National Library of Ireland celebrates 10 Years of Marriage Equality

The archive was donated in 2020 by ‘Yes Equality’, the organisation that led the successful marriage equality campaign. To mark the tenth anniversary of the historic Marriage Equality Referendum, the photographic collection has been catalogued and is now available on the NLI website.

The photographic collection comprises more than 1,000 photographs by photographer Paul Sharp. Commissioned by ‘Yes Equality’, Paul documented the activities of the marriage equality campaign, voting day and post-result celebrations, and captured the personal stories and the spirit behind the campaign.

The Yes Equality Campaign: Digital Archive donation was one of the NLI’s first born-digital pilot projects and the photographic selection launched today is the first at the NLI to become fully accessible online.

As Ireland’s memory-keeper, the NLI is dedicated to capturing, protecting and sharing the nation’s diverse voices and experiences. It has collected, preserved, and made available the websites that existed during the 2015 Marriage Equality Referendum campaigns.

‘Revisiting the Yes Equality Campaign: A Decade of Marriage Equality’

To celebrate and commemorate the tenth anniversary of the Marriage Equality Referendum, the NLI is hosting a panel discussion, ‘Revisiting the Yes Equality Campaign: A Decade of Marriage Equality’, with key advocates from the campaign. The panel discussion will reflect on the 2015 Marriage Equality Referendum and Yes Equality campaign.

The panel includes Brian Sheehan, former Co-Director of ‘Yes Equality’; Karl Hayden, filmmaker, photographer and LGBTI+ activist; and Anna MacCarthy, activist and organiser with ‘LGBT Noise’. Anna Nolan, Chairperson of ‘NXF (National LGBT Federation)’ and television producer, will chair the discussion.

The event will take place on Thursday, 15th May, from 6:15 pm at the National Library of Ireland on Kildare Street, Dublin 2. Limited tickets are available here.

Commenting, the Director of the National Library of Ireland, Dr Audrey Whitty, said:

“We all remember the scenes of jubilation 10 years ago as Ireland voted ‘yes’ and we made history as the first country in the world to approve marriage equality by popular vote. We are incredibly grateful to ‘Yes Equality’ for donating their campaign archive to the National Library of Ireland. We are immensely proud that this archive is now part of the National Collection and will be available to the people of Ireland and beyond for generations to come.

“As the memory-keeper of Ireland, we are committed to collecting and preserving Ireland’s many voices and diverse experiences, ensuring everyone feels welcome, visible and included. On this pivotal anniversary, we are truly honoured to be joined by some  well-known advocates from the campaign as we reflect on the groundbreaking work of our LGBTI+ community and celebrate a decade of Marriage Equality.”

Head of Digital Collections, NLI, Eoghan Ó Carragáin, added: “Providing the public and researchers with access to the photographs in the Yes Equality Campaign: Digital Archive demonstrates the importance of investing in digital preservation. It is an excellent example of how the NLI’s evolving digital collecting and preservation practices ensure that digital material remains findable, accessible, and reusable in the future, protecting critical aspects of Ireland’s contemporary story.”

Gráinne Healy, former Co-Director of ‘Yes Equality’, commented: “It is of huge significance that the Yes Equality Campaign: Digital Archive will be part of the National Collection. To have visual artefacts of the campaign which moved hearts and minds and resulted in a resounding Yes vote, means, that for generations who follow us, the visual narrative will help tell that story; celebrating the campaign, the win and the historic recognition of equal marriage for same sex couples - gifted by the people of Ireland.”
 

Brian Sheehan, former Co-Director of ‘Yes Equality’, said: “The Yes Equality campaign for the Marriage Referendum in 2015 was extraordinary in that it unleashed the creativity, energy and commitment of thousands of people who toiled for months on the intense national conversation that persuaded people to vote Yes. As a place where the story of Ireland is held and treasured it is wonderful and right that the National Library of Ireland now holds a visual record of a key part of that remarkable journey and has made it available to the public for the first time. Through the NLI, the story of Ireland will forever include the story of that referendum and the generosity of Irish people.”

ENDS