Roger Casement is the second Irishman to be honored on the Castro's Rainbow Honor Walk after Oscar Wilde. Photo: Claire Reilly/Axios
The Rainbow Honor Walk in the Castro has a new bronze plaque commemorating Irish patriot and human rights activist Roger Casement.
The plaque was unveiled by San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie and Irish consul general Micheál Smith last week following a rousing blare of bagpipes.
Why it matters: Casement, an early 20th-century diplomat, exposed human rights abuses in Africa and South America and fought for Irish independence before being executed for treason in 1916.
Casement was also a gay man — a part of his identity that "was cruelly used against him" before he was executed, Smith said.
"Casement said that 'we have to hold fast to our own ideals, for without them we are lost.' Those words capture the spirit that defined his life," Smith added.
Find his plaque at 501 Castro Street — then raise a pint of Guinness at Casements on Mission Street.
