Figure 1 Derrick Gerety behind the bar in Loafers 1980s LOAFERS LOAFERS LOAFERS By Orla Egan
Loafers was much more than a bar- it was a community space, a home, a refuge... its rooms filled with love, laughter, dancing, political discussion and activism “ ”
a festive atmosphere and queer respite before the family engagements. Reminiscing about Christmas eve in Loafers Derrick recalls “It was always amazing, People came home from wherever they had emigrated to. Loafers was dynamite – a crucible of love – the best of Cork. Cork is a special town. Cork has soul. Cork is home. You got the best of that on Christmas Eve.” Loafers Bar also provided the space for the gestation of political activism. It was in the back room of Loafers that the idea arose to organise what became the first ever LGBT float in a Patrick’s Day Parade anywhere in the world in 1992. Katherine O’Donnell returned home for the USA with stories of how ILGO (Irish Lesbian and Gay Organisation) were being banned from marching in Patrick’s Day Parades in New York and Boston. Those who attempted to participated were arrested. “What about if we organised an entry into the Cork Patrick’s Day parade? Wouldn’t that show how crazy it is to ban the queers from marching in New York?” So the plan was hatched, we applied to march in the parade, were accepted without issue and went on to win the prize for Best New Entry that year. Loafers hosted the post-parade celebrations with the prize passed throughout the pub. Loafers has also hosted the annual Pub Quiz as part of the Women’s Fun Weekend. The bar would be jam-packed with lesbians competing to win the coveted prize of the Golden Barbie. Derrick commented that he would be the only man in the pub, and he loved it: “I feel comfortable with loads of lesbians.” Derrick managed Loafers Bar for 16 years. It was then managed by Rena Blake, followed by Ted O’Connell who ran it until its sudden closing in 2015. People were shocked and saddened by the closure of Loafers. It was such an important space for the community. People often tell Derrick Gerety what Loafers meant to them. “I forget how much it meant to people… I think it is very important to have gay space; I think it is good that there are social spaces where people can go and be themselves and explore what it is to be in a space that isn’t straight.” Orla Egan is currently working on a documentary on Loafers, marking the 40 th anniversary of when it opened. www.corklgbtarchive.com
40 years ago, in 1983, Derrick Gerety, and his then partner Seamus, opened Loafers Bar on Douglas Street in Cork. Loafers Bar ran from 1983 up until 2015, making
it one of Ireland’s longest running gay bars. But Loafers was much more than a bar – it was a crucial community space, a home, a refuge for the Cork LGBT community, its rooms filled with love, laughter, dancing, political discussions and activism. As Derrick comments, “It was special.” Loafers Bar nearly didn’t happen! Derrick and Seamus were exploring opening a restaurant in Ballina, Co. Tipperary, but it fell through. They then looked at this bar on Douglas Street in Cork. Previously known as The Shamrock Bar the owners were resident on the premises. In an unusual move, they agreed to move into Derrick’s home for a year, while he and Seamus leased the bar and moved in upstairs. After a successful year running Loafers they sold their house and bought the bar. Derrick notes that Loafers was the first bar in Ireland owned by a gay man who also worked behind the bar. In 1983 Loafers Bar attracted a mixed crowd – queers, ‘alternative’, Quay Co-op gang, activists and art students. Derrick wanted to create the kind of bar he would like to drink in. He was inspired by the atmosphere created in bars around the world that he had visited and enjoyed – bars in Antwerp, Amsterdam, Australia, Swansea. He wanted to create an inclusive space, with good music, unusual drinks, cool clientele and a laid back, great atmosphere. “I wanted to create a space where people who often didn’t feel comfortable in other pubs would feel comfortable in my pub.” Loafers was very mixed for the first five years, but evolved into being a gay bar. “We provided the space where people came and talked and socialised.” Staff were recruited from the customer base, so they were already known and this added to the atmosphere.
didn’t always come in.” Derrick lived over the bar. “People would piss in the letterbox. Shove burning paper in letterbox. Banging on door at night. Phone calls in middle of night. Poison pen letters. Communal aggression from people who didn’t like what you were doing when it became known you were catering to gay people.” An unusual feature of Loafers was that the back room was Women Only every Thursday night. This provided an important and consistent space for the lesbian community in Cork – you knew that every Thursday night there would be lesbians in Loafers. Some nights were quiet, some raucous. It attracted the local lesbians, those returning home from living and working abroad, and lesbians visiting Cork – all jammed into the small smoky back bar – it was fabulous. Christmas Eve was a busy night in Loafers. Cork queers gathered together before heading home to families for Christmas. Those who were returning from abroad often called into Loafers first, to connect with their friends and community. Some would not be welcome in their family homes; for many they would have to hide their identity while at home with families. So Loafers provided
“It was great fun…but it wasn’t always easy When I opened the bar at five nice people
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