Photo of the Week: Dublin Equality Mural

The Irish campaign for marriage equality will undoubtedly go down in history as one of the most beautifully and articulately fought social campaigns of our time. Through stressing the humanity and dignity of LGBT people, the Yes camp has driven home the personal obligation that every Irish person has to support their friends, their family, and their neighbors.

Amid an atmosphere of well thought-out and perfectly executed pro-equality videos and printed material, the most recent addition to the initiative stands out for its simplicity and its power. Our photo of the week is the equality mural that appeared overnight on South Great George Street in Dublin, as shot by James McLoughlin, one of the two men featured in the piece.

 

Couldn't be prouder to be saying #YES to marriage equality four stories high with one of my best buds @barryjeffers. Thanks to @joecaslin & @colmcorrigan for asking us to be apart of the project & serious respect for the people who installed in the piece through the lashing rain last night. If you think marriage equality doesn't concern you it does, If you haven't registered there's still time. Links in the forms below. #marriageequality #voteYES #equalityforEVERYONE

A photo posted by James McLoughlin (@jermsattacks) on Apr 11, 2015 at 4:19am PDT

The mural stands four stories high, and was a collaboration between photographer Séan Jackson and street artist (and teacher) Joe Caslin. The goal was to capture the tenderness of love, something that transcends sexual orientation.

Barry Jeffers, the man on the right in the painting, says that seeing himself plastered so massively on a road he walks everyday is surreal:

"To be honest, I didn't expect there to be such a huge media outpour over it. I can't even put into words how honored I am to be four stories tall with one of my best friends, standing up for something so important to me."

There's also a deeper personal significance, he explains:

"Sadly, my father passed away last year after a short illness, and the Claddagh Ring that he owned for 26 years was passed onto me. The Claddagh Ring represents friendship, loyalty and love, so it really fits into the key elements of what marriage equality is all about."

 

| E Q U A L I T Y | Claddagh The hands representing friendship. The crown representing loyalty. And the heart representing love. #VoteYES #equality #drawing #illustration #streetart #wheatpaste A photo posted by joecaslin (@joecaslin) on Mar 24, 2015 at 3:45pm PDT

The national referendum on marriage equality in Ireland will take place on May 22, 2015.