An emotional ceremony in Derry city's St. Columbs Park saw activists pay tribute to LGBTQ+ activist Mark Ashton, originally from Portrush.
Mark Ashton co-founded Lesbians and Gays Support the Miners while he was in London in the 1980s, alongside Mike Jackson who travelled to Derry to pay tribute to his late friend. Their story is also depicted in the film, Pride.
Joining Mike Jackson at the ceremony hosted by Independent Pride Derry, was organiser Sha Gillespie, Mark Ashton plaque campaigner Jude Copeland , playwright Micheal Kerrigan and Bernadette McAliskey.
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Mike Jackson said: “We have memorials to Mark in Paris, Barcelona, London, Belfast and now in Derry. But Portrush is the goal, that is where he grew up and found influence in his life. Mark died on February 11 1987. At that time LGBT people had no legal rights whatsoever.
"If Mark was alive today he would be speaking to you today, he loved the limelight. He would be amazed at the progress of the LGBT movement. He would be proud of the achievement of equal marriage. He would be amazed to see Derry celebrating pride yesterday, particularly the young people marching.
"Sadly, he is not here and we are here picking up the baton that he left for us. Keep on fighting, no matter what the odds are. The prize is a world free home hate where everyone lives with dignity, love and a mutual respect no matter your sexuality, gender or race."
Campaigner Jude Copeland has been fighting for a plaque in memory of Mark Ashton to be erected in his home town of Portrush.
He said: "I did not know Mark Ashton. I watched the film, Pride, with Mike Jackson in a pub in East London at a fundraising event. The reason I started this campaign was because Dave, another member of the LGSM, said to me ‘it is really lovely hearing that accent again’, thinking about Mark Ashton.
"One thing that is important for me is that the anniversary of his death was also the date of the first same sex marriage, and I wondered what Mark would have thought. The reason I think Mark is such a role model for today is that he thought of other vilified minorities. If Mark was here he would be thinking of who are the equivalent of the miners today."
Civil rights campaigner Bernadette McAliskey said: "“I think this is an important day for all of us, to remember a young man who was one of us. One of the most important things that his message of solidarity teaches us is that standing out in the street and convincing people to donate to the miners strike while you’re likely to be insulted was not easy.
"To take your personal self into danger of insult and assault in order to persuade people to at least understand what was happening to families who could not afford food is a bit that cannot be forgotten. It is important for us to remember him in this way."
Playwright Micheal Kerrigan said: " “I was there during the miners strike, in London. Mark Ashton was a very brave and strong man. Gay rights were always on the back burner with the Labour party and the trade unions. After the LGSM formation gay rights was brought to the forefront.
"It led to more progressive legislation eventually coming to marriage equality. Suddenly the unions and the Labour party took notice of gay rights because of the work of Mark and others. This memorial today is a very powerful and emotional thing to do for Mark."
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