’t always be their true selves. I have the chance to provide something that hasn’t been done and let those people know they are valued.
As has always been the case, a lot of Queer Irish people who are moving here may never move back to Ireland but I feel it’s important that I try to extend my work to include these people, celebrating where we are now, acknowledging the past and our community history.
My idea is to have each major city could have its own chapter with a local representative. Each of these could get involved with events locally. Imagine having Pride events in all the Irish Consulates around the UK?
Life changes, events change but If there was a London chapter there would be the potential to organise in-person events, take part In the St Patrick’s parade, and walk in Pride.
But, we live in a digital age and the best way to reach the largest amount of people is online, meeting up for occasional in-person events. It’s a really good way to start and something sustainable that I feel I can grow and where I can provide a safe space.
I’m looking forward to getting UK Queer Irish off the ground and have named it as such in line with the precedent set by Sydney Queer Irish and Vancouver Queer Irish.
I have the website and I have the social media ready for UK Queer Irish. Out of courtesy to my role in the London Irish LGBT Network, I have yet to act on these.
Thank you for listening and for giving me this opportunity.
London Irish LGBT Network 