Normáilte: Mapping 50 years of the LGBTQ+ movement in Ireland

AS his debut short film, Normáilte, premieres in venues across Ireland, Caoimhghín Ó hEoghusa has always found himself to be a creative person and a lover of the Irish language, traits which shone through as a youngster, into his teenage years, and now, is at his core as a 24-year-old.

Growing up in Clonkeen, Lisnagry, he can’t quite pinpoint the moment he realised his grá for Gaeilge, but he can remember the steps he took to ensure it was woven into his everyday, a way of connecting with his heritage.

“My parents aren't against Irish, but they just didn't never spoke it,” he said. “I wanted to embrace this other aspect of our identity that we don’t really deal with.”

Engrossed in the whys and why nots, in his youth he took it upon himself to research the history of the tongue, the old-Irish script, and if - by some miracle - it could be revived. With young Irish speakers increasing today in a modern resurgence, Caoimhghín beamed, “I feel like this film is going to be part of that.”

Having been approached by Pól Penrose, one of the organisers of Bród na Gaeltachta, Caoimhghín was tasked with creating a piece of art which celebrated the rise of the LGBTQ+ community over 50 years, while using his beloved Irish. Immediately, the idea of curating a short film took hold of his mind, and he set off with one piece of advice from Pól: “Take the grant and do something.”

“An idea walked into my head,” he stated, and with only €1000 to create a project to be proud of, Caoimhghín, with the help of his friend and director Lukasz Simon, began a process which would see Normáilte, a title meaning ‘normal’ in English, soon reach film festivals in even the smallest corners of Ireland. With the help of a team of volunteers, his idea was born: “The LGBTQ+ movement grew over 50 years, so, why not match that to someone growing up?”

Describing the film which first premiered at Queer Vision Film Festival in Waterford, and which most recently screened at the 36th Galway Film Fleadh, the Limerick man added: “It embodies the ups and downs, the trials and tribulations that come with that realisation and then living your life afterwards.”

From the AIDS crisis and the decriminalisation of homosexuality, to the Gay Marriage Referendum, the 10-minute production uses first-hand accounts, archival footage, dance, and some of Caoimhghín’s own poetry to create a work which universally resonates with LGBTQ+ communities.

Remembering his own childhood, Caoimhghín, now an openly gay man, recalls his early encounters with self-expression. Thinking back, he describes the first time he wore a pair of his mother’s heels while in senior infants, how he grew his hair long, the time he wrapped a towel around his waist in lieu of a skirt, and how he used to love wearing tights, inside or outside of the house.

Early experiences have left a lasting impact on Caoimhghín.
“I remember we were going to pick up my older brother from school,” he recollects. “I wanted to wear my tights and my mom, she definitely wanted me to be me, and she wasn't stopping me, but I could see she was worried about what I might face.

“When we arrived at the school and got out of the car, I remember seeing people looking at me, maybe laughing. Even though these memories have faded, they had a strong impact on me.”

These early experiences left a lasting imprint on Caoimhghín. From that day, at just four or five years old, he decided never to wear tights again.

“It's interesting that societal pressures were always there,” he said.
“Growing up, I was 15 when the marriage referendum happened, too young to vote. While the older campaigners were optimistic, those of us in secondary school were convinced it would lose.

“Ireland was the conservative country in Europe, and then overnight we became the most liberal,” he remarks.

Fast-forward almost 10 years, and he is reflecting on that time through Normáilte, and all of the times that came before him. At the Queer Vision Film Festival debut, Caoimhghín first saw the magnitude of what he had created.

As the lights went low, he noticed: “All the whispering just went silent, and it was so empowering to see that the film could draw people's attention like that.”

At the subsequent panel discussion, alongside creators of another Irish language queer film, Homofónia, Caoimhghín found the ability to “spark and share ideas” to be a revelation.

With a positive reception so far, and with even more audiences to wow, he is excited for the next steps Normáilte will take. “We've submitted it into so many festivals up and down the country and actually across the world and we're waiting to hear from a place in Montreal,” he smiled.

While continuing to work on the set of Ros na Rún and of other plays and productions, Caoimhghín pursues his immersion in Ireland’s creative culture.

He vows to continue promoting Irish and the LGBTQ+ movement through his films, plays, and poetry — and he may even be in the market for a new pair of tights