oliverstanleyOliver Stanley

Oliver Stanley by Conor Horgan (top) and Conor’s dedication in the Queen of ireland

Miss Panti’s just-opened documentary The Queen of Ireland is dedicated to artist and designer Oliver Stanley, who died in 1995.

Michael Le Cool writes in the current issue of Le Cool Dublin:

We never knew Oliver. We do know that the director Conor Horgan knew him and once took his portrait (above) which featured in an exhibition in the Little Museum held last year. We know many others do too because he was there before equality, before grindr, before gay politicians and sportspeople.

He was one of the designers on the first edition of Out magazine which was published here in December 1984. Its 36-page edition cost “IR60p (almost €1, without inflation) and lead with a 5-page feature on UK pop act Bronski Beat”.

We know that one of our all time heroes Tonie Walsh references him in GCN in their celebration of The George turning 30 this month. “One of my fondest memories, was going into the loft while I was working on a FAS scheme at Out magazine, and Oliver Stanley, a wonderful guy, had painted the most wonderful trompe l’oeil on the ceiling, of all of these fit homoerotic blokes playing pool.”

Being fortunate enough to be at the premiere of The Queen of Ireland in the Lighthouse Cinema on Wednesday night, we felt blessed. Surrounded by spectacular people – people who have fuelled countless ideas, shared and realised dreams, sparked moments of magic, failed miserably yet spectacularly, shouldered each other through tough times and most importantly survived. Survived to celebrate what it means to be different, to think differently, to aspire to greater things and celebrate us, our friends and all the Oliver Stanleys we may have known, wish we’d known and hope we will know because they live on. Because we are all Queens in our own right.

Editorial (Le Cool Dublin)

Yesterday: Mark Ryall’s review of The Queen of Ireland

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4 thoughts on “For Oliver

    1. St. John Smythe

      You’ve never seen any photos or footage of the gay scene in the eighties if you think only this guy and Freddie had this look.

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