Quentin Fottrell is an Irish columnist, author, agony uncle,[1] journalist, social diarist and critic.

He has published a book on relationships in Ireland, titled "Love in a Damp Climate,"[4][5] and contributed to several others, including "A Pint and a Haircut," a collection of true Irish stories.

Fottrell also wrote about homophobia in rural Ireland and the struggles of gay people to live openly and free of prejudice in small towns.

He subsequently reported on the impact of the referendum for The Wall Street Journal and interviewed Irish diaspora who returned to Ireland for the vote.

"[8] Since moving to New York, he has reported on the experiences of Irish emigrants and reflected, in particular, on how that relates to growing up gay in Catholic Ireland: "It's tempting to romanticize the past.