This dissertation won the award for Design Research in the Institute of Designers in Ireland Graduate Awards 2018 and is part of the Irish Queer Archive in the National Library of Ireland.

Design Research, Critical Thinking
2018

This dissertation examines the expression of queer identity through Irish nightclub posters and flyers from the Irish Queer Archive in the 1980s, 1990s and 2000s. It gives a cultural and historical context of Ireland and maps out political and cultural shifts that set the basis for a more accepting society. This research is drawn from various Irish scholars writing on the socio-political history of Ireland, from academics and archivers writing on club culture, identity and flyer design, from various cultural theories and interviews I conducted with Tonie Walsh, former DJ and club promoter, and graphic designer Niall Sweeney. This provides an in-depth analysis of the first generation of Irish queer designers.