New book documents queer lives in newly independent Ireland
“Love in the Lav: A Social Biography of Same-Sex Desire in Ireland, 1922-1972” is by historian Averill Earls.
David Monaghan
David Monaghan is a journalist, critic, editor and radio host who writes about arts, culture, Film, tech, mental health, and LGBTQ+ and community issues for HeadStuff, GCN, Dublin Inquirer, Business & Finance, Irish Independent and others.
They are a two-time arts graduate, having completed a BA International in English with Film, and an MA in Film Studies. In 2017, they were shortlisted for 'Journalist of the Year' at the National Student Media Awards in Ireland.
David is also a frequent writer of short fiction and has been published in the literary journal Storgy. They are also one third of the queer theatre collective 'Rock Bottom Saloon'. The group's inaugural production, Clyde Inside, debuted at the Scene + Heard Festival of New Work in February 2024. Their next production, Mr. Nibbles Has Had Enough! will debut at Scene + Heard 2025, alongside a psychological sci-fi thriller co-written by David and Fionn Cleary entitled I Wouldn't Mind Control.
David also releases music under the moniker of Chapel Lizard. Inspired by shoegaze, dream pop and post-punk, Chapel Lizard's music contains soaring, ethereal guitars, rich, bassy synths, and introspective lyricism.
In all of their work, they are driven by a passion for storytelling and uplifting marginalised voices.
Hover over the 'home' tab above to read some of their writing, or simply scroll below!
Ireland AM - David Monaghan discusses OCD and 'I Wouldn't Mind Control'
I had the pleasure of being interviewed by Tommy Bowes and Muireann O'Connell on Ireland AM about my OCD and the experience of translating it into art through the play 'I Wouldn't Mind Control.'
RTÉ Radio 1 interview - Shattering the stereotypes of obsessive compulsive disorder
‘My OCD symptoms started when I was eleven. I was washing my hands so excessively I left droplets of blood wherever I went’
Having lived with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder since the age of 11, David Monaghan sought to shatter stereotypes and educate the general public about the disorder by writing a play
‘It started when I was young, about seven. I washed my hands again and again until the skin on my knuckles cracked and bled.”
The Science-Fiction Thriller That Delves Into The Idea Of Curing Mental Illness With The Assistance Of AI
I Wouldn’t Mind Control is a multimedia theatre piece, a psychological science-fiction thriller about delving into the mind and curing mental illness with the assistance of AI.
SCENE + HEARD festival returns in 2025 with array of queer highlights
GCN article featuring coverage of I Wouldn't Mind Control and Mr. Nibbles Has Has Enough!
Mr. Nibbles Has Had Enough! - Ticket link
I Wouldn't Mind Control - Ticket link
405. King Kong (#---)
Hosted by Andrew Quinn and Darren Mooney, this week with special guest David Monaghan and Grace Duffy, The 250 is a weekly trip through some of the best (and worst) movies ever made, as voted for by Internet Movie Database Users.
This week, Peter Jackson's King Kong.
11,323 Days (I Am As Young As I Will Ever Be)
I am now 31. That’s 11,323 days between my date of birth and today.
Episode 48 - Musican Chapel Lizard, Cabaret performer Mark T Coxx and the end of Brat Summer
An interview I did on Queersioity to promote Chapel Lizard. I spoke about some queer news items from the week past and discussed influences, the creative process, and the project more generally.
"Often the measures in which we recruit rule out autistic people" - Leadership interview with Adam Harris of AsIAm - Business & Finance
Adam Harris is CEO of AsIAm, Ireland’s autism charity. Harris was honoured with the ESG Leader Award in April 2024 for his pivotal role in promoting inclusivity and understanding for the autistic community, a timely accolade that coincided not only with World Autism Month, but also the AsIAm’s 10th anniversary.
Amazing LGBTQ+ songs to add to your summer playlist
GCN article on LGBTQ+ artists to add to your playlist of favourite songs, from Pride pop anthems to glitchy upbeat tracks. Features music by Chapel Lizard.
Listen to Chapel Lizard
Stream 'Summer Sun', 'Doomsday Clock' and 'Ghost' by Chapel Lizard.
Chapel Lizard is the music project of queer writer, editor and journalist David Monaghan. Inspired by shoegaze, dream pop and post-punk, Chapel Lizard's music contains soaring, ethereal guitars, rich, bassy synths and introspective lyricism.
"Kindness is something that is seen and makes an impact on people" - An interview with Golden Globe winner Gabriel Byrne
Gabriel Byrne has starred in more than 100 feature films, and on Broadway he has received 3 Tony Award nominations. A prolific career with much praise for his abilities as an actor, he was the perfect choice for 2023 TK Whitaker accolade at the Business & Finance Awards, hosted in December, 2023.
Here he discusses his career, the importance of the arts, Irish identity and culture, and what it means to be a leader with David Monaghan, Deputy Editor of Business & Finance.
Gay couple shoot DIY porn to save their troubled relationship in new Irish play
Article written by Alice Linehan for GCN documenting a play I co-wrote entitled Clyde Inside, the inaugural work from queer theatre collective of which I am a member, Rock Bottom Saloon.
It is a multimedia project that follows a gay couple who attempt to save their troubled relationship through unorthodox means: a DIY porn shoot.
"I emailed 629 individual recruitment companies, and not one was digitally accessible" - In conversation with Kyran O'Mahoney, CEO and founder, IA Labs
Kyran O’Mahoney is an IT professional with over twenty years of experience in developing complex technical projects for a host of sectors across Ireland, the UK, and the United States.
He is CEO and founder of Inclusion and Accessibility Labs (IA Labs), a start-up established in 2021 to bridge the gap faced by people with disabilities in the digital revolution.
Trans activists criticise National Gender Service’s approach and “centralisation”
Instead of believing trans people who seek gender-affirming care such as hormone treatment, the National Gender Service requires months of invasive, unnecessary, humiliating assessments and years of waiting lists, Transgress the NGS members say.
Dublin Tech Summit 2023: Podcast | AI and DE&I, How can AI enabled systems eliminate biases
David Monaghan, Dr. Ben Goertzel & Sandra Healy
Under a tent in Merrion Square, queer resilience
On a recent Monday, contributors to the new collection Glórtha Aiteacha \ Queer Voices shared readings to celebrate pathways, often through struggle, to joy and community.
Load More Articles
