Pride photos in NLI exhibition

PHOTOGRAPHS from a past Pride march in Sligo town have been included in a new photographic exhibition from the National Library of Ireland (NLI), which launched last Thursday at the National Photographic Archive, Temple Bar, Dublin and online.

Living with Pride: Photographs by Christopher Robson documents LGBTI+ life and activism in Ireland during the nineties and noughties, and tells the story of Christopher Robson, who captured – through his personal photography – much of Ireland’s remarkable journey toward LGBTI+ equality. It was launched by Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media Catherine Martin. A fully virtual version of the exhibition is also available to view.

Living with Pride exhibition features a selection of images from Sligo Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgendered Pride 2007.

Christopher Robson was a central figure in Irish LGBTI+ activism, helping found the Dublin Lesbian and Gay Men’s Collectives, Gay Health Action – the first AIDS organisation in Ireland – and the Gay and Lesbian Equality Network (GLEN).

He played a key role in the decriminalisation of homosexuality and was pivotal in the introduction of civil partnership and the enactment of State equality legislation.

His photographic collection of around 2,000 slides, which capture the LGBTI+ experience at a time when prejudice, discrimination and inequality was commonplace, was donated to the National Library in 2015 by Christopher’s civil partner, Bill Foley. The collection includes dozens of images from Sligo Pride march in 2007.

For more information, to view the exhibition and for the most up-to-date programme of events, visit www.nli.ie.

One of the photos from the Sligo Pride march in 2007 featured in the exhibition.