Tiernan Brady

Brady was elected to Bundoran Town Council in 1999 and re-elected in 2004.{{cite web|url=http://www.electionsireland.org/candidate.cfm?ID=7033 |title=Tiernan Brady |publisher=ElectionsIreland.org |access-date=2013-11-10}} He twice served as council chair. In 2005 Brady introduced Ireland's first derelict property tax to address underdevelopment and hoarding of properties by developers.{{cite web|author=Anita Guidera – 27 October 2005 |url=http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/eyesore-property-owners-face-dereliction-tax-25963462.html |title=Eyesore property owners face dereliction tax |publisher=Independent.ie |date=2005-10-27 |access-date=2013-11-10}}

As council chair, Brady proposed the creation of special coastal conservation zones to prevent residential zoning in areas of natural beauty. These proposals pitted him against councillors from his own party, Fianna Fáil, but they passed.{{cite web|url=http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/councillors-have-vested-interest-in-rezone-plan-26397545.html |title=Councillors 'have vested interest in rezone plan' |publisher=Independent.ie |date=2006-02-02 |access-date=2013-11-10}} In 2007 Brady let it be known that he would not stand again.{{cite web |url=http://www.donegaldemocrat.ie/news/donegal-news/brady-s-decision-not-to-run-a-blow-for-fianna-fail-1-1992556 |title=Brady's decision not to run a blow for Fianna Fail – Donegal Democrat |publisher=Donegaldemocrat.ie |date=2009-05-06 |access-date=2013-11-10 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131110225702/http://www.donegaldemocrat.ie/news/donegal-news/brady-s-decision-not-to-run-a-blow-for-fianna-fail-1-1992556 |archive-date=10 November 2013 }}

From 2000 to 2007 he served as Director of Organisation for Pat "the Cope" Gallagher, MEP and Mary Coughlan, TD.{{Cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/profile/tiernan-brady|title=Tiernan Brady |website=The Guardian|language=en|access-date=2020-02-11}}

In October 2013 Brady announced that he would seek to be the Fianna Fáil candidate in the Dublin constituency for the 2014 European elections but was unsuccessful.{{Facebook|tiernanfordublin|Tiernan Brady}}

In October 2018, Brady announced his intention to seek the Fianna Fáil nomination for the Dublin constituency in the European Parliament.{{cite news|url=https://www.independent.ie/opinion/comment/kevin-doyle-fianna-fils-capital-battle-three-dynasties-and-a-gay-rights-lobbyist-line-up-37662404.html|title=Kevin Doyle: 'Fianna Fáil's capital battle: three dynasties and a gay rights lobbyist line up'|access-date=25 January 2019}}

In 2009 Brady became Director of Gay HIV Strategies with GLEN – The Gay and Lesbian Equality Network. GLEN successfully lobbied to pass the Civil Partnership Act in 2011.{{cite web |url=http://convention.greenparty.ie/?p=236 |title=Address by Tiernan Brady from GLEN : Friday 26th March at Convention 2010 |publisher=Convention.greenparty.ie |date=2010-03-27 |access-date=2013-11-10 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131110222014/http://convention.greenparty.ie/?p=236 |archive-date=10 November 2013 }} In April 2013 Brady addressed the Constitutional Convention to argue for marriage equality.{{youTube|id=LRcu-Qr0Xxk|title=Brady on marriage equality}} In 2012 he led the successful bid for Dublin to host the 15th Annual Conference of the International Lesbian and Gay Association – Europe (ILGA-Europe) and chaired the conference organising committee. The ILGA conference is the largest of its kind in Europe with delegates from over 40 countries attending.{{cite web |url=http://www.ilga-europe.org/home/about_us/annual_conference/dublin_2012 |title=Dublin 2012 / Annual Conference / About us / Home / ilga |publisher=ILGA Europe |date=2012-09-17 |access-date=2013-11-10 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131110222729/http://www.ilga-europe.org/home/about_us/annual_conference/dublin_2012 |archive-date=10 November 2013 }}{{cite web |url=http://www.glen.ie/news-post.aspx?contentid=6822&name=dublin_to_host_top_european_lgbt_conference |title=Dublin to host top European LGBT conference : News : GLEN |publisher=Glen.ie |date=2012-09-24 |access-date=2013-11-10 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131110222448/http://www.glen.ie/news-post.aspx?contentid=6822&name=dublin_to_host_top_european_lgbt_conference |archive-date=10 November 2013 }}

In the summer of 2014 the Irish government announced that there would a referendum on marriage equality in May 2015.{{Cite news|url=https://www.irishtimes.com/news/politics/government-to-hold-up-to-half-a-dozen-referendums-next-year-1.1896357|title = Government to hold up to half a dozen referendums next year| newspaper=The Irish Times }} Yes Equality became the main campaign for the Yes side.{{cite web |url=http://www.iccl.ie/articles/yes-equality-the-campaign-for-civil-marriage-equality-formally-launches.html |title=Yes Equality: The Campaign for Civil Marriage Equality Formally Launches |access-date=2017-11-18 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171114165918/http://www.iccl.ie/articles/yes-equality-the-campaign-for-civil-marriage-equality-formally-launches.html |archive-date=14 November 2017 }} In tis first major activity Brady headed up the Register to Vote campaign aimed to increase enrolment in advance of the vote.{{Cite web|url=https://eile.ie/2014/11/02/yes-equality-register-to-vote-campaign-to-be-launched-ahead-of-marriage-referendum/|title = 'Yes Equality' Register to Vote Campaign to be Launched Ahead of Marriage Referendum|date = 2 November 2014}} The campaign was a huge success enrolling over 40,000 new voters making it the most successful enrolment campaign in the country's history.{{cite web| url = http://www.pinknews.co.uk/2014/11/26/ireland-thousands-register-to-vote-ahead-of-marriage-referendum/| title = Ireland: Thousands register to vote ahead of marriage referendum| date = 26 November 2014}}

Brady then became the Political Director of Yes Equality, working closely with political parties and political leaders from across the political spectrum to maximise and coordinate the impact of the campaign.{{Cite news|url=https://www.irishtimes.com/life-and-style/people/how-the-yes-was-won-the-inside-story-of-the-marriage-referendum-1.2418302|title = How the Yes was won: The inside story of the marriage referendum| newspaper=The Irish Times }} The national campaign won with a 62% vote in favour of marriage equality making Ireland the first country in the world to have passed marriage equality by a public vote.{{Cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/may/23/gay-marriage-ireland-yes-vote|title=Ireland becomes first country to legalise gay marriage by popular vote|website=TheGuardian.com|date=23 May 2015}}

In March 2015 Brady launched Ireland's first community based rapid HIV testing programme, the Knownow project.{{cite web|url=http://www.knownow.ie/|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20180812004250/http://www.knownow.ie/|archivedate=2018-08-12|title=KnowNow - Rapid HIV Testing|website=knownow.ie}} It became Europe's most successful testing programme of its kind.{{Cite news|url=https://www.irishtimes.com/news/social-affairs/stigma-of-hiv-akin-to-abortion-says-campaigner-rory-o-neill-1.2592355|title = Stigma of HIV akin to abortion, says campaigner Rory O'Neill| newspaper=The Irish Times }}

In 2016, Brady moved to Australia to work with Australian Marriage Equality.{{cite web | url = https://www.catholicweekly.com.au/no-bad-questions-only-bad-answers/ | title = No bad questions, only bad answers | work = The Catholic Weekly | date = 25 August 2016}}{{cite web | url = https://theconversation.com/politics-podcast-tiernan-brady-on-the-campaign-for-same-sex-marriage-63278 | title = Politics podcast: Tiernan Brady on the campaign for same-sex marriage | last = Grattan | first = Michelle |author-link = Michelle Grattan | work = The Conversation | date = 29 July 2016 }}{{cite web | url = http://www.sbs.com.au/news/thefeed/article/2016/07/14/plebiscite-or-not-tiernan-brady-weighs-australias-marriage-equality-debate | title = To plebiscite or not? Tiernan Brady weighs in on Australia's marriage equality debate | date = 14 July 2016 | work = Special Broadcasting Service }}{{cite web | url = https://www.crikey.com.au/2016/04/27/australian-marriage-equalitys-irish-import/ | title = Marriage Equality brings Irish charm, not Gaelic tempers, to the debate | date = 27 April 2016 | last = Taylor | first = Josh | work = Crikey}} The coalition government led by Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull had a policy of holding a national plebiscite to decide the issue. Brady designed the strategy to both prepare for the plebiscite if it happened whilst working to defeat the proposition and get parliament to pass marriage equality by a vote in parliament. As Director, he launched the Equality Campaign,[http://www.equalitycampaign.org.au Equality Campaign], a joint campaign by Australian Marriage Equality and Australians 4 Equality to push for marriage equality.{{cite web|url=https://www.bandt.com.au/lead-marriage-equality-advocates-launch-new-campaign/|title= Lead Marriage Equality advocates launch new campaign|website=B&T|date= 27 October 2016}} The proposal to hold a plebiscite on marriage equality was defeated in the Australian Senate on 8 November 2016.{{cite news|url=https://www.sbs.com.au/news/article/same-sex-plebiscite-bill-defeated-in-the-senate/q60p7bszo|title= Same-sex plebiscite bill defeated in the Senate|website=SBS News|date=7 November 2016}} With the plebiscite successfully defeated, the Equality campaign campaigned to get parliament to vote on marriage equality in 2017. In the summer of 2017 the government announced it would hold a postal survey through the Australian Bureau of Statistics as a proxy public vote on the marriage equality.{{cite web |url=https://www.legislation.gov.au/Details/F2017L01006 |title=Census and Statistics (Statistical Information) Direction 2017 |website=www.legislation.gov.au |access-date=12 January 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170810014829/https://www.legislation.gov.au/Details/F2017L01006 |archive-date=10 August 2017 |url-status=dead}}{{cite web| url = https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/here-we-go-again-senior-figures-in-irelands-marriage-referendum-help-lead-campaign-for-equality-in-australia-36102074.html| title = 'Here we go again' – Senior figures in Ireland's marriage referendum help lead campaign for equality in Australia - Independent.ie| date = 5 September 2017}}

Brady had designed a campaign approach that focussed on fairness and equality as the key message delivered through human stories.{{Cite news|url=https://www.irishtimes.com/life-and-style/abroad/meet-the-irish-leading-australia-s-marriage-equality-campaign-1.3213128|title=Meet the Irish leading Australia's marriage equality campaign |first=Ciara |last=Kenny |newspaper=The Irish Times}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.smh.com.au/comment/same-sex-marriage-the-irish-experience-20170906-gycg58.html|title=Same sex marriage: The Irish experience|date=7 September 2017}} The approach was to be respectful and positive, avoiding angry debates with the activists from the No campaign.{{Cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2017/aug/15/we-must-campaign-for-marriage-equality-with-the-same-dignity-and-respect-we-are-seeking|title=We must campaign for marriage equality with the same dignity and respect we are seeking | Tiernan Brady|website=TheGuardian.com|date=15 August 2017}}{{Cite web|url=http://www.news.com.au/lifestyle/gay-marriage/inside-the-yes-campaign-the-strategy-to-deliver-samesex-marriage-to-australia/news-story/b99d8b4422988c092a577c98a462cea8|title = Moment Yes team thought it was over|date = 14 November 2017}} He believed real victory for LGBTI people was not about defeating others but persuading them.{{Cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2016/jul/29/lessons-from-ireland-is-it-possible-to-have-respectful-disagreement-on-marriage-equality|title = Lessons from Ireland: Is it possible to have respectful disagreement on marriage equality? | Gay Alcorn|website = TheGuardian.com|date = 28 July 2016}}{{Cite web|url=http://www.huffingtonpost.com.au/2017/10/19/marriage-equality-campaign-says-real-victory-is-persuasion_a_23249671/|title=Marriage Equality Campaign Says 'Real Victory is Persuasion'|date=20 October 2017}}{{Cite web|url=http://theconversation.com/politics-podcast-tiernan-brady-on-the-same-sex-marriage-showdown-82005|title = Politics podcast: Tiernan Brady on the same-sex marriage showdown| date=3 August 2017 }} He believes divisive campaigns do not create the real change that LGBTI people need because whilst it may change the law it will also damage the social fabric and the daily lives of LGBTI people and that campaigns therefore need to focus on the social cohesion and peace that must follow any campaign on marriage equality.{{Cite web|url=http://www.outinperth.com/tiernan-brady-positive-campaigning/|title = Tiernan Brady from the YES campaign is staying positive|date = 26 September 2017}}{{cite news|url=https://www.pressreader.com/australia/herald-sun/20171115/281883003629040|title=This has been a campaign of respectful persuasion|author=Tiernan Brady|newspaper=Herald Sun|date=15 November 2017|via=PressReader}} The campaign stuck rigidly to this approach.

On the 15th the results of the survey were announced. They were a major victory for the Yes campaign with 62% of Australians voting in favour of the marriage equality. There was a majority in favour in every State and Territory and in almost 90% of parliamentary electorates.Australian Marriage Law Postal Survey#cite note-17{{Circular reference|date=April 2018}} On the morning of the results Brady addressed a crowd of over 10,000 in Sydney with the clear message that Marriage Equality must be a moment of national unity and social peace and that people needed to reach out to those who had voted no in the survey and continue the work of persuasion.Archived at [https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211209/eUZXjWKbdPc Ghostarchive]{{cbignore}} and the [https://web.archive.org/web/20200410105839/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eUZXjWKbdPc&gl=US&hl=en Wayback Machine]{{cbignore}}: {{cite AV media| url = https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eUZXjWKbdPc| title = Australia has voted | website=YouTube}}{{cbignore}} Australia joined Ireland as the only two countries in the world to pass marriage equality by a public vote and Brady has been at the forefront of winning both.

In 2018, Brady acted as spokesperson for Equal Future 2018, an international humanitarian campaign raising awareness of the damage done to children when they feel that being LGBT would be a misfortune or a disappointment, and aiming to shift behavior towards children and young people, across the world, right away.{{Cite web|url=https://equalfuture2018.com/|title=Equal Future 2018 - Take the Equal Future Pledge|website=Equal Future 2018}} The Campaign launched in Dublin on Wednesday 22 August 2018, with the backing of more than 100 LGBT groups in more than 60 countries, urging use of its website for people to tell their stories to delegates at the Catholic Church's 'Synod on Young People', the Fifteenth Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops.{{Cite news|url=https://www.irishtimes.com/news/social-affairs/religion-and-beliefs/lgbt-group-urges-people-to-tell-their-stories-ahead-of-catholic-synod-1.3604553|title=LGBT group urges people to tell their stories ahead of Catholic synod|first=Elaine |last=Edwards |newspaper=The Irish Times}} The press conference included Irish journalist Ursula Halligan{{Cite web|url=https://gcn.ie/ursula-halligan-leads-call-lgbt-catholics-tell-church-teachings-lgbt-injured-life/|title=Ursula Halligan Leads Call For LGBT+ Catholics To Tell Church How Damaging LGBT+ Teachings Have Impacted Their Life|date=22 August 2018}} and the Campaign had been endorsed to the press by former President of Ireland Mary McAleese two days before.{{Cite web|url=https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/pope-francis-in-ireland/mcaleese-under-fire-for-claim-world-meeting-of-families-is-right-wing-rally-37237950.html|title=McAleese under fire for claim World Meeting of Families is right-wing rally|website=Irish Independent|date=21 August 2018 }} The following Sunday, on his flight back from Dublin where the launch occurred, Pope Francis was asked what he would say to the father of a son who says he is homosexual. In his reply, the Pope said "Don’t condemn. Dialogue, understand, make space for your son or daughter. Make space so they can express themselves," "You are my son, you are my daughter, just as you are!" and "that son and that daughter have the right to a family and of not being chased out of the family."{{Cite web|url=https://www.rte.ie/news/pope-francis-in-ireland/2018/0827/987776-pope-francis-presser/|title=Pope Francis speaks to journalists after visit to Ireland|website=RTÉ.ie|date=27 August 2018}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/speeches/2018/august/documents/papa-francesco_20180826_irlanda-voloritorno.html|title=Apostolic visit of his holiness pope Francis to Ireland on the occasion of the IX world meeting of families (25–26 August 2018)
Press conference on the return flight from Dublin to Rome |date=26 August 2018|website=vatican.va|access-date=8 December 2018}} Brady launched, with Italian Senator Monica Cirrinna and former President of Apulia Nichi Vendola, amongst others, the Equal Future Campaign's YouGov survey of attitudes in the Catholic world towards damage to children and young people from LGBT stigma.{{Cite web|url=https://www.thetablet.co.uk/news/10852/most-catholics-want-change-in-approach-towards-lgbt-people-finds-poll-|title=Most Catholics want change in approach towards LGBT people, finds poll|website=The Tablet}}{{Cite web|url=http://www.radioradicale.it/scheda/554247/presentazione-del-sondaggio-sul-ruolo-della-chiesa-e-le-persone-lgbt|title=Presentazione del sondaggio sul ruolo della Chiesa e le persone LGBT|date=10 October 2018}} The poll found that half of adults across eight countries – Brazil, Mexico, the Philippines, the United States, France, Italy, Spain, and Colombia – agreed with the statement "It could be damaging to a child/ young person's mental health and well-being if they felt that being LGBT was a misfortune or disappointment,"{{Cite web|url=https://gcn.ie/poll-catholics-want-church-change-approach-lgbt-people/|title=Polls shows most Catholics want the church to change its approach to LGBT+ people|date=2018-10-18|website=GCN|language=en|access-date=2020-02-11}} while 23% disagreed, and that 63% of practicing Catholics in those countries agreed that Catholic Church should reconsider its current teaching on LGBT issues to help support the mental health and well-being of children and young people.{{Cite web|url=https://equalfuture2018.com/wp-content/uploads/Executive-Summary-EF2018.pdf|title=Executive Summary – Attitudes in the Catholic world towards damage to children and young people from LGBT stigma}}

Brady was born in Enniskillen, County Fermanagh and grew up in the Republic of Ireland in Bundoran, County Donegal. He studied at University College Dublin (UCD), where he became chairman of the Kevin Barry Cumann.{{cite web|url=http://www.ucd.ie/kbc/about.htm |title=The Kevin Barry Cumann Website |publisher=Ucd.ie |access-date=2013-11-10}}

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Category:Alumni of University College Dublin

Category:Alumni of Dublin City University

Category:LGBTQ rights activists from Northern Ireland

Category:Australian LGBTQ rights activists

Category:Irish LGBTQ rights activists

Category:Year of birth missing (living people)

Category:People from Enniskillen

Category:People from Bundoran

Category:Same-sex marriage in Australia

Category:Living people

Category:Activists from County Fermanagh