A Day in May: Real Lives, True Stories - Hardcover

Bird, Charlie

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 1785370766 ISBN 13: 9781785370762

Publisher: Merrion Press, 2016

Synopsis

On May 23rd, 2015 the people of Ireland made history by becoming the first country in the world to introduce marriage equality by popular vote. The joyous scenes from Dublin Castle and across Ireland, as the historic vote was declared, made headlines across the globe. But more than anything else, the vote was about changing the 'real lives' of the largest minority in Ireland: the LGBT community. Charlie Bird, inspired by the extraordinary Yes Equality campaign, travelled the length and breadth of Ireland to record first-hand the moving life stories of over fifty people who were deeply affected by the marriage equality vote. These are the true stories from ordinary LGBT people who have lived in the shadow of inequality and oppression for decades. A Day in May is a poignant record of their lives - of the pain, terror, confusion and sometimes the laughter - all of these emotions are beautifully captured by Charlie Bird. Stunning portrait photography complement the voices on paper to powerful effect amplifying the life affirming impact of that day in May 2015 when Ireland said yes to marriage equality. *** "The ordinary men and women who tell their remarkably eloquent stories create a fascinating tapestry of voices and experiences that epitomizes the phrase 'the personal is political.' As Colm Toibin writes in his introduction, each gay testimony 'moves our lives from shadow into substance.' A Day in May is an uplifting, enlightening and powerful collection." --Kevin Howell, Shelf Awareness, Social Science, July 1, 2016 *** "...moving anthology of firsthand testimonies from members of Ireland's LGBT community. Highly recommended!" --Midwest Book Review, Wisconsin Bookwatch: September 2016, The LGBT Studies Shelf [Subject: Marriage Equality, Politics, Gender Studies, Cultural Studies]

About this title

About the Author:

Charlie Bird is one of Ireland's most prominent journalists. For years he travelled extensively as RTE's Chief News Correspondent, visiting sites of armed conflict, political intrigue and natural disaster around the world. He resigned from that post in 2009 to assume the role of Washington Correspondent, which he held until the following year. He retired from RTE in 2012. He has also made a number of acclaimed travel documentaries, collected as 'Charlie Bird Explores', in which he spent time living with the indigenous peoples of the Arctic, the Ganges and the Amazon river basin.

Colm Toibin is the author of seven novels, including "The Blackwater Lightship;" "The Master", winner of the Los Angeles Times Book Prize; "Brooklyn", winner of the Costa Book Award; and "The Testament of Mary", as well as two story collections. Twice shortlisted for the Man Booker Prize, Toibin lives in Dublin and New York.

About this edition

• Publisher: Merrion Press
• Publication date: 2016
• ISBN 10: 1785370766
• ISBN 13: 9781785370762
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 268