In recent years, south Roscommon councillor John Keogh says he has been subjected to constant gossip about his sexuality.
And, in a lengthy post on Facebook this week, he decided to come out as a member of the LGBT community to 'comprehensively shut down the rumour mills'.
In an open interview on the Joe Finnegan Show on Friday, he spoke of his sadness about the number of young people who have committed suicide because of their sexuality.
He also says he hopes to see a day when people when a person’s sexual orientation is no longer considered to be something that people feel the need to make public declarations in respect of and that people can live their lives peacefully and free from stigma, intimidation, prejudice and indignation.
You can listen to the interview in full here.
