Catherine Connolly's visit 'carried such meaning for everyone' as five words captured whole event
The President of Ireland is a woman of her word promising that she would attend the important event
Upon President Catherine Connolly’s historic presidential win, Verena Tarpey, the CEO of GOSHH LGBTQ+ centre, sat down to write a letter to invite the president to Limerick.
President Connolly made good on the invitation, and visited the centre to meet those involved in LGBTQ+ advocacy, support and activism on today’s date, July 9.
Deepesh Simpson Shah - the Chair of GOSHH’s Board - gave a moving welcome to the president starting by saying “how far Ireland has come”.
“For more than three decades, GOSHH has worked to improve the health, wellbeing and inclusion of LGBTQ+ people and others who may experience marginalisation or social exclusion. We provide counselling, sexual health services, community groups, education programmes, research and outreach initiatives that help people find support, connection and a sense of belonging.”
“To give you a sense of scale, last year more than 2,500 people engaged with our services across more than 20 community groups. Whilst our remit is broad, it is underpinned by one belief: that everyone deserves support, dignity, respect and good health, without judgement, whoever they are.
There are of course many more equally impressive statistics I could show you about. But important as those numbers are, they only tell part of the story. Behind every number is a person. Someone who rang our helpline not knowing where else to turn and found someone on the other end who listened.
Someone who walked through our doors for a test, frightened, and left with answers and support instead of judgement. Someone who moved to this country not knowing a soul and found the beginning of a community.
That is the human context as to why this organisation exists and the reason I’m so proud to be its chair.”
Mr Simpson Shah continued: “That work has particular meaning during Pride Week. Pride is, of course, a celebration, but it is also a reminder: of how far Ireland has come, of the pioneering steps that have brought us here, and of the work still needed to ensure inclusion and visibility are real in people’s everyday lives.”
“And that is why your visit to us carries such meaning for everyone here today. Across your public life, you have stood with people whose rights, dignity and identities have too often been questioned or denied.
From marriage equality to gender recognition, from opposition to conversion therapy to your wider work on human rights, that record matters deeply to this community.
I believe, it is why your presence here today feels significant to the people who work here and to the people we support — many of whom have known exclusion in one form or another.
Shortly, you will meet some of the people who carry this work every day — often quietly, often without headlines, but with consequences that can change the course of someone’s life.
I’m deeply grateful that you will be taking the time to hear their stories today, because they can speak to this work far better than I can. Together, this incredible team before you are what makes GOSHH not just a service, but a place of safety, a place of solidarity and a place of belonging.
Thank you for being here today, for listening, and for standing with this community so steadfastly.”