AWARD RECIPIENT
Mammies for Trans Rights
In an increasingly hostile world, Mammies for Trans Rights is a ray of light in the dark. Made up of parents of gender-diverse children, the group continues to demonstrate unwavering allyship, showing up at countless events, big and small, across the country.
When announced as the award recipient at The GALAS 2025, the crowd erupted with cheers and applause. Accepting the trophy, the group emotionally shared, “We are incredibly honoured to be in this room tonight. We are incredibly honoured to be with so many people who were fighting this fight long before we were. We were created by a couple of parents who were really, really scared for their trans kids, and we just said, ‘If we’re not going to stand up for them, who the hell will?’... Until we all have human rights, none of us have human rights,” they concluded.
NOMINEES
Comhaltas na Mac Léinn, Ollscoil na Gaillimhe
University of Galway’s Students’ Union was nominated for the Ally award for the strides it has made towards inclusion and the development of LGBTQ+ resources. From helping students to socially transition by distributing €3,600 in dedicated funding, to hosting Pink Training, Europe’s largest LGBTQ+ conference, the SU has demonstrated an understanding of the importance of creating safe spaces for all members of the university.
Dr Claire O’Connell
A board member of LGBT Ireland and volunteer with the LGBTQ+ Parenting Alliance, Dr Claire O’Connell has also been a leading voice in the national conversation around Assisted Human Reproduction (AHR) legislation. Her work has been instrumental in shaping public understanding and policy development, and she has consistently championed the rights of rainbow families, donor-conceived individuals and those navigating surrogacy and fertility journeys.
Jeanne McDonagh
Jeanne McDonagh has been an extraordinary LGBTQ+ ally for decades. She volunteered with Yes Equality, drove the development of the HIV/AIDS memorial in Phoenix Park, is a founding member of Trans Equality Together, founded the Open Doors Initiative, and has worked with LGBTQ+ refugees.
By Alice Linehan