Belated acknowledgment on the death of an important figure of the gay rights movement in Ireland.
Belated acknowledgment on the death of an important figure of the gay rights movement in Ireland. - The Labour Party
Labour LGBTQ+ offers its sincere condolences on the death of Laurence (Laurie) John Steele (28 March 1952 – 7 October 2025), a pioneering figure in the gay rights movement in Ireland and internationally.
Laurie’s activism was rooted in courage, principle and a deep commitment to justice at a time when being openly gay, and standing up for gay rights, carried real personal risk. His work contributed to the foundations for the rights and freedoms LGBTQ+ people in Ireland enjoy today.
Before arriving in Ireland, Laurie was already a veteran activist. In 1978, he was involved in organising the first Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras and was one of the 53 marchers, the “78ers”, arrested and subjected to violence by police. The publication of their names by the Sydney Morning Herald caused lasting harm, an act for which the newspaper would later formally apologise in 2016. That experience shaped Laurie’s commitment to solidarity and resistance in the face of injustice.
Settling in Cork in the late 1970s, Laurie became a central figure in the emerging gay rights movement in Ireland. Alongside his partner, Arthur Leahy, he made history in 1980 by appearing on RTÉ’s Week In, the first openly gay couple to do so on Irish television. It is difficult to overstate the bravery of that moment. Homosexuality was still criminalised, social attitudes were hostile, the Catholic Church exerted enormous influence, and Ireland had only a handful of television channels, meaning visibility was unavoidable. This was also the early period of the AIDS crisis, when fear, stigma and misinformation were rampant, and when compassionate, community-led responses were urgently needed.
Laurie’s contribution extended far beyond visibility. He played a key role in:
- the founding of the Cork Gay Collective in 1980
- a committed trade unionist, playing an active role in the Gay Rights at Work campaign, starting in 1980 with lobbying the ICTU conference at Cork City Hall.
- organising the First National Gay Conference in Cork in 1981
- campaigning against the anti-abortion amendment being introduced into the Constitution in 1983.
- establishing Gay Health Action in 1985, at a critical moment in the early AIDS crisis
- and helping to found and sustain the Quay Co-op, a vital community space that continues to serve Cork today.
Through all of this work, Laurie combined activism with kindness, integrity and an unwavering belief in collective action.
Ger Philpott, Labour LGBTQ+ Executive, said:
“Laurie Steele was a class human being. Beautiful inside and out. We formed a close friendship in 1980s Ireland and campaigned together during our Cork Gay Collective days. His work for gay rights here was significant. We’ve lost a bright light and decent soul. Suaimhneas síoraí air.”
Labour LGBTQ+ honours Laurie Steele’s legacy with gratitude and respect. His bravery helped transform Ireland, and his contribution will not be forgotten.
Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam dílis.
Labour LGBTQ+
