Scots-Irish performer and activist Thomas (Thom) McGinty was BOTD in 1952. Born and raised in Glasgow, Scotland to a Scottish father and Irish mother, he briefly studied accountancy at Strathclyde University before dropping out to become an actor. He moved to Dublin in the 1970s, becoming a street performer and supporting himself as a nude model at the National College of Art and Design. He developed a form of “living sculpture” performance, standing still in Grafton Street dressed in elaborate costumes (a framed Mona Lisa, Count Dracula, a clown, a teapot) only moving when he was given money. He quickly developed a cult following, until being moved on by police for causing a public obstruction. In response, he developed a “Zen Walk”, walking in extreme slow-motion around city streets. As his popularity increased, he was hired by Diceman Games Shop to promote the store (earning him the nickname “The Diceman”) and later by Bewley’s Cafe. He became a fixture of Dublin’s performance scene, appearing in the Gate Theatre’s 1989 revival of Oscar Wilde‘s play Salome and a production of Jean Genet‘s The Maids. Further media attention followed in 1991 after he was charged with breaching the peace after wearing a loincloth that partially exposed his buttocks. Openly gay since forever, McGinty was diagnosed with HIV in 1990. He bravely made his diagnosis public, advocating for improved healthcare services to support people living with HIV/AIDS. In 1994, a tribute concert was held in his honour at the Olympia Theatre, where he was crowned “High King of Ireland”, and funds were raised to pay for his medical treatment and anticipated funeral. Two weeks later, he made an appearance on TV chat show The Late Late Show, discussing his HIV diagnosis and his difficulties in accessing medical treatment in Ireland. He died in 1995, aged 42. His coffin was carried through Grafton Street, with large crowds gathering to pay their respects. A corner of Meeting House Square was renamed as “The Diceman’s Corner”, with a commemorative plaque erected in his honour.