Ann Louise Gilligan (27 July 1945 – 15 June 2017) was an Irish theologian who taught at Saint Patrick's College, Drumcondra (part of

Dublin City University Dublin City University (abbreviated as DCU) ( ga, Ollscoil Chathair Bhaile Átha Cliath) is a university based on the Northside of Dublin, Ireland. Created as the ''National Institute for Higher Education, Dublin'' in 1975, it enrolled its f ...

). A former nun, she was the wife of

Katherine Zappone Katherine Zappone (; born 25 November 1953) is an American-Irish independent politician who served as Minister for Children and Youth Affairs from May 2016 to June 2020. She was a Teachta Dála (TD) for the Dublin South-West constituency from ...

. In '' Zappone and Gilligan v. Revenue Commissioners'' (2006), they unsuccessfully sought recognition of their Canadian marriage. Despite failing in the courts, Gilligan was a leading campaigner in Ireland's 2015 same-sex marriage referendum, and ultimately succeeded in having her marriage recognised in Irish law before her death in 2017.

Personal life

Gilligan was born in Dublin to a prosperous family in Nutley Park, Dublin. She had one sister and brother. She was educated in the Loreto secondary school in Foxrock. Gilligan went on to join the Loreto convent and become a nun. She credits this with instilling in her the discipline to fulfil an academic career. After leaving the convent, she worked in Spain and studied in Paris before being hired by St Patrick's College to teach theology in 1976. In 1981, while studying for her doctorate in theology at Boston College, she met and fell in love with fellow student Katherine Zappone. In September 2003, they married in Canada. Together they fought ''Zappone and Gilligan v. Revenue Commissioners'', which set off a decade of debate on marriage equality in Ireland. That case made global headlines.

Career

Together they also founded , Ireland's largest community education organisation. now houses three operations; The Shanty Education and Training Centre, an adult community education centre, Rainbow House, an early childhood education and care facility, and Fledglings, a social enterprise centre. According to ''

The Irish Times ''The Irish Times'' is an Irish daily broadsheet newspaper and online digital publication. It launched on 29 March 1859. The editor is Ruadhán Mac Cormaic. It is published every day except Sundays. ''The Irish Times'' is considered a newspaper ...

'', "was established by Gilligan and Zappone with the intention of bringing valuable community-based education to the Dublin suburb. Two years ago attempted to track the progress of 1,500 past students and found 1,200 were employed." A former Director of the Educational Disadvantage Centre at St. Patrick's College, Gilligan was formerly a member of the Statutory Committee on Educational Disadvantage. In 2001, Micheál Martin, Minister for Health, asked her to form and chair the

National Educational Welfare Board National may refer to: Common uses * Nation or country ** Nationality – a ''national'' is a person who is subject to a nation, regardless of whether the person has full rights as a citizen Places in the United States * National, Maryland, ce ...

. She later sat on the NEWB's Education Committee. Her academic work primarily focused on subjects like education and gender. She enjoyed cooking, theatre and reading. She had a BMW motorbike, which she used to carry out the couple's weekly grocery shop each Saturday in Blessington. She was in

The Samaritans Samaritans is a registered charitable organisation, charity aimed at providing emotional support to anyone in emotional distress, struggling to cope or at risk of suicide throughout the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland, often through ...

and the

Society of Saint Vincent de Paul The Society of St Vincent de Paul (SVP or SVdP or SSVP) is an international voluntary organization in the Catholic Church, founded in 1833 for the sanctification of its members by personal service of the poor. Innumerable Catholic parishes have ...

. She appeared with her spouse on an episode of ''

Room to Improve ''Room to Improve'' is an Irish architectural renovation TV series broadcast on RTÉ One. It is also broadcast on the UK's Home channel. Format Presented by the architect Dermot Bannon, his aim is to improve his clients' living conditions by ...

'' in 2013. In 2008, with Zappone, she co-authored their life story ''Our Lives Out Loud: In Pursuit of Justice and Equality'' which was published by

O'Brien Press The O'Brien Press is an Irish publisher of mainly children's fiction and adult non-fiction. History The O'Brien Press was founded in 1973, evolving out of a family-run printing and type-house. Its first publication came in November 1974 and nume ...

Death

Gilligan died on 14 June 2017 after suffering complications from a brain haemorrhage.

References

External links

An Cosán
{{DEFAULTSORT:Gilligan, Ann Louise 1945 births 2017 deaths 20th-century Irish nuns 21st-century Irish women writers People educated at Loreto College, Foxrock Academics of Dublin City University Boston College School of Theology and Ministry alumni Irish LGBT writers LGBT Roman Catholics Lesbian academics Former Roman Catholic religious sisters and nuns 20th-century Roman Catholics 21st-century Roman Catholics 21st-century LGBT people