Looking back at the past, Irishman Colin Daly reflects on the importance of queer friends and the impact that losing them can have on our lives.Since I started delving into my personal Irish LGBTQ+ history, I have discovered that at least four people I knew have passed away in the last couple of years and one has passed away since I started writing about it, which is not that long ago. This makes me extremely sad when I think about it.Losing a queer friend can be extra devastating because their friendship acts as a protective barrier against those who wish to harm us.