1983 – Gay Conference Comes To Belfast, what a headline.  When you consider that the Good Friday Agreement was 5 years away.  The ‘troubles’ were still happening all around us, and we were also 8 years away from our first Pride March in Belfast, the fact that a gay conference was held is nothing short of remarkable.  This is the small article that was published in Northern Ireland’s only gay publication, which can be found in the Linen Hall Libary Political Collection on the fourth floor.

…This is a short report on the All Ireland Lesbian and Gay Men’s Conference which was held in 1983 in Belfast, at the Crescent Arts Centre and the Gay Centre.  As many as 200 lesbians and gay men were expected at this 3rd annual conference.

The first conference was in Cork in 1981, and in 1982 was in Dublin.  The two of them were organised by ‘independent’ lesbians and gay men and supported by national organisations that provided facilities.  It was significant that only a handful of delegates from Northern Ireland were present at both conferences.

In January 1983 a planning meeting was in Belfast for the 1983 conference which was attended by many of the former committee members from 1981 and 1982.  Belfast representation was limited to half a dozen men – all members of NIGRa (Northern Ireland Gay Rights Association).

The Dublin Conference had been uniquely successful in having equal numbers of women and men attending.  The absence of women from this planning conference augured poorly for the future of a Belfast conference.

The afternoon session was better attended by Belfast/Derry people and a meeting was planned for a fortnight later to bring together ‘non-organisation’ lesbians and gay men in the region.  Six women and six men attended, including Charles Kerrigan of the Dublin Gay Collective.

It was decided in principle, that those non-organisational people would determine the nature and organisation of the conference.

NIGRA’s role was to provide facilities, admin and any other help…

We talk about our history, but we have done little to mark it, to record it and remember it.  If you wish to have your history recorded, don’t forget the LGBTQIA+ Heritage Project (link below).

Links:

• World Congress of Families – Conference Speaker
• The National Union of Students (NUS), Lesbian and Gay Liberation Campaign Conference 1988
• The Linen Hall Library – Northern Ireland Political Collection
• LGBTHistoryni
• Welcome to Queer NI – 
• LGBTQIA+ Heritage Project