A Day in May : Real Lives, True Stories

Charlie Bird, C. Toibin, K. Rafter

On 23 May 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.