Name: Donal Johnson
Do you Identify with any culture, subculture, community, Religion or Orientation?: Not really any Religion no, I kind of just do my own thing. In terms of Orientation I would be considered gay, I guess that would be the community that I am apart of in Drogheda which is a growing community in recent years here in Drogheda.
What does your identity mean to you?: Woah, what does my identity mean to me... Who I stand for and who or what I will stand for, or what others perceive what I stand for. I like my identity to be true, to be honest, positive identity and a positive image.
Are you a resident of Drogheda?: I certainly am!
What do you think of Drogheda?: Drogheda is a very hustle and bustle sort of town, It's definitely increasing in size aswell, full of many characters, interesting characters and it's quite a diverse especially since it's so close to Dublin, so you're going to get a lot of commuters and people living from different areas which is nice and interesting.
How does your Identity and Drogheda Co-exist?: They definitely would coincide with each-other, It wasn't really welcoming when I was growing up but it's increasingly becoming more positive and welcoming but as I got older, I became more confident with my self image and identity.
Name: Helena Eigler
Do you Identify with any culture, subculture, community, Religion or Orientation?: I say I would identify with the LGBT, I would be considered pansexual, which is funny because people joke that I would be into pots and pans, but it's not that at alot of times I just prefer people for their personality rather than what they look like.
What does your identity mean to you?: Ehm, probably just as much the same as anyone who is confident and not self-conscious, I wouldn't think that I'm an insecure person. My identity to me, means who I am and I get to be who I am as a person and express myself how I want. Especially since people can be quite judgemental if you are anything that isn't the norm.
Are you a resident of Drogheda?: I live a little bit outside Drogheda, but I'm here quite often because of work.
What do you think of Drogheda?: I think it's quite rich with history, culture wise I don't think it's primarily Irish, it's quite diverse. It's not the worst town but it can be 50/50, some days I love it and some days I hate it.
How does your Identity and Drogheda Co-exist?: Well I haven't really had any people coming up to me and having a problem with my identity, people don't really care if you're gay or lesbian anymore as long as you're chilling.
Name: Walter Mwale
Do you Identify with any culture, subculture, community, Religion or Orientation?: I'm more spiritual than anything, In the sense of more believing in how the universe works and how everything goes within the universe itself and just how things run in life more or less.
What does your identity mean to you?: As a South African, I'm proud of my nation, I'm proud of myself and who I am, the way I identify as a spiritual person comes from my background as a South African who grew up in a traditional home, which is important to me and will forever stick by me.
Are you a resident of Drogheda?: Yeah I guess you could say that, 13 years here now so I might aswell be apart of the furniture.
What do you think of Drogheda?: Drogheda is a big town, I've been here for so long and I haven't had issues with anyone so it's home away from home.
How does your Identity and Drogheda Co-exist?: I don't think that my Identity and Drogheda Co-exist, for the simple fact that I like it that way because I am my own person at the end of the day, I am my own individual and alot of people in drogheda are similar so I like to keep it separate to everything else.
Name: Stephen Filani
Do you Identify with any culture, subculture, community, Religion or Orientation?: I was born in Nigeria, so I'm Yoruba Nigerian. So I would identify with the Nigerian culture alot. I've lived in Ireland pretty much my whole life, I moved here when I was around 2 years old so I would identify with the Irish culture too.
What does your identity mean to you?: If we're talking about the Nigerian side, super proud to be Nigerian, been to Nigeria a couple of times in my life, alot of my friends are Nigerian, lots of Nigerian people around me so it means alot to have another Country that I can call home, that's where my ancestors are from there, my favourite food is from there, the clothes, the culture, that's where it originates from so it means alot to me.
Are you a resident of Drogheda?: I live in Termonfeckin, which is just outside Drogheda.
What do you think of Drogheda?: Drogheda has its quirks for sure, it's very familiar because I've lived nearby since 2010, it's a bit boring, it's a bit grey but I would consider it home, a mixed bag, you get something different every time.
How does your Identity and Drogheda Co-exist?: There's alot of people from Nigeria that live in Drogheda and I've pretty much grown up in Drogheda, there is an intersection there definitely and it's nice to see the mix of Nigerian and Irish culture and how it meshes into one thing.
Name: Ana Byrne Cuesta
Do you Identify with any culture, subculture, community, Religion or Orientation?: I was born here In Drogheda but my mam is Spanish so I guess you could say that I would be Irish and Spanish.
What does your identity mean to you?: My Identity fluctuates quite frequently, I don't think that I'm rigid, I wouldn't sit here and say that I identify as Irish and Spanish, my identity changes everyday so sometimes I'm a girl who loves to go out and party and other days I'm a girl who likes to sit in her room and not go out.
Are you a resident of Drogheda?: Yeah I've been living in Drogheda my whole life.
What do you think of Drogheda?: I love Drogheda, other people that I love live here, it's where I grew up, I'm happy out here, I love the people that I have met here.
How does your Identity and Drogheda Co-exist?: I would say it does, my mam knew alot of Spanish women so I would be around girls who are half Irish, half Spanish and I still know those girls to this day, I grew up with them so I do think there is a part of my identity that was made up of Spanish/Irish culture and I feel like these girls are the same. it's a particular identity that certain people can fit into and relate to, even if I was to meet another girl that was half Spanish I feel like we'd be able to relate because of our upbringing.
Name: Sophia Gallagher
Do you Identify with any culture, subculture, community, Religion or Orientation?: My mam is Portuguese so I would identify as half Portuguese, I tell people most of the time that I'm Irish but sometimes I would tell people that I'm Portuguese to seem more interesting.
What does your identity mean to you?: When I'm in Portugal I feel like that's home as much as Ireland. I like telling people I'm Portuguese I feel it's an important part of me even though it's complex as I don't speak the language, I'm still proud of it.
Are you a resident of Drogheda?: Yeah I am, I was born here, lived here my whole life but I would have more connections with people in Meath and Dublin areas rather Drogheda.
What do you think of Drogheda?: As a place I don't like it at all, but I've met some amazing people here, I think Drogheda's character is in its people rather than its infrastructure, I don't like living here, when I think of where I am in the future, it's not here.
How does your Identity and Drogheda Co-exist?: I struggled with it but I liked telling people that I was Portuguese because I feel like there was no-one else around me that was, In school I was made fun of by the boys because I had darker arm hair, so I used to shave it because I was embarrassed, but I grew up and realised it was nothing to be embarrassed about. I think in this town, it's looked down on to not be fully Irish especially with recent times, but it took me a while to be proud of the fact that I'm a bit different.
Name: Hansun Lamb
Do you Identify with any culture, subculture, community, Religion or Orientation?: I would be apart of the very niche subculture of drag in Drogheda and Dublin and filming/screen community. I would also be part of the wider subculture of Asian Cantonese people in Drogheda.
What does your identity mean to you?: It makes up most of who I am, my identity and experience for sure, for one being a gay person in a small town has definitely shaped who I am, and also an Asian person in a predominatly white Country.
Are you a resident of Drogheda?: Yes I am a resident of Drogheda!
What do you think of Drogheda?: I feel like I am one of the few who absolutely love it here, I really like the people. I feel like people in Drogheda are very community based and everybody looks out for each other for the most part, Of course there is a few who ruin it but I feel the wider community of Drogheda is misunderstood and misrepresented, Especially the younger generation is very open minded and I don't think there's enough credit given to them.
How does your Identity and Drogheda Co-exist?: I think initially no. When I was growing up I didn't feel part of any specific community and I never really thought about it, it wasn't something that contributed to my experience. However becoming an adult, I found a very collected group of people who have created that community and culture with me, and I'm really proud of that.
Name: Violetta Aucone
Do you Identify with any culture, subculture, community, Religion or Orientation?: I think maybe the fact that I am from Italy, I carry a strong Italian Identity even if I don't realise. I definitely bring that culture with me.
What does your identity mean to you?: First of all the way I talk, people straight away can understand that I'm not Irish. As an Italian from Rome, we're very straight forward and very passionate, so sometimes people think I come across as rude, even though it's not my intention to be rude or hurt anyone but the way I express myself, especially with my hands, it might come out a little bit straight forward.
Are you a resident of Drogheda?: I am a proud resident of Drogheda for almost nine years now, and I live in the town centre and I'm lucky because I get to see all the colourful people.
What do you think of Drogheda?: It could be a very great place to live. There is a little bit of resistance sometimes, some people might not be too trusting to foreigners at first, but as soon as they open up, you usually you have a great relationship, so I can't really complain I always found openness from people that I met and help from them.
How does your Identity and Drogheda Co-exist?: It does in certain ways, Irish and Italian can be very similar, we both appreciate a good living and the "craic". When people look at me they initially think I might be from one of the fish and chips families, it's very hard for people to believe that I moved from Rome to Ireland, because I love it so much.
Name: Robert McDonnell
Do you Identify with any culture, subculture, community, Religion or Orientation?: So I have a split personality, "R.O.B", I'm a Christian, I'm a rapper, so an online creator, musician and a Christian.
What does your identity mean to you?: I find my Identity in Christ, Jesus. My goal is to exemplify Jesus in my everyday life and to spread his word and light. It means everything, my salvation of how I get to go to heaven and how others are saved from the darkness of this world.
Are you a resident of Drogheda?: sadly, yes I am a resident of Drogheda.
What do you think of Drogheda?: It's a "kip", it's falling apart, I feel like everything is being shut down and that they're not pumping any money into the town, just apartments popping up everywhere, but there is a revival in the town, people are starting to come to God and get away from addiction. So there is light and hope in the town.
How does your Identity and Drogheda Co-exist?: With Christianity, it does co-exist because there's churches and fellowship, there's a community there. With music, no. If you try to do anything different in this town, people look at you strange, a weirdo and unless it's a trend they'll put you down.
Name: Craig Cunningham
Do you Identify with any culture, subculture, community, Religion or Orientation?: Oh yeah, I'm definitely what people would call a "Metal head" and I do some DJ from time to time.
What does your identity mean to you?: Well you follow your music, you were your band t-shirts with pride, you go to gigs to support the bands and you rock out.
Are you a resident of Drogheda?: Oh yeah, born and bred, originally from the "Hood".
What do you think of Drogheda?: Oh I love Drogheda, it's my home town, it's good for music, the pubs and the nightlife are good, there's always a good buzz around. Now it Gets a bad reputation but so does everywhere when you have a few bad eggs around the place but it's a great town and it's my town.
How does your Identity and Drogheda Co-exist?: There is a lot of Metal heads around in Drogheda, so if you go to a gig in Dublin, you'll always bump into about 20 or 30 people from Drogheda at those gigs which is good, but down in Drogheda no not really, there is no Metal bars but we DJ on a Saturday night in Clarkes bar once every month or so and we do a Metal night, sometimes it's busy, sometimes it's not, some people like it, some people don't. We love it anyways.
Name: Mobeen Asghar
Do you Identify with any culture, subculture, community, Religion or Orientation?: I'm originally from Pakistan, I migrated to Ireland almost Twenty-five years ago, I'm also Muslim.
What does your identity mean to you?: Well it means alot, especially where I've come from. Pakistan is a very conservative Country, it's a huge difference living In Ireland but I'm trying to keep my identity and hold on to my traditions.
Are you a resident of Drogheda?: I am a resident here, I'm living in Drogheda for the past twenty-five years and it is like a home to me.
What do you think of Drogheda?: Drogheda to be honest, I really really like the town, it depends on the people who you hang out with, I've a pretty limited circle myself, I don't do late nights. To be honest I've been very busy in work, my routine has always kind've been home to work and work to home and I've stuck to this routine for almost twenty years. I haven't had to much trouble with people in my shop that I've been running for twenty years, people are very very and helpful, I would definitely call it my home town.
How does your Identity and Drogheda Co-exist?: They do of course, there's other Pakistani families living in Drogheda, I'm in touch with and we have Pakistani shops for groceries and we have a mosque near the hospital so we go over there for our prayer. So I would say we do have a good community in Drogheda.
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