On St. Patrick’s Day 1979, the Hirschfeld Centre opened at 10 Fownes Street in Temple Bar. The centre, named after German sexologist Dr. Magnus Hirschfeld, was a social, cultural and political hub for Dublin’s gay and lesbian communities.

Then a dark, secluded part of Dublin, Fownes Street made it easier for people still in the closet to visit the Centre. The building included office space for political and counselling groups as well as spaces for socialising.

Unfortunately the Centre never quite recovered from a fire in 1987 and was sold for development in 1999.