# Ireland SSM referendum heats up **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [May 15, 2015, 1:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ireland-ssm-referendum-heats-up/720106 "2015-05-15T13:46:30Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2015, 8:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ireland-ssm-referendum-heats-up/720106/61 "2015-05-22T08:53:32Z")
Also, it’s a Bank Holiday weekend and school half-term. ---
**Author:** ![An\_Gadai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d6d6ee/32.png) [@An\_Gadai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/An_Gadai)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2015, 8:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ireland-ssm-referendum-heats-up/720106/62 "2015-05-22T08:56:22Z")
> [@Gyrate](#): > > Also, it’s a Bank Holiday weekend and school half-term. A bank holiday weekend in UK? Ours isn’t until next weekend. ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2015, 9:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ireland-ssm-referendum-heats-up/720106/63 "2015-05-22T09:00:50Z")
> [@An\_Gadai](#): > > A bank holiday weekend in UK? Ours isn’t until next weekend. Yes. Dara O’Briain observed that between the referendum and Eurovision this weekend, Ireland is at risk of hitting “Peak Gay”. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![An\_Gadai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d6d6ee/32.png) [@An\_Gadai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/An_Gadai)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2015, 9:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ireland-ssm-referendum-heats-up/720106/64 "2015-05-22T09:09:23Z")
> [@Gyrate](#): > > Yes. > > Dara O’Briain observed that between the referendum and Eurovision this weekend, Ireland is at risk of hitting “Peak Gay”. 😃 Yeah tomorrow night is gonna be pretty gay. ---
**Author:** ![yojimbo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yojimbo/32/232_2.png) [@yojimbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yojimbo)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2015, 9:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ireland-ssm-referendum-heats-up/720106/65 "2015-05-22T09:15:57Z")
If it passes The George (A famous gay bar in Dublin) will be the place to be. Me, I’ll be on me couch like the old man I am 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![An\_Gadai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d6d6ee/32.png) [@An\_Gadai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/An_Gadai)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2015, 9:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ireland-ssm-referendum-heats-up/720106/66 "2015-05-22T09:36:50Z")
> [@yojimbo](#): > > If it passes The George (A famous gay bar in Dublin) will be the place to be. > > Me, I’ll be on me couch like the old man I am 🙂 I’m dressing up as Kathleen Knee Hula Hoop. ---
**Author:** ![SciFiSam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/47e85d/32.png) [@SciFiSam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SciFiSam)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2015, 9:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ireland-ssm-referendum-heats-up/720106/67 "2015-05-22T09:45:26Z")
It’ll be fascinating to see the result and the resulting response from the church, etc. Someone asked above whether Catholic churches would have to perform same-sex marriages. I don’t think any country with same-sex marriage requires all churches to go along with the rule. Catholic churches can refuse to marry divorcees, after all, and divorce is legal, though it hasn’t been for that long in Ireland. UK law specifically prohibits the Church of England from conducting SSM ceremonies and prohibits other churches from doing it unless the overriding authority of the church agrees with it - IOW, Catholic churches in the UK cannot marry same-sex couples either. My internet connection keeps dropping out, so maybe someone else can provide an actual cite about this for Ireland. > [@An\_Gadai](#): > > A bank holiday weekend in UK? Ours isn’t until next weekend. I’d say that the UK holiday would affect travellers from the UK more than an Irish holiday, given the effect on time off work, etc. ---
**Author:** ![yojimbo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yojimbo/32/232_2.png) [@yojimbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yojimbo)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2015, 9:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ireland-ssm-referendum-heats-up/720106/68 "2015-05-22T09:58:52Z")
The RCC can do as it see fit. There is nothing forcing them to do anything. Same sex marriages will happen with a registrar in any place that fits the criteria for marriages. This is the same for people like me who although baptised Catholic have no belief in any of it and have not been part of the church from early teens. The sacrament of marriage is not been changed one bit by this vote. That’s theirs and they can keep it. ---
**Author:** ![yojimbo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yojimbo/32/232_2.png) [@yojimbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yojimbo)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2015, 10:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ireland-ssm-referendum-heats-up/720106/69 "2015-05-22T10:02:29Z")
St Patrick’s Cathedral was lit up pink last night. Go on the Church of Ireland. Fair play to ye. [http://www.imageno.com/2zjin6j45h0mpic.html](http://www.imageno.com/2zjin6j45h0mpic.html) ---
**Author:** ![An\_Gadai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d6d6ee/32.png) [@An\_Gadai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/An_Gadai)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2015, 10:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ireland-ssm-referendum-heats-up/720106/70 "2015-05-22T10:08:05Z")
My Tweet about the #HomeToVote got picked up by thejournal.ie. I am famous. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2015, 11:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ireland-ssm-referendum-heats-up/720106/71 "2015-05-22T11:06:42Z")
Looking at the #Hometovote feed it looks like there are literally THOUSANDS of returnees from the Irish diaspora, leading one person to joke that the biggest danger Ireland faces isn’t a “Yes” or a “No” result but SINKING. It’s insane in a beautiful way. ---
**Author:** ![up\_the\_junction](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/f1d935/32.png) [@up\_the\_junction](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/up_the_junction)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2015, 12:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ireland-ssm-referendum-heats-up/720106/72 "2015-05-22T12:32:32Z")
#hometovote plane loads flying in from the UK: > **[\#hometovote is the most perfect hashtag ever... here's why](https://metro.co.uk/2015/05/22/irish-people-from-around-the-world-are-going-hometovote-today-and-its-incredible-5209884/?fb_ref=Default)** > > Just try and get through this post without crying a bit ---
**Author:** ![bienville](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4bbf92/32.png) [@bienville](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bienville)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2015, 12:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ireland-ssm-referendum-heats-up/720106/73 "2015-05-22T12:37:03Z")
> [@Nava](#): > > The theologist (a Dominican, and very much one of God’s Mastiffs from the rest of the article) is Catholic, though. One of his arguments is the same reasoning I’ve succesfully used before many times, which basically amounts to “separation of Church and State”. > [@ralph124c](#): > > what accounts for the great decline, in the status and influence of the RC in Ireland? Ireland used to be a country that was fervently Catholic- this seems to have changed very abruptly. > [@An\_Gadai](#): > > Globalisation, increased social mobility and secularisation of Irish people, and increased diversity within Irish society all played a part I suspect. What are the chances Ireland will legalize abortion anytime soon? ---
**Author:** ![An\_Gadai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d6d6ee/32.png) [@An\_Gadai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/An_Gadai)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2015, 1:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ireland-ssm-referendum-heats-up/720106/74 "2015-05-22T13:04:02Z")
> [@bienville](#): > > What are the chances Ireland will legalize abortion anytime soon? Not very. Proximity to Britain means for middle class women at least abortion _is_ accessible. So although there is a movement to legalise it (which came to the fore again after the death of [Savita Halappanavar](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Death_of_Savita_Halappanavar) there is strong opposition and I don’t see that changing any time soon. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2015, 1:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ireland-ssm-referendum-heats-up/720106/75 "2015-05-22T13:07:17Z")
Public opinion has been pretty favorable on overturning the ban (at least for rape/incest/maternal health) for [over 10 years](https://www.ifpa.ie/Hot-Topics/Abortion/Public-Opinion). ---
**Author:** ![An\_Gadai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d6d6ee/32.png) [@An\_Gadai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/An_Gadai)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2015, 1:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ireland-ssm-referendum-heats-up/720106/76 "2015-05-22T13:27:11Z")
> [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#): > > Public opinion has been pretty favorable on overturning the ban (at least for rape/incest/maternal health) for [over 10 years](https://www.ifpa.ie/Hot-Topics/Abortion/Public-Opinion). I should have been a bit clearer in my comment. I meant abortion on demand. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2015, 1:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ireland-ssm-referendum-heats-up/720106/77 "2015-05-22T13:36:32Z")
I wasn’t clear either. Wasn’t disagreeing, just adding some numbers. ---
**Author:** ![yojimbo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yojimbo/32/232_2.png) [@yojimbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yojimbo)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2015, 8:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ireland-ssm-referendum-heats-up/720106/78 "2015-05-23T08:55:25Z")
Counts will start coming in soon. It looks like a very large turnout in Dublin may seal it for the yes side. Cross everything people. This will be amazing if it goes through. ---
**Author:** ![yojimbo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yojimbo/32/232_2.png) [@yojimbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yojimbo)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2015, 9:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ireland-ssm-referendum-heats-up/720106/79 "2015-05-23T09:17:12Z")
Early tallies are indicating a strong yes vote. 70 - 80% yes in parts of Dublin and the youth vote is very big. The tallies from outside Dublin are ranging from 50 - 70 % The spokesmans from the Iona Institute (a major Catholic no vote group) has coincided on Twitter and congratulated the yes side. ---
**Author:** ![yojimbo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yojimbo/32/232_2.png) [@yojimbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yojimbo)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2015, 10:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ireland-ssm-referendum-heats-up/720106/80 "2015-05-23T10:29:55Z")
The question now isn’t will the Yes vote win but will the No side carry any constituency at all. An Irish victory true and true. I’ll stop posting for a while, bit excited 😃 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ireland-ssm-referendum-heats-up/720106.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ireland-ssm-referendum-heats-up/720106.md?page=5)