NORTH by Nathan Warnock

C U L T U R A L L Y N A V I G A T E D F O R N O R T H E R N I R E L A N D

N A D I N E

C O Y L E

J A M I E

D O R N A N

D I O N A

D O H E R T Y

N I A M H

MC G E E

C H R I S

B A R R

J A M I E

A C T U A L L Y

A N T H O N Y B R A D

Z A G A R I K O

C L E N A G H A N

J A M E S L I A M

J U N E

N E S B I T T N E E S O N

N A T H A N

W A R N O C K

L AU N CH I S SU E 5

EDITORS LETTER

North has been navigated from the beginning of my thought process, to the very page in front of your eyes. It’s truly been a labor of love and at times I begun questioning what the hell I was trying to do. I wanted to provide a magazine that showcased Northern Ireland as it should be, a cultural hub of art, society, music and fashion. While the magazine is still in its infancy and there is a long road ahead before it’s perfect, I believe that we have crafted something that carries merit within what it’s trying and hoping to be . While the majority of the photography is my own, many of the ideas and imagery were a collaboration, photography is never a solitary exercise. This magazine isn’t about being cool, elitist or knowledgeable, it’s simply about what fascinates me and others as creatives and hopefully that excitement passes on to others too. It takes a lot to open up and be exposed in a photograph and it is not a quality that I by any means underestimate. By letting me photograph and interview these people, they all gave me a piece of themselves and I hope this magazine gives them a piece of me in return and delivered something that lives up to their expectations. This first issue has been more than a leap of faith, it’s been a plunge into the unknown. I’m hoping it evolves with me and becomes what I envisioned in more ways than one. I hope you enjoy reading it as much as we have enjoyed making it.

editor-in-chief nathan warnock 3

N A V I G A T E 82

03. LETTER FROM THE EDITOR

06. HOLYWOOD NOT HOLLYWOOD

12. DOUBLE DENIM DREAM

24. PARTY ALWAYS

34. DIONA DOHERTY

42. SHADES OF COOL

54. PROFESSOR OF THE PARK

58. THE LITTLE BLACK DRESS

6 72. GASOLINE

78. THE PROBLEM WITH BEING GAY IN NORTHERN IRELAND

82. GOLD FOREVER

92. ONLY THE HORSES

98. THE DIVINE TESTIMONY OF JAMIE, ACTUALLY.

words nathan warnock

HOLYWOOD HOLLYWOOD

L I A M

Now a big Hollywood name and action star, also the leading hero in the ‘TAKEN’ trilogy, Liam Neeson will be seen taking a lead role in the upcoming sequel to the hit movie ‘Ted’ due out 2016 among many other projects. FROM

: Ballymena, Co. Antrim

J A M I E

Leading man in the blockbuster ‘Fifty Shades of Grey’, Dornan has enjoyed a successful career both on film and television, he’ll be returning next year for another series of BBC1 Northern Irish drama and Belfast based and filmed, The Fall, : Holywood, Co. Down

FROM

N A D I N E

Northern Irish songbird Nadine, one fifth of the mega-succssesful GIRLS ALOUD gave birth last year to a daughter, AnaĂya and is already working on new material due for release in 2016, She promises her sound to be EDM club bangers with her signature vocals soaring over the beats, FROM:

Derry, Co. Londonderry

J A M E S

After appearing in the epic ‘The Hobbit’ trilogy, by famed director Peter Jackson, Nesbitt has become a well known face on the Hollywood circut. He also appeared in the wildly successful mini-series ‘The Missing’ on BBC1, due to return to screens soon. : Ballymena, Co. Antrim

FROM

L E A H Coming in second on The Voice, didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t stop Leah from chasing her dreams, immediately after the show she signed a record deal and toured with both will.i.am and Jessie J, Leah is in the midst of recording her album due for release sometime in the new year. FROM:

Newtownabbey, Co. Antrim

D L N R 12

O E I E

U D M A

B E D M

photo nathan warnock model nikki mcintosh haydn dempster styling nathan warnock make up & hair hannah gardiner

DENIM IS WELL AND TRULY BACK . The SS15 catwalks expressed a multitude of forms from supersleek, dark double denim to torn apart, pale-wash tomboy styles. While it may have never felt more right to do denim than it does now, our love affair goes way back to the 18th century when it was created in the french town of Nîmes. Then in 1853, young tailor Levi Strauss fashioned it into a sturdy trouser for American factory workers and we’ve been singing the blues ever since. In the 1930s every Hollywood coyboy hero from Gene Autry to John Wayne saddled up in indigo. in the 1950s Marlon Brando brooded in Levi’s 501s in The Wild One and James Dean played out his inner turmoil in a pair of Lee Riders 101s in Rebel Without A Cause. Denim went from dependable to dangerous. Cher made unisex denim sexy in the 1970s, Bruce Springsteen showed us who’s the boss in Levi’s on the cover of his 1984 album Born In The USA. Moschino and Versace were the go-to brand for 1990s clubbers, and who could forget Brooke Shields refusing to let anything come between her and her Calvin’s?

Recent books such as A Denim Story (Rizzioli) and Denim Dudes (Laurence King) explore denims dominance. Meanwhile, websites, including Jean Stories are dedicated to selvedge. Today denim is part of the fabric of our every day life, With so many designers rediscovering the enduring street smarts of denim, the beauty about this trend is you probably already have it in your wardrobe. I’m betting most of us own at least one pair of jeans, and most likely there is a chambray shirt or a denim jacket lurking at the back of your wardrobe too. So why not wear them both together for a fresh take on some trusty staples?

Double denim has had to put up with a lot of stick. Yes, the number of public fashion crimes committed in its name is vast: girl band B*witched, Britney and Justin’s infamous ‘Canadian Tuxedos’ and, more recently, Danny from The Script seem to have totally destroyed its credibility – with the look continuing to be ridiculed by the majority. However, we here at NORTH feel it’s about time we forgot about double denim’s past misfortunes and the poor interpretations often on show, and gave the style another chance. After all, we’ve pardoned Mr Beckham of his (many) early faux pas and the denim ridden 1990s are currently trending within the industry, yet double denim is still to receive the same exoneration. Jeans are often an afterthought for many of us; shrugged on, worn as a fail-safe, sartorial wingman that will work anywhere, from weekend brunches to the bar. And that’s fine: casual style shouldn’t have to be something you think about. But denim’s a big trend for spring/summer 2015, so it might be worth tinkering with the tried and tested formula to expand your sartorial horizons. Double denim might have connotations of Eighties pop duos and line-dancing septuagenarians, but a host of designers this season are creating a denim wardrobe that ups the style ante. But if you’re donning denim on denim (or even denim on denim on denim, in the case of the three-piece suit), take note. The shade should be a deep, dark ink hue; no light, pale washes that look dated or – worse – try-hard trendy. Detailing should be kept to an absolute minimum; engineered shapes, hardwear, rips or logos will mark you out as a Eurovision contestant circa 1999. Neat, sharp and minimalist is your best bet in the denim stakes. Put all connotations of Status Quo behind you.

D L N R D L N R D L N R D L N R D L N R D L N R D L N R D L N R D

O E I E O E I E O E I E O E I E O E I E O E I E O E I E O E I E O

U D M A U D M A U D M A U D M A U D M A U D M A U D M A U D M A U

B E D M B E D M B E D M B E D M B E D M B E D M B E D M B E D M B

D O U B L E 20

D E N I M

Take more of a risk with your foray into double denim by replacing the jacket with a shirt. Less traditional and slightly more difficult to pull off, make sure you keep one of the washes unconventional.

The most successful way to wear double denim is to opt for contrasting shades. The polarised tones make it easier to pull off the look, with the differing washes drawing attention away from the similarity of the fabric. With this in mind, select a darker hue for your jacket and couple with lighter wash jeans. Pairing a denim jacket with jeans often works largely due to the fact that the proximity of a trouser and jacket combination can be broken up by another piece.

P O P I T !

photo brad mcclenaghan model marianne oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;hara styling nathan warnock

make up & hair marianne oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;hara

D E R R Y ’ S D A U G H T E R A N D W H AT THE FUTURE HOLDS FOR HER .

Diona Doherty is an actress and voiceover artist from Derry. Living and working in Belfast she used to be a prominient model, appearing on Britain and Ireland’s Next Top Model on Sky Living TV in 2013. Soon after, she hung up the stilettos wanting to hone in on her acting craft. The 26 year old is fast becoming a well known face in the Independent Film scene in Northern Ireland having been cast as the lead alongside Ian Beattie (Game Of Thrones) in ‘The Morrigan’ and most recently beside Daisy Haggard in ‘The Way Back’. Diona also plays one of the leads in the much anticipated horror film ‘Braxton’ due for release this Halloween and is Northern Ireland’s first slasher film. Diona’s love of comedy resulted in her being 1/13th of comedy troupe FNTLive, those responsible for online comedy parodies ‘Nordie Shore’ and ‘Gaelic Footballers Wives’. Most recently she has co-written and produced comedy play ‘800Years Of Annoying The English’ which is currently touring and selling out in N.I. Her most recent short film ‘Photobomb’ just won Best Short Film at the ‘Devour Film Short Film Festival’ in Belfast.

How’re you doing Diona? I’m great! I am currently sitting in a Mc Donalds Cafe with the most bland McAmericano you can order and squeezing some free wifi out of it. Whats the last thing you worked on? I just finished a short film called ‘PHOTOBOMB’ which won Best Film at the Belfast ‘Film Devour Short Film Festival’ last night which was quite exciting. Ia= am the only cast member so its plenty of on screen time. It is a suspenseful psychologically thrliling short film and Jim Mc Morrow is the fantastic writer and director who deserves his win immensely. I am also working on my own live comedy show called ‘800 Years Of Annoying The English’ with my group Broken Eye Productions. We sold out 4 shows recently and have another show this weekend. It’s a very exciting time at the moment. Lots going on. You originally started out modelling, how did it feel when you booked your first job? I did a few test shoots and the odd fashion show here and there and then when I signed with my first agency in Dublin I was there one day and booked a job in Florence, Italy. I was so completely thrilled I though I was a superstar jetsetter. That was a great job to start on and was for Wella and involved a fashion show and shoot. It really set the bar quite high from then.

Whats the challenges to working in Northern Ireland? I feel like Northern Ireland is such a fantastic hub for the arts. i would bet my bottom dollar that we have more talented musicians, artists, actors, comedians, models, designers per square mile than most of the rest of the world. That is amazing but it can mean that there is less work to go around. I have found an industry that I love with every inch of me, and I hope to continue to work my way up the entertainment ladder. I would love to work outside of Northern Ireland more, in the UK and abroad, and I am sure that day will come. However I will always be very proud of the Arts Northern Ireland and the Independent film scene here that seems to be thriving. Appearing on BINTM you were criticised for an apparent lack of determination to model and in Elle Macphersons words thought you’d be more suited to acting? Well., she was right! I loved modelling and its was great for a few years but I knew there was no longevity in it. Most careers are over by 25 maximum and I knew that I wanted to put into practice what I had trained for years for and that was acting. I was always acting alongside modelling but I knew that in order to excel in one industry had to let the other go. It was an easy decision. And I feel like now I’m getting some great parts.

photo nathan warnock styling ruth curran make up & hair hannah mcclune interview nathan warnock

What drives you to keep going and do what you’re doing? I wouldn’t want to be doing anything else .i am a spontaneous person and I can;t live by a routine I need to be meting new people. performing. diving in and out of new projects. I have extreme lows when I don’t get parts or when there is’;t the right work available, but nothing beats the high of coming of stage after a great theatre show or watching yourself on screen. Actually, i cringe watching myself on screen, I hate it, but it is worth it! Women are consistently judged for their looks in this industry, whats your feelings on that? It is true. And so for men too! It depends on what roles you are going for as an actor. If you want the quirky, funny best friend roles, then you don’t necessarily need to be a certain shape or size, but there is a general feeling that leading ladies need to be slight and leading males quite burly and masculine! It isn’t always the case and I like to think that no matter what if I am right for a part I will get it, so I don’t listen to any of that! Any women you look up to or admire? I really admire Emma Stone and Jennifer Lawrence as I think they have allowed themselves to use their humor to charm audiences instead of their looks. I also love Tina Fey and Amy Poehler - I think they are fantastic comedy actresses. I mostly look up to and admire my mum. I think she is the kindest, most loving woman and mum anyone could ever ask for. She is my real inspiration, to be a nicer person.

helping promote Northern Irish acts in the UK. We were delighted to be chosen for it that year! Since then, I have returned with ‘800 Years Of Annoying The English’ and Broken Eye Productions and it was a absolute dream! We had a great venue and had a packed audience almost every show! We just did the 2 weeks that time! I think doing the full month is seriously damaging to your health! But most definitely worth it. You’ll have stories for life! What else have you coming up? I just wrapped on ‘Unhappy Endings’ by Denovo Pictures with Nick Hardin which will be going to the Galway Film Festival soon! It is originally a short story by Colin Bateman which was re-written into this film and I have one of the lead oles. I also have just been cast alongside Daisy Haggard in ‘The Way Back’ a Sci-Fi film shooting next month. I am really excited to be shooting with Daisy and a few other very famous faces that have yet to be revealed. Daisy and I play the leads. You’re sitting next to a stranger on a long flight, how would you describe what you did for a living? Oh dear! Everything! One day I am taking drama workshops for under privileged kids in Antrim and the next day I am filming in a field in a Victorian dress with Ser Meryn Trant (Ian Beattie) from Game Of Thrones. I do voiceover work too so I can be heard on the radio or the television advertisements in Northern Ireland. I don’t think the person on the plane would be bothered listening to me!

We constantly hear “women aren’t funny”, what do you say about that? Come to my next show of ‘800 Years Of Annoying The English’ and we can chat after sure!

You’ve clear interest in fashion and style, what Northern Irish designers would you say you’re a fan of? I love Reudi Maguire, Shauna Fay and Nor Lisa who has made a few dresses for me inthe past for events.

You appeared at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival with your old comedy troupe FNT, How important was it to represent Northern Ireland on that stage? There are in fact many Northern Irish acts performing at the Edinburgh Fringe year in year out, but rarely a huge comedy troupe like we were, 13 strong! it was the most fun month of my life going there with FNT! We had an absolute ball. We were lucky that we were given a grant from The Alpha Fund by Channel 4, which is a fun aimed at

What do you get up to in your downtime? I usually go to Sean, my partners’s gigs. He is a comedian and is supporting Patrick Kietly on tour at the minute. We also tend to spend a lot of time with our families going out for dinner and drinnks etc. We watch far too many box sets too and are currently working our way through every Louis Theroux documentary ever made at the moment. He is one cool journo! We have a column in the Sunday Life as a couple too and so have been getting up to

Best piece of advice you’ve ever been given by someone? My mum & dad told me never to worry about money. Spend it, spend it all. Who knows what could happen tomorrow. I think they have contributed to my wild and carefree spirit. Whats a girls best accessory? A sense of humor. Im not easy to offend because I laugh at everything. I take big laughing fits as I am falling asleep sometimes at the silliest things I have though of and Sean and I will be cracking up in tears of laughter for about half an hour.

some random things like record breaking, training with the Belfast Giants and visiting haunted houses. Our spare time is a pretty odd mix too. Favourite place to go in Belfast? For dinner to Failte. It BYOB too and the grub is great! I also love to go to the cinema and usually go most Thursdays to the Odyssey and catch something! 800 Years of Annoying The English’ has been getting fantastic feedback, how’d it all come about? Myself, Tom Flight and Jordan Dunbar, all previously from FNT wanted to write a show with a them rather than the eclectic mix of sketches we normally produce. We fell in love with the idea of a horrible histories style sketch show and the title is actually inspired bu the book ‘1000 Years Of Annoying The French’. We sat down over a period of a few months and took one historical even after another and basically tore it to shreds, rewriting it in the bizarre, fun fashion we are known for! It’s the most fun thing to perform. We have an amazing finale as well called the Evolution of Irish music which involves 10 chronologically performed songs from Irish History in a few minutes with some spot on and some not so spot on impressions in the mix. In recent years Northern Irish talent as well as the country has exploded in interest, Jamie Dornan, Game of Thrones, The Fall, what do you think is next for Northern Ireland on the world stage? I think we are continuing to grow as a nation of performers. We have the worlds best golfers, actors, musicians, writers. poets and we are slowly but surely being recognized for that. With so must Arts investment being cut, that ability to grow is being stunted but I think our work will speak for itself and before you know it, Northern Irish accents won’t sound odd on TV because we will be used to hearing them!

Are you in love? Deeply! I found my soulmate in Sean and we are madly in love. To be honest, we ruin each others lives. Ha. We are like ‘lets cancel everything today and just be together and then ring a pizza and watch 12 episodes of 24’ that happens more than it should to be honest. But I wouldn’t have it any other way. Plastic surgery? Yes or No? No. Yes. No. Yes. No. Yes. This is my head all day long. Harry Potter or Twilight? Twilight. Gotta love a love story. Anne Hathaway or Reese Witherspoon? Reese. She’s banter. Anne is great but she is so strangely beautiful I don’t think I could have a conversation with her without staring inquisitively at oher eyes and mouth. Dream role? Charlize Theoron’s role in ‘Monster’. She just did an amazing job at that. I’d also love to be a Bond girl. Riskiest thing you’ve ever done? Probably going on Britain and Irelands Next Top Model. It was a pretty crazy experience and if I had of went further in the competition I dread to think what Id be doing now. I may have kept going with modelling. Any literary characters you’d like to play? Jessica Rabbit because... Jessica Rabbit. What are you listening to? I can’t stop singing that Cheerleader song. I think I went a bit mad over the weekend because it has literally been on repeat in my head for three days.

Diona is currently touring around Northern Ireland with 800 Years of Annoying The English, tickets are now available.

photo nathan warnock model haydn dempster styling nathan warnock hair nicola kirk

S H A D E S O F C OO L

C O O L // C O L D

H E

LI V ES

S HA D ES

O F

A N D

IN COO L

LIVE S

S H A D E S

O F AND

SE E N

IN B L U E IF

YO U

HIM

WO U L D TH O S E

SHAD E S

YO U L IVE O F

IN COO L T O O.

P R O F E S S O R O F T H E P A R K

photo nathan warnock words niamh mcgee

Sometimes I think the stunted energy we hear and see and read about in Northern Ireland, could not inspire much confidence or pizazz among us. I get annoyed by this, because Northern Ireland is rich with it’s own precious and powerful news and stories, which are too often left untold. News which we plant and help to blossom each day, in our own colorful and weird ways. A few months ago on the 30th January, I was scared but I started to write a blog. Not long after this, I first chatted to Cyril. Cyril sits in the Botanic Gardens in Belfast and I have always waved to him as I passed by, lots and lots of times each week. Cyril has always waved back at me although I was a stranger to him. We were both fully committed to our waves and they were more of a happy, busy windscreen wiper wave than a bashfully quick, hand up-hand down type wave. Cyril and I had never spoken but our waves were always good. One day I chatted with myself and plucked up the courage to go and talk to Cyril. I stood with my hands in my pockets as I had to wait my turn in a small, huddled queue. Cyril’s bicycle was sat beside him, with it’s

‘Marks and Spencer’s’ (‘they’re the most durable’) bags dangling down from the handlebars like droopy, nutritionallyfilled earrings. I would come to learn that over it’s years, this bicycle has explored Northern Ireland from top to toe, with it’s lone wolf at the helm. I sheepishly said ‘Hello’ to Cyril and sat down beside him. We had a great chat and he looked at me with even greater curiosity. When Cyril looks at me he swings his upper body around as if on an invisible swivel chair, his blue eyes widen and he tilts his fluffy head. ‘Cyril is sussing me out. He wants to see me properly’, I thought. He asked me about myself. Who I am and what I do. I got to know this man and he got to know me. I learned that he is kind. He is honest. He is funny. Cyril gets annoyed when I concentrate too much as he said there is a wrinkle on my forehead and it will only get worse unless I stop this ‘concentrating expression’. Cyril comments on my make-up and my perfume. He sees the good and the bad and he tells me all of it, regardless. He remarks on my tired face if he sees a yawn isn’t far away for me. Cyril performed his swivel chair maneuver on me one day not so long ago, and after a short pause, he declared ‘you like pink don’t you little lady Niamh?’ I commented back that I liked pink as much as Cyril liked navy. We laughed. Cyril wears navy a lot. A lot. Cyril’s days are not spent like most people’s days. He rises early and walks his bicycle and it’s earrings from his home in East Belfast, to his daily destination in The Botanic Gardens. He has fondly been granted the status ‘Professor of the Park’ here, among wise and witty fellow park peers.

One of Cyril’s own words he uses to describe himself is ‘unkept’. From an exterior point of view, ‘unkept’ could be a fair adjective. But when you chat to this man you soon realize that his interior is anything but ‘unkept’. His encyclopedic mind is very organised. Cyril told me how he has studied ‘Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry, Sociology, Psychology, Sexology, Electronics, Genetics, Molecular Biology, Biochemistry, Quantum Physics, Psychiatry, Medical Subjects, Nutrition, Immunology and Neurology.’ Cyril has tipped his furry toe out of Northern Ireland and into the noisy world of global languages. He is acquainted with French, German, Spanish, Italian, Russian, Japanese, Korean, Mandarin, Cantonese, and Arabic.’ His story is a thought provoking one. He has not always been able to communicate and progress with such ease. He has told me about how he has both studied, and can strongly relate to the work of the

Austrian pediatrician, Hans Asperger. The big smiling undertone of this piece of work is not the acute intelligence but the thoughtfulness of this man. He possesses a quality which cannot be learned or memorized. One which cannot be taught. Cyril can dabble in all of these subjects and their sisters but he tells me I have a ‘good grasp of the English language young lady Niamh’. I told Cyril about my blog one day and it would seem that I now have my own literary agent. I have met a tall tree of people since I befriended Cyril. Students, lecturers, professionals, non professionals. Just lots of good, good people. Cyril advises everybody to read my blog. Whether I’m present or absent. In my presence he asks me to write the details down so newcomers can find their way to my work. I go red when he does this. I think that Cyril’s spark cannot be found in his books or in his brain. It’s in his kindness. It’s nice to have a happy person

to go to, to find my own type of news. It’s nice to have a navy pulse to park my pink pulse beside. When I leave the Botanic Gardens I feel as though he has kept my feet on the ground while he has helped my tired mind to rally itself. To keep aiming and to keep going. ‘You need to believe in yourself young lady Niamh.’ The Botanic Gardens in our capital city could be described as a floral thoroughfare for happy souls and tired soles alike. I love to sit beside Cyril and observe his dazzling energy. I have seen sadder people wearing shinier shoes. How nice is it to think that a person whom I just met a few months ago, is able to encourage me and to help me bolster my confidence to progress forward as a young person in this country. He is an example of the good news which we can find and create for ourselves. Good news which can be found in our very own capital city. More specifically, on a bench in the Botanic Gardens. The future is glittering for all of us young people, with ever-learning spirits like Cyril’s to blaze the trail further and further North. www.niamhmcgee.co.uk

‘U N K E P T ’

photo nathan warnock model nikki mcintosh styling nathan warnock make up & hair natalie molloy

L I T T L E

B L AC K

D R E S S

J U S T

WA L K E D I N TO T H E

R OO M

MA K I N ’ H E A DS T U R N STOP

C AN’T

LOOKING

OV E R

YO U !

I ’ L L

S T O P

W E A R I N G

B L A C K I N V E N T C O L O U R

W H E N A

T H E Y

D A R K E R

photo nathan warnock

T H E P R O B L E M W I T H B E I N G G A Y I N N O R T H E R N I R E L A N D

words anthony zagariko

Being Gay in Northern Ireland is difficult. I know things are much worse for our Gender and Sexual Diversity (GSD) family around the world. They are hunted, mutilated and killed every day and we must never forget them as we fight for an equal society. But when compared to the rest of Western Europe and especially the rest of the UK, Northern Ireland could put middle America to shame. This article will be based mainly on my own experiences as a gay man growing up in NI, but I believe I represent all of my GSD family when I say that being gay in Northern Ireland is DIFFICULT. We have homophobic politicians, a failure to separate church and state, a society still struggling to move past its violent, hateful past and a mass exodus of the intelligent and educated younger generation, which is verging on becoming a national emergency. Combine all of the above with the struggles every GSD person will face, and Northern Ireland suddenly becomes a country that may as well have ‘NO GAYS ALLOWED’ signposted at its airports and borders. At the heart of Northern Ireland politics lies Stormont, the home of the Northern Ireland Assembly. And it is here that being gay faces one of it’s biggest problems; homophobic politicians. Regardless of your political view, the DUP have been at the forefront of an unashamed and never-ending homophobic campaign to keep Northern Ireland in the stone age. From their 1982 ‘Save Ulster from Sodomy’ campaign to the more recent attempts to block gay marriage and adoption, the DUP have shown their hatred for the GSD community time and time again. But what really makes the DUP’s stance on gay rights

so dangerous, is that no matter how much hate they spew, they will vehemently deny that they are a homophobic party; they claim to be only standing up for Christian beliefs. Ian Paisley Jr publicly states that gay men ‘repulse’ him and claims that heterosexual marriages will suffer if gay marriage is legalised. Yet he claims he is not homophobic. Edwin Poots uses public money to block gay adoption and keep an unlawful ban on gay blood donors. But he denies he is homophobic. In a personal email exchange with Sammy Wilson, he claims he will never support gay marriage in Northern Ireland and will back his party’s attempt to block it. But when I questioned whether he was letting his personal homophobic views affect his duties as an elected official, his response was ‘I take exception to the fact that you say personal homophobia influences my political decisions’. Unsurprisingly, all three of the politicians previously mentioned have publicly supported Ashers Bakery and have been present at the current court battle brought forward by the Equality Commission. Even the party leader, Peter Robinson, has been embroiled in the homophobic actions of his party members. He criticises the Equality Commission for spending £30,000 on the Ashers Bakery ‘gay cake’ issue yet shows his unwavering support at Edwin Poots spending £100,000+ to block gay men from donating blood or gay couples adopting. The actions of the DUP alone have resulted in Northern Ireland being the only country in the United Kingdom where gay couples cannot marry, adopt, nor give blood. If the Irish referendum is successful in May, then we will be the only country in the British Isles

without equal marriage. In fact, we would be the only country west of Germany who does not recognise same sex marriage. Northern Ireland has a very difficult and fractured relationship with religion. It was only 40 years ago that admitting you were a certain religion in the wrong area could be death sentence. And by a certain religion, I mean a certain denomination of the same Christian faith. Decades of terror, murder and corruption resulted in a society that deemed it socially acceptable to preach hatred and incite violence. Despite all the progress within the past 20 years, it seems that we are a society that is still at ease with those who preach hate. Take the recent example of Pastor James McConnell who denounced Islam as a “doctrine spawned in hell.” His position of power and influence meant his words had the power to incite hatred and violence towards the Muslim population of Northern Ireland. And while there was an outcry against the Pastor, our very own First Minister publicly supported the pastor (along with Edwin Poots and Sammy Wilson no less). Peter Robinson’s support of Pastor McConnell led him to say that he would trust Muslims to “go down to the shops for me or give me the right change.” The elected leader of Northern Ireland publicly patronizes the entire Muslim population and supports a hate-mongering pastor and does he face any repercussions? Of course not! If he was a leading politician in England, Scotland or Wales, you can be certain that he would have been ousted from office as quick as he could go down to the shops.

But in Northern Ireland, you’re okay as long as you can defend your actions using your staunch belief of christianity/unionism/ nationalism/traditionalism. This is where the issue lies with religion in Northern Ireland. As long as you can hide behind your bible, you can preach all the hate in the world and at the most, get a slap on the wrists. So being told that it is wrong to be gay or that it is disgusting is not only a common occurrence, it’s deemed acceptable by the people in power. The very people who are meant to protect us! But rather than protect us, the DUP are seeking only to protect themselves and their fellow ‘christians’ by introducing the Conscious Clause, which would allow legal discrimination on the grounds of strong religious beliefs. In a country torn apart by religious sectarianism, this is an unbelievably stupid move and if it ever passes (hopefully it never does) then it will open a Pandora’s box of legal discrimination thinly veiled by religious belief. How long before someone is turned away from a restaurant because the owner is christian and the customer is muslim? Or the customer is black and the owner believes in segregation because they have found a bible passage they can twist to suit their needs? The Conscious Clause is not a gay issue; it was created by a DUP member reacting to an issue about supporting gay marriage. If it passes, anyone who isn’t a white, male christian (and it’s fair to say, Protestant christian) could feel the effects of this bill. A similar bill passed in Indiana, USA has resulted in a major backlash and the state has witness massive corporations move their offices out of state, cancellations of major events in protest of the bill and a general mockery of the state online. With a country like Northern Ireland, whose economical development was hindered by the Troubles for so many years, a bill like this could financially cripple the country as major investors pull out in protest. The fact that the supporters of the bill fail to see this, is not only troublesome but highlights how narrow their field of vision is when it comes to discriminating against the gays.

I’m sure most of us have now seen Panti Bliss’ moving speech about homophobia in Ireland. If you haven’t I highly recommend it, as it touches on some key points barely acknowledged publicly before. After being assaulted with a carton of milk while waiting for the crossing light, Panti acknowledged that she went through a range of emotions after the event. But the main thing she took away from the experience was that she began ‘checking’ herself. She made conscious efforts in her head not to look too gay, not to stand too gay, not to sound too gay etc She ‘checked’ herself in public so she would not be at the receiving end of another milk carton. This is something we can all relate to. No matter how comfortable you are about your own sexuality or sexual identity, we still feel uncomfortable in public in case that group of teenagers or drunken lads spot the “gay” in us. We feel uncomfortable to hold the hand of the person we love for fear of homophobic abuse. We feel uncomfortable to draw too much attention to ourselves in case our voice sounds a little bit too gay today. No matter how confident you are about your sexuality, we have all been there. We have all ‘checked’ ourselves at least once when in public. Go to larger cities such as London or New York and it’s that little bit more acceptable; at least the sheer volume of people gives us safety in numbers. But while the rest of the UK may not be 100% accepting of public displays of affection between two men, in Northern Ireland there is such regimented homophobia ranging from the streets to the country leaders. If homophobia in the streets was our only burden then perhaps we could cope and we could find ways to instigate change. However, when you add up all the previously mentioned issues, being called a faggot in the street just cements our place as second-class citizens in this country. Being called a poof reminds us that for as long as our leading politicians are trying to restrict our rights, we will never be able to live happily in this country.

There is an epidemic in Northern Ireland. Our young, university-educated adults are fleeing the country in record numbers. Tired of backwards politicians, sectarian riots and a general lack of opportunities, so many of our young adults are leaving NI for other cities in the UK or beyond. Again, this is not just a gay issue, but it is one that affects our GSD community. As a tax paying gay man in Northern Ireland, I am actually having my hard earned cash taken away from me in the form of taxes, which is then used to restrict my rights like a second class citizen. Yet the countless workshy families on benefits are deemed more worthy to marry and have children simply because there were born straight. The sort of families who clog up the education system with destructive children, who clog up the police force with drunken brawls and clog up the NHS with countless cigarette or alcohol-related illnesses. These people who contribute nothing to society and constantly take from our government are deemed more worthy because they were born straight. No matter how hard I work, how much I earn or how much I contribute to society, these people will always be seen as better than me. So why should I stay in a country like that? Why should I stay in a country that rewards ignorance and hate? Why should I stay in a city like Belfast when I could

move to London and have an indefinitely better life? The truth is, I wont. I am already in the process of seeking work in London or NYC. I refused to live in a country where my tax contribution is used to deny me the basic rights that everywhere else in the UK now has. I, like so many people of my age or younger, make the same decision every year. This increasing number of adults leaving Northern Ireland should be a major concern for our local government but they would rather waste time debating about flags. Unfortunately as more of the people this country desperately needs relocate, the concentration of ignorance and hate increases. This results in yet more people wanting to leave and the vicious cycle continues and gathers momentum. This is in no way an attempt to bash anyone without a university education. When I refer to educated young adults I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t just mean traditional channels of education, I am also referring to those adults with a good head on their shoulders. Whether they are grafters or academics, the people in this country who see sense are leaving. The people who deserve equality are leaving. The type of people who we would consider allies to equality are leaving. The people being left behind are either contributing to the problems we face in Northern Ireland or they are direct victims of all of the issues I have mentioned.

Being GSD in Northern Ireland is difficult. We have so many difficulties to face every single day. There is no quick fix for all these issues but one thing is for certain, unless we stand up and take notice, the situation is going to become a lot worse.

photo nathan warnock model samantha graham styling nathan warnock make up & hair jean mccourt

photo & words chris barr

O N L Y T H E H O R S E S

For the past five years Christopher Barr has been photographing the world of Irish horse fairs. As well as exploring the interrelationship between man and animal that is an inextricable aspect of such events, this body of work has a deeper resonance. More specifically, It is an exploration of the system used by the wider equine community to identify the horses through recording their markings and features. The system was inspired by the processes developed by Bertillon for the identification of people. This classificatory system operates in parallel with a separate market system of horse identification that is used solely by the

Traveller Community. Barrâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s photographs echo the fast-paced modes of speech used by the Traveller Community. The argot used when engaged in discussing horses during fairs has directly influenced the aesthetic and narrative flow of the series. As well as emphasising the role of the horse within the life of the Traveller Community, a vital link between past and present, this body of work also explores the concepts of identity and alienation. Barrâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s horses are an allegory for the Traveller Community in which he moved, A metaphor for an identity being gradually eroded by the modernisation of the nation we live in.

I TOLD MY OCD T O F U C K U P.

photo chris barr styling & interview nathan warnock

T H E D I V I N E T E S T I M O N Y O F J A M I E , A C T U A L L Y.

Jamie, how’re things? Things are pretty great, thanks! I am currently hurtling through what has been an incredibly busy period on many levels, but I’ve always figured that is the best way to be.

Dream collaboration? Rihanna! She doesn’t give a shit and just lives her life her way, and that works so well for her. I have a lot of admiration for her creativity, versatility and her unapologetic sexuality. I love her so much.

Describe your sound in four words? Bitter folk pop intensity.

A song you wish you had written? As I respond to this question, U2’s With or Without You has just started playing on my phone. It’s such beautifully tender song that kinda gets to me every time. I could despise U2 and still adore that song. I wish I’d written that! (laughs) Running Up That Hill by Kate Bush, and Last Hope by Paramore are also at the top of that list.

Belfast has a strong emerging music scene, how important is this rise in interest to you? For me personally and for the generation I am a part of, such a surge is pretty crucial. Over the past few years I think we really have witnessed Belfast take its place on the European stage, and with this we have seen our music scene continue to flourish. It all makes the spotlight that bit brighter, hotter and more exciting. Now, more than ever we have a music scene with the potential to be heard all around the world. What are you currently listening to? When I am a bit stressed or under pressure, I listen to a lot of what one might call musical home comforts, to help me to keep calm and remember that I can do it! - So to be honest, mostly ABBA, The Eagles and Shania Twain...(laughs).To be more current, I am also currently loving James Bay. He’s got a beautiful voice and overall sound.

Favourite lyric from your own music? ‘We’re gonna be the ones caught in the evening tide, trading dreams and visions of the afterlife.’ Closely followed by ‘I told my OCD to fuck up’. Who inspires Jamie? Since I first started writing and playing music, I have drawn inspiration from a large variety of sources that kinda stay with me as I go through life. Artistically, some of my strongest sources of inspiration are Conor Oberst, Lady Gaga, Kate Bush and Freddie Mercury- True artists who are masters of self-expression and songwriting. They fuel my creativity on a daily basis. I also find myself and my songwriting heavily influenced by Paramore - A group whose image and music I have grown up with and have witnessed blossoming over the years. I feel like who I am as an artist is sculpted by many others.

If your fans had a name, what would it be? That’s a tough one! As long as it isn’t ‘Jaybirds’ I’m happy. Has music always been your passion? Yes and no- I only began teaching myself guitar aged 16 and writing songs at 17, and my singing will have massively improved since then, but my mother would tell you that I could sing Bye Bye Blackbird before I could talk, so I guess you could say it’s always been in me! It has only become my main passion in the last few years though. What goes on in your spare time? I am never really able to ‘switch off’, and generally sleep very little, so my spare time consists mostly of drawing, songwriting, design and generally making as much good art as I can. I wish I could just relax into a good series on Netflix at the end of the evening, but sadly this very rarely happens! Describe yourself using only adjectives? Discontent, eccentric, bizarre, unwavering. Plans for the rest of 2015? I am actually currently coming to the end of an Illustration degree here in Belfast. Once that’s out of the way, I hope to have conquered London by September and by Christmas, the world.

As an artist, how do you define what is good or bad music? I’m really quite open to any and all kinds of music, and could never write out an artist or genre completely. Life is too short. I like what I like and appreciate that just because I don’t like something doesn’t mean it is ‘bad music’ - For me calling music ‘bad’ would be pretty ignorant. Everyone has different tastes. Anyone on the Northern Ireland music scene you’d personally recommend? I really love the group Skinny Living, they are so talented and world-ready. Definitely be sure to give their Youtube videos a listen! How big does Jamie want to be? As big as people allow me to be. I could be playing to six people at an open mic night and would still be happy, because I am lucky enough to have someone who wants to listen to me! The more people the better though, haha. What was your first live performance like? Pretty shakey for the most parts, and with quite a few instances of me forgetting the lyrics. My friends were there cheering me on though, so I got through it alright. That nervousness never really goes away, though- I am an awful one for stage fright. Did growing up outside of the city influence your music in any way? I would definitely assert that it did, in that my songwriting is heavily influenced by the classic country and folk songs I grew up listening to. Such an influence has never really gone away. That said, I’m sure such music is equally popular in the city.

If you were a city, what city would you be? I would be Paris, because I am cultureloving, vibrant, as romantic as it gets and I never sleep. And, to quote Ms Hepburn, I am always a good idea. How do you describe your individual style? Individual would be the main word I would use, actually- It really does just consist of what I like. Sometimes what I like is on trend, sometimes it’s pretty random and sourced at the back of a vintage shop. Whatever helps me to express my personality and mood! Whats a musicians best accessorie? A tambourine. Just ask Stevie Nicks. Album of the moment? James Bay- Chaos and the Calm. GaGa Or Katy? I have always had a really soft spot for Katy, but GaGa. Britney or Christina? Definitely Britney. Miley or Rihanna? Rihanna. Lana Del Rey or Lorde? Lana, ALWAYS. New York or London? London. Rain or sunshine? Sunshine! Do you still consider Pluto a planet? Yes, and I always will. If you could be anyone for a day? Hayley Williams

Jamie can be seen most wednesdays nights playing the open mic night at Maverick. www.jamieactually.co.uk @JamieActually

TO QUOTE MS HEPBURN, I AM ALWAYS A GOOD IDEA.

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