10 Years On | Brian Teeling: Declan Flynn in Dublin

In 1982, Declan Flynn, a young gay man, was murdered by a group of teenagers in Fairview Park, Dublin. The court handed down suspended sentences, with the judge concluding that there was ‘no element of correction’ required. This decision, and the public response to it, played a pivotal role in the emergence of LGBTQIA+ activism in Ireland. Yet representations of Flynn have remained limited, often reduced to the circumstances of his death. Declan Flynn in Dublin, recently acquired by the Arts Council of Ireland Collection, offers a significant reworking of how queer lives from this period might be visualised. Brian Teeling is an Irish artist whose practice explores queer identity, memory, and absence through photography, sculpture, and text-based works. Marking the 10th anniversary of the Marriage Equality Referendum, this one-day event explored a century of LGBTQIA+ visibility, cultural expression, and resistance. Bringing together artists, historians, and activists, the event reflected on how queer lives have been represented, marginalised, and reclaimed through art and social action over the past 100 years. This event took place in the National Gallery of Ireland on 27 September 2025. It was co-organised by IMMA – Irish Museum of Modern Art and the National Gallery of Ireland. In partnership with Outhouse; GCN; Technological University Dublin; Queer Culture Ireland.