About

Founded on St. Patrick’s Day in 1979, and operating in Dublin’s then blighted Temple Bar district, the Hirschfeld was a community-built institution that became the incubator for numerous political causes, including the campaign for decriminalization of homosexuality, the effort to elect the first queer representative in the Irish parliament, and life-saving AIDS activism. The centre was also the locus for media projects that brought visibility to LGBTQ identities and culture in Ireland.

‘The Hirsch’, as it was called, also provided a social space for people across the island who sought affirming queer community. Situated at 10 Fownes St., a city centre location that would be redeveloped as a tourist quarter in the early 1990s, the building itself speaks to the range of activities undertaken. With four levels housing a café, disco, movie theatre, helpline resource and offices, the structure itself serves as a grounded metaphor for the activities, aspirations and lasting impact the centre had, despite its brief existence. It closed its doors in 1987 after a devastating fire.