# 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:** 5
**Author:** ![Baron\_Greenback](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baron_greenback/32/48_2.png) [@Baron\_Greenback](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baron_Greenback)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2015, 11:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ireland-ssm-referendum-heats-up/720106/81 "2015-05-23T11:45:53Z")
The Irish Equality Minister tweeted thusly: > [@](#): > > Aodhán Ó Ríordáin TD @AodhanORiordain · 1h 1 hour ago > > Ireland hasn’t just said “Yes”… > Ireland has said: > “F❤️CK YEAAHHHH” Which is just all kinds of great, really. ---
**Author:** ![SciFiSam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/47e85d/32.png) [@SciFiSam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SciFiSam)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2015, 12:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ireland-ssm-referendum-heats-up/720106/82 "2015-05-23T12:23:43Z")
> [@yojimbo](#): > > 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 😃 This is going to be amazing not just because of the vote itself, but because people voted on something and actually changed the law. I wonder if it might lead to higher turnouts in future elections and referenda, because now more people are registered and more of those (esp. those who didn’t try that hard to register before) feel like their vote counted. It’s also amazing to see how much a country can change. TBF I’ve never had any problems in even the slightest way (like awkwardness) from an Irish person just because I’m gay, in Ireland as well as elsewhere, but still, it is mostly Catholic so it’s still remarkable that this seems to have got through by public vote. And it’s a vote that doesn’t permit non-Irish citizens to vote, and only allows Irish citizens with registration in Ireland - AFAICT, permanent citizens although they might be working or studying abroad temporarily; if they’re been gone for years they won’t usually be registered - so it is wholeheartedly Ireland. 🙂 It’s about as non-disputable a voter base for a change to the constitution as you can get. ---
**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 23, 2015, 1:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ireland-ssm-referendum-heats-up/720106/83 "2015-05-23T13:34:13Z")
Top buzz today. Delighted. My area was 3rd highest Yes in the country. Proud of my sisters and brothers. ---
**Author:** ![not\_what\_you\_d\_expect](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/not_what_you_d_expect/32/3246_2.png) [@not\_what\_you\_d\_expect](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/not_what_you_d_expect)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2015, 1:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ireland-ssm-referendum-heats-up/720106/84 "2015-05-23T13:42:04Z")
Good for you guys! The early news had me a little nervous. Very exciting! ---
**Author:** ![bobot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bobot/32/21622_2.png) [@bobot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bobot)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2015, 1:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ireland-ssm-referendum-heats-up/720106/85 "2015-05-23T13:47:40Z")
Congratulations, Ireland! ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2015, 3:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ireland-ssm-referendum-heats-up/720106/86 "2015-05-23T15:27:26Z")
Any chance you’ll see something similar for abortion in the near future? ETA: Congrats, folks. The Irish part of me (can’t remember how much it is) is especially happy. ---
**Author:** ![Captain\_Amazing](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6de8d8/32.png) [@Captain\_Amazing](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Amazing)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2015, 3:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ireland-ssm-referendum-heats-up/720106/87 "2015-05-23T15:38:10Z")
> [@yojimbo](#): > > 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 😃 Looks like the only county to vote no was Roscommon? ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2015, 5:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ireland-ssm-referendum-heats-up/720106/88 "2015-05-23T17:13:24Z")
Got any plans for when the Phelpses show up, or did St. Patrick leave behind a blessing that would take them out when he was doing the snake thing? ---
**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, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ireland-ssm-referendum-heats-up/720106/89 "2015-05-23T17:27:59Z")
[http://www.godhatestheworld.com/ireland/index.html](http://www.godhatestheworld.com/ireland/index.html) :smack: ---
**Author:** ![MichaelEmouse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/michaelemouse/32/101_2.png) [@MichaelEmouse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MichaelEmouse)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2015, 5:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ireland-ssm-referendum-heats-up/720106/90 "2015-05-23T17:39:39Z")
> [@yojimbo](#): > > [http://www.godhatestheworld.com/ireland/index.html](http://www.godhatestheworld.com/ireland/index.html) :smack: You gotta like that Leprechaun though: [http://www.godhatestheworld.com/ireland/filthymanneroflife.html](http://www.godhatestheworld.com/ireland/filthymanneroflife.html) Was a referendum required? Was it that the lawmakers didn’t want to risk it? I heard about a gov’t minister saying that there was ample case law that marriage is between a man and a woman but changing that doesn’t require a constitutional amendment, a normal law will do to overrule case law. ---
**Author:** ![JRDelirious](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jrdelirious/32/9531_2.png) [@JRDelirious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JRDelirious)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2015, 5:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ireland-ssm-referendum-heats-up/720106/91 "2015-05-23T17:47:24Z")
WBC are SO predictable. But back on topic, way to go Ireland! ---
**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, 6:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ireland-ssm-referendum-heats-up/720106/92 "2015-05-23T18:06:13Z")
> [@MichaelEmouse](#): > > You gotta like that Leprechaun though: [http://www.godhatestheworld.com/ireland/filthymanneroflife.html](http://www.godhatestheworld.com/ireland/filthymanneroflife.html) > Was a referendum required? Was it that the lawmakers didn’t want to risk it? I heard about a gov’t minister saying that there was ample case law that marriage is between a man and a woman but changing that doesn’t require a constitutional amendment, a normal law will do to overrule case law. There were a lot of concerns about challenges in The Supreme Court if it was handled through the legislature. ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2015, 9:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ireland-ssm-referendum-heats-up/720106/93 "2015-05-23T21:58:30Z")
Good for you, Ireland! I will now return Irish whiskey to my list of preferred libations, after a long boycott. Well, OK, yesterday. No point in being a fanatic about this shit… ---
**Author:** ![alphaboi867](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alphaboi867/32/3898_2.png) [@alphaboi867](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alphaboi867)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2015, 10:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ireland-ssm-referendum-heats-up/720106/94 "2015-05-23T22:43:02Z")
🙂 This is utterly fantastic & surprising news (buggery was illegal in the Republic of Ireland until 1993 and so was divorce until 1997), but can someone clarify something about this law. I’ve seen a lot of references to this amendment giving same-sex couples the right to civil marriage, but not the right to marry in churches. Does that mean; a) religious denominations are free to decided on their own whether or not to allow same-sex weddings like in Canada or Great Britain (well, other than the Church of England), b) same-sex couples will only able to get married in register offices (as was the initial case w/ civil partnerships in the UK). ---
**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, 10:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ireland-ssm-referendum-heats-up/720106/95 "2015-05-23T22:51:30Z")
> [@alphaboi867](#): > > 🙂 This is utterly fantastic & surprising news (buggery was illegal in the Republic of Ireland until 1993 and so was divorce until 1997), but can someone clarify something about this law. I’ve seen a lot of references to this amendment giving same-sex couples the right to civil marriage, but not the right to marry in churches. Does that mean; a) religious denominations are free to decided on their own whether or not to allow same-sex weddings like in Canada or Great Britain (well, other than the Church of England), b) same-sex couples will only able to get married in register offices (as was the initial case w/ civil partnerships in the UK). Registry Offices ans other buildings that fit criteria. Also probably Unitarian Churches but you’re free to do you’re own thing. So the RCC can do what they want. ---
**Author:** ![ctnguy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6de8d8/32.png) [@ctnguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ctnguy)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2015, 11:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ireland-ssm-referendum-heats-up/720106/96 "2015-05-23T23:05:38Z")
> [@alphaboi867](#): > > Does that mean; a) religious denominations are free to decided on their own whether or not to allow same-sex weddings like in Canada or Great Britain (well, other than the Church of England), b) same-sex couples will only able to get married in register offices (as was the initial case w/ civil partnerships in the UK). The government has published [a draft of the implementing legislation](http://www.justice.ie/en/JELR/General%20Scheme%20of%20the%20Marriage%20Bill%202015.pdf/Files/General%20Scheme%20of%20the%20Marriage%20Bill%202015.pdf) which will make the necessary changes to the law. Under “Head 7” it says that religious denominations and officiants will not be obliged to perform same-sex marriages. But there is nothing in the bill, as far as I can see, that would prevent denominations from performing them if they want to. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2015, 3:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ireland-ssm-referendum-heats-up/720106/97 "2015-05-25T03:32:25Z")
An interesting theory on why Ireland went for SSM so decisively: [The Seismic Shift in Irish Values, and One Reason It Happened | HuffPost Voices](http://www.huffingtonpost.com/james-peron/the-seismic-shift-in-iris_b_7430026.html?utm_hp_ref=world&ir=WorldPost) ---
**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 25, 2015, 11:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ireland-ssm-referendum-heats-up/720106/98 "2015-05-25T11:08:48Z")
> [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](#): > > An interesting theory on why Ireland went for SSM so decisively: [The Seismic Shift in Irish Values, and One Reason It Happened | HuffPost Voices](http://www.huffingtonpost.com/james-peron/the-seismic-shift-in-iris_b_7430026.html?utm_hp_ref=world&ir=WorldPost) It’s interesting I suppose but it’s worth noting that Ireland’s economy has been in ribbons for the last seven or eight years. It is recovering now but mass emigration and huge unemployment as well as huge cuts to public services have taken place during this time. ---
**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 25, 2015, 11:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ireland-ssm-referendum-heats-up/720106/99 "2015-05-25T11:18:08Z")
Also, I am proud to say I live in a district with amongst the highest Yes turn out in the country. 2nd or 3rd highest. ---
**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 26, 2015, 12:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ireland-ssm-referendum-heats-up/720106/100 "2015-05-26T00:44:34Z")
There was a photo going around showing a double rainbow over Dublin on Friday while voting was going on. I guess God approves too. Well done to all - it was thrilling to see so many Yes results come in, even from the rural areas. This one is definitely a gamechanger. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ireland-ssm-referendum-heats-up/720106.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ireland-ssm-referendum-heats-up/720106.md?page=6)