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Happy New Year! What better way to start 2021 than with the style and elegance of the much-loved and always missed Diceman from our #IrishNamesQuilt series, #TheQuiltInFocus Although he is known and loved, many may not realise there was a quilt panel made for Thom.
Thom McGinty, better known as the Diceman, was a Scottish actor, model and street artist specialising in mime. Both his parents were Irish, and he become famous her as a living statue, mainly on Grafton Street but also used his artform to raise awareness around Gay Rights.
He was also a real Dublin character and adored by everyone who was lucky enough to see him perform. He won your heart with his signature wink.
As you can see on his panel, Thom is depicted as Dracula, a character he regularly performed on the street and in this RTE clip from 1988 https://www.rte.ie/archives/2018/0321/949092-bram-stokers-dublin/
You can see some of his Dracula costume also stitched onto the panel - his vampire teeth and black glove with blood red nails.
He is also depicted wearing his signature blue hat.
Thom was so well-loved, his diagnosis with HIV in 1990 set a wave of shock through Dublin, in particular. He was crowned High King of Ireland at a tribute event, held in his honour at the Olympia Theatre in 1994.
This was just before his appearance on the Late Late Show where he spoke honestly and eloquently about living with HIV. During this interview, he reached out to people receiving this diagnosis to contact him so he could support them. https://www.rte.ie/archives/2014/1111/658402-the-diceman-thom-mcginty/
He died three months later, in February 1995. His coffin was carried the length of Grafton Street by friends and a huge crowd gathered in his honour applauded the whole time.
In 1997 a corner of Meeting House Square in Temple Bar was renamed ‘The Diceman’s Corner’ with a plaque to commemorate this much-loved entertainer and brave LGBT+ rights and AIDS activist. We’re honoured to have our exhibition #TheQuiltEchoesAndMemories so close to this spot.
In May 2001 an exhibition took place showing twenty of his most visually stunning costumes. Twenty years on, perhaps it's time to show these again?
