Lorraine Tuck

Lorraine Tuck was Born 1978 in Co. Galway. Lorraine is a homemaker and mother of four children. Lorraine studied photography at Sallynoggin and at University Wales College Newport 2003. The Artist published a book called ‘The Whistle Blowing’ and has works in The University of Galway Collection, The Office of Public Works and The Arts Council of Ireland. Recently her work was selected for the first post lock down re-opening for Arts council collection called ‘Women and The Machine’ at Carlow Visual, Lorraine also received an Arts council YPCE commission award 2021.

Project Title: Uncle Owen – Here comes the bride

I have a fabulous Uncle called Owen. He brings a lot of happiness into my life whenever I get an opportunity to spend time with him.

Owen is the youngest of seven children born in 1969 from Connemara, his mother who is my grandmother. Growing up with Owen was always interesting for me however it would have been difficult for Owen as he has Down syndrome and he would have fought harder to have his voice heard. 

Early on it was apparent that Owen loved to dress up as a ‘woman’ and he would have identified this to me when he was ten years old. We would often role play ‘’here comes the bride’’, sometimes I was the groom and he was always the bride. Grannies’ netty curtain became a veil any white sheets that we robbed from her hot press was the wedding dress.

This was part of our normal and a very happy childhood we had.

Fast forward forty years and Owen has landed on his feet.

Thankfully we live in world that will allow Owen to be who he wants to be. A gay man who also identifies as a woman, she likes to be called ‘Pink’. Persons that have disabilities also suffer gender dysmorphia and must be supported like that as any other person. It’s the ability that’s interesting here.

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