Ireland has become the first country in the world to adopt gay marriage through popular vote. The result of the Irish vote was clear with 62 percent of votes in favour and 38 percent against gay marriage in a country where being homosexual was a crime until 1993. More than 1.2 million Irish voters backed the “yes” side to less than 750,000 voting “no”. All of Ireland’s main political parties, including conservatives, support amending the constitutional definition of marriage, and the latest polls put their camp in the lead.
“With today’s vote, we have disclosed who we are: a generous, compassionate, bold and joyful people,” Prime Minister Enda Kenny proclaimed as he welcomed the outcome. Beside him, Deputy Prime Minister Joan Burton declared the victory “a magical moving moment, when the world’s beating heart is in Ireland”.
Nevertheless the vote reflects the changing nature of Ireland’s once-conservative Catholic society, and now Church in Ireland needs reality check after the overwhelming vote against church teaching on gay marriage.
Dublin Archbishop Diarmuid Martin said the referendum meant that the Church in Ireland needed to reconnect with young people. “We [the Church] have to stop and have a reality check, not move into denial of the realities. I appreciate how gay and lesbian men and women feel on this day. That they feel this is something that is enriching the way they live. I think it is a social revolution. The church needs to do a reality check right across the board. Have we drifted completely away from young people? I ask myself. Most of these young people who voted yes are products of our Catholic school system for 12 years. I’m saying there’s a big challenge there to see how we get across the message of the Church,” he added.
And here’s how the supporters of equality celebrated on Twitter:
Ireland hasn’t just said “Yes”… Ireland has said: “FCK YEAAHHHH”
— Aodhán Ó Ríordáin TD (@AodhanORiordain) May 23, 2015
.@cassie10yson I don’t have the right to be proud, as I’m not Irish. I’m in awe, that’s what I am – Ireland has set an example to the world!
— J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) May 23, 2015
Yes vote, Eurovision is on, Actual rainbow over Cork, This is now officially the gayest day in Irish history pic.twitter.com/wVtnEfWvTU
— Gav (@miracleofsound) May 23, 2015
Congratulations to the people of Ireland, after voting for same-sex marriage, making clear you are equal if you are straight or gay.
— David Cameron (@David_Cameron) May 23, 2015
Gays wake up to changed Ireland, let ‘new normal’ sink in http://t.co/t3wc9zPC7z
— TIME.com (@TIME) May 24, 2015
yuks………
it should be stop….!!!
You damned fuckin idiots