Garda's gay club visit shows new face of the force
'It is not a problem for the youngsters but older fellas would still rather keep it a secret'
Sunday August 03 2008
A senior figure in the Garda Siochana, which has been criticised in the past for its lack of toleration towards homosexuals within its ranks, was spotted by detectives coming out of one of the country's best known gay bars dressed in what were described as "tight black leather pants".
The detectives were on the scene after an altercation in South Great George's Street earlier this year when they spotted the senior officer, according to sources. The gardai on the scene were surprised because they knew him as a married man and a church-goer.
He is based at Garda Headquarters where, other gardai say, there is a discreet group of gay officers. According to sources in the Phoenix Park Headquarters, there are several older officers who are married with families but who are homosexual. Another senior figure still serving at HQ, who is married with grown children, was the subject of an assault complaint by a young male prostitute.
The lack of toleration towards homosexuals is diminishing with several younger members being openly gay but there is still strong bias among older ranks, sources say. They say there are particularly jokes still made about the headquarters, which some still refer to as "Garda Hindquarters", while there is also talk of a "pink circle" in the Phoenix Park Depot.
The traditionally conservative nature of the Garda has, in the past, caused both gay and lesbian gardai to keep their sexuality a secret but this is changing, with an increasing number of young gardai being open about their sexuality. Two lesbian gardai are understood to have gone to the United States to have a marriage ceremony and a number of young male gardai in Dublin are openly gay.
One senior Dublin garda said: "It's not a problem with the youngsters. But the older fellas would keep it a secret. They would join all-male societies and that type of thing. Some of them were close to the clergy you know."
One retired garda wrote an article anonymously in the Garda Review in 2004 saying that he had left the Force because he had been suffering a "living hell" and had even contemplated suicide because of the way he was treated by fellow gardai.
"Before 'being gay' caught up with me, I cried myself to sleep -- if I did sleep at all. I threw pillows at the wall. I couldn't lie down for very long and neither could I stay up for very long. It was hell living a life of loneliness, hostility, isolation, discrimination ... and I suppose denial of being gay," he said.
"Some years ago, I wished that I was dead. Had I any organisations to turn to within the force? No -- not like in Britain. Why didn't I kill myself? I was close to it many times, but thankfully the Samaritans were there. They listened, but later I wanted more than listening to -- I needed counselling."
He said his fear of admitting his sexuality to others had led him to remain celibate until he was 40 but that he had since "found happiness".
A number of gay gardai have in recent times formed an informal association and may follow the lead of gay and lesbian police in Britain, who formed the Gay Police Association in 1991, which now has more than 2,000 openly gay and lesbian members. It also has representatives in the PSNI whose management has provided the Association with office facilities. A spokesman for the GPA said: "You do still find intolerant attitudes among that senior tier of middle management but things have improved. Some areas are good but some still aren't. It depends a lot on management really."
Earlier this year, a young lesbian Garda in Dublin made an official complaint that she had been subjected to ridicule and harassment by a male officer because of her sexuality. The officer is the subject of an internal disciplinary inquiry.
- JIM CUSACK
