Tonie Walsh

Tonie Walsh (born in Dublin, Ireland on Christmas Day 1960). Tonie enjoyed a lyrical chilhood in Clonmel, Co. Tipperary, before returning to Dublin to study History and Art at UCD.

His 20's were spent mainly in the gay civil rights movement, during which time he was one of the prime movers behind Dublin's LGBT community space, the Hirschfield Centre. In 1985, while involved with the Council of Europe-funded International Lesbian and Gay Youth Congress, he became the first openly gay person to stand for election to Dublin City Council - on a platform of tenancy rights and urban renewal. Although unsuccessful, it encouraged him four years later to stand of election to Dáil Éireann in a effort to highlight the unjustness of anti-homosexual legislation.

Walsh was president of the National Lesbian and Gay Federation (NLGF) from 1984 to 1988, at a time when it was co-defendant with Senator David Norris in his constitutional action (Norris V. Attorney General). During this period Tonie Walsh worked as a staff repprter with Ireland first commerical gay magazine, OUT. However in a climate of fear, hostility and ignorance (RTE, for example, refused to run radio advert promoting the magazine). OUT folded in 1988, by which time Walsh had founded Gay Community News GCN, an A3 newspaper which he also edited during it's first two pioneering years. To this day GCN remains Ireland's longest running gay publication.

After ten years of activism, Walsh followed his boyfriend to London where he remained for time, before returning to his native town and launched himself as a highly successful as a DJ and club promoter. Throughout the 1990's and beyond Walsh was a leading player in some of Ireland's most significant club/performance events, among them 'Horny Organ Tribe', 'Elevator', the legendary fetish club 'GAG', 'Powerbubble', 'H.A.M', Cork's club 'Telefunkin' and HIV/A.I.D.S fund-raising beauty pagent Alternative Miss Ireland.

Notes

Tonie Walsh (born in Dublin, Ireland on Christmas Day 1960). Tonie enjoyed a lyrical childhood in Clonmel, Co. Tipperary, before returning to Dublin to study History and Art at UCD.

His 20's were spent mainly in the gay civil rights movement, during which time he was one of the prime movers behind Dublin's LGBT community space, the Hirschfeld Centre. In 1985, while involved with the Council of Europe-funded International Lesbian and Gay Youth Congress, he became the first openly gay person to stand for election to Dublin City Council - on a platform of tenancy rights and urban renewal. Although unsuccessful, it encouraged him four years later to stand for election to Dáil Éireann (Ireland's Lower House) in an effort to highlight the unjustness of anti-homosexual legislation.

Walsh was president of the National Lesbian and Gay Federation (NLGF) from 1984 to 1988, at a time when it was co-defendant with Senator David Norris in his constitutional action (Norris V. Attorney General). During this period Tonie Walsh worked as a staff reporter on Ireland's first commercial gay magazine, OUT.The magazine operated in a climate of fear, hostility and ignorance, evidenced by the state broadcaster, RTE, for example, refusing to run a radio advert promoting the magazine). OUT folded in 1988, by which time Walsh had founded Gay Community News GCN[1], an A3 newspaper which he also edited during it's first two pioneering years. To this day GCN remains Ireland's longest running gay publication.

After ten years of activism, Walsh followed his boyfriend to London where he remained for a time, before returning to his native town and launched himself as a highly successful DJ and club promoter. Throughout the 1990s and beyond Walsh was a leading player in some of Ireland's most significant club/performance events, among them 'Horny Organ Tribe', 'Elevator', the legendary fetish club 'GAG', 'Powerbubble', 'H.A.M', Cork's club 'Telefunkin' and HIV/A.I.D.S fund-raising beauty pagent Alternative Miss Ireland[2].