Hirschfeld Centre Plaque (1980).

On St. Patrick's Day 1979, the Hirscfield Centre opened at 10 Fownes Street in Temple Bar. The centre, named after German sexologist Dr. Magnus Hirschfield, was a social, cultural and political hub for Dublin's gay and lesbian communities. It was the second attempt to create a safe space - the first had failed because of mismanagement and infighting. 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. The Centre never quite recovered from a fire in 1987 and was sold for development in 1999.