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HIRSCHFELD CENTRE

There have been no further developments in the insurance claim on the Hirschfeld Centre, Dublin's Lesbian and Gay Community Centre.

The Centre has been closed since it was badly damaged by fire last November. Former Centre Management have said they expect to see the building open again by Christmas '88.

SIDES SPECULATION

Mick Quinlan and friend Terry at a recent benefit in the Irish Film Institute. The benefit was organised by friends of Mick to see him off on his Social Studies course at UCC next September.

(photograph: Biondie Bombshell).

SIDES, the popular dance club in Dublin which hosts a gay night on Sundays, is up for sale. The night club's lease was recently put on the market and is expected to sell for anything up to £100,000.

Speculation on the future of SIDES has been rife for some time amongst city drinkers and nightclubbers.

Up to the middle of last year SIDES had cornered a chunk of the trendy gay and straight nightclub market. Its only rival was the Hirschfeld Centre's Flikkers with which it enjoyed a mutually supportive relationship. The 2½ year old club earned itself a reputation for exciting crowds, innovative design and decor and good gay community relations.

Things however began to go wrong when a fire caused considerable damage to the premises last November - incredibly a mere week after the fire at the Hirschfeld Centre.

The club never totally recovered although numbers continued to pour into the place. Decor inadequacy, poor sound equipment and discontent among staff over the past few months fueled speculation and gossip about SIDE'S ultimate demise.

Notwithstanding the speculation there is an incredibly loyal club membership that wishes to see SIDES continue in business and overcome its present financial problems. Is there life after SIDES many clubgoers are asking themselves? The answer is blowing in the wind.

OMAGH BAR REFUSES GAY PEOPLE

The Clock Bar In Omagh, Co. Tyrone, recently indicated that gay people should stay away from the bar as they were not wanted.

The bar had been a regular Tuesday night haunt for a gay group which was set up in Omagh last April.

GCN tried to contact the pub's management on two occasions but was given the cold shoulder. Meanwhile a gay publican, who does not wish to be named, has decided to make the lounge of his pub exclusively available to the Omagh gay group and friends on Thursday nights, from September 1st. The Monaghan town gay group is also expected to take up this kind offer.

At the moment gay people are using a private house in Monaghan for monthly meetings. Tel- A-Friend, the Gay Switchboard, will provide specific details to genuine callers as required.