Gay Community News (Dublin)

In the late 1980s, activists Tonie Walsh and Catherine Glendon sought to establish a free LGBTQ+ publication. The National Gay Federation (now National LGBT Federation) had previously published two unsuccessful LGBTQ+ periodicals, but agreed to establish an LGBTQ+ newspaper. GCN's first issue was published on 10 February 1988[3][4] as an eight-page tabloid newspaper. This first issue was designed by Niall Sweeney [5] and in the 1990s was printed by The Meath Chronicle.[6] It has been published consistently each month, with one exception. Its distribution was primarily through the pubs and clubs associated with the LGBTQ+ community, as well as other LGBTQ+ friendly spaces such as student unions, some books shops, and community and arts centres.[6]

GCN is owned and published by the National LGBT Federation (NXF), which is a voluntary organisation.[7] GCN was originally funded by the Irish state during the economically difficult 1980s and early 1990, it still carries funding banners from the National Development Plan and Pobal.[3] GCN stated that government and advertising funding did not impact the editorial choices of the publication.[6] During the early 1990s, prominent activists and writers, Suzy Byrne and Junior Larkin worked on the publication.[8]

For issue 100, in 1997, GCN sponsored the first Irish Queer Writers Award, which was won in its inaugural year by Micheál Ó Conghaile and Padraig Rooney. During this time, GCN also published a number of collage cartoons by Margaret Lonergan about lesbian culture.[9] By 1998, the publication had 2 full-time members of staff and 21 part-time positions funded by FÁS[6] producing a 38 page freesheet.[3]

In July 2003, Brian Finnegan was appointed editor and GCN was relaunched as a full-colour magazine in an effort to make the publication more commercially viable,[5] with funding from Atlantic Philanthropies.[3] This relaunch led to the publication recording revenues after a number of years of loss. Following the economic downturn in 2008 and the loss of advertising revenue, GCN began to run fundraising campaigns.[5]

GCN's online presence began in 2000. The website was relaunched in January 2014, under the new name TheOutmost.com.[10] The website's title was changed back to GCN to correspond with a rebranding nd full relaunch of the magazine in 2017.[11]

In 2019, Lisa Connell was appointed to the position of Managing Editor of GCN [12] to steer the organisation into its next chapter, with Peter Dunne as Editor of the print magazine and Head of Digital, Marketing and Development, Stefano Pappalardo, leading digital.

In 2022 GCN was awarded the 'Emerging Stronger – Digital for Good Award / Not-for-Profit’ Spider Award, recognising not for profit organisations that drive digital excellence throughout their website, social media or services. [13]

In January 2023, GCN appointed Group Manager Michael Brett to lead Ireland's national LGBTQ+ media outlet in its service to the community.

In June 2023, GCN launched its Digital Archive , making the first decade of the magazine freely available for online readers for the first time in its 35 year history. The digitisation of GCN's archive was funded through the LGBTI+ Community Services fund from the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth.

Today, GCN has evolved from a monthly magazine to Ireland's free national LGBTQ+ press and a key resource for the community, acting as a hub and striving to inform, educate, connect, platform, entertain and advocate for the community. GCN boasts a vibrant print and digital presence through its magazine, news, entertainment and lifestyle website, digital initiatives, campaigns, live events, social media channels and online store.

• GCN online
• Oral history interview of Tonie Walsh in which he discusses the foundation of GCN