IRELAND: Same-Sex Weddings Begin

Ireland’s same-sex marriage law went into effect yesterday and weddings began this morning after the required 24-hour waiting period. The first couple to marry was Richard Dowling and Cormac Gollogly. RTE reports:

The couple who have been together for 12 years got married in Clonmel, Co Tipperary this morning. Senior Registrar for south Tipperary Mary Claire Heffernan confirmed they were the first same sex couple to be civilly married in Ireland. They got married two months after they entered into civil partnership at a more lavish affair in Kilshane House outside Tipperary town. “We got civil partnered on the 18th of September and all our family and friends were there, that was really our wedding day,” Mr Dowling explained after the ceremony in Clonmel. “This is formalising the legalities of our marriage. We wanted to try and get in the history books and be first across the line,” he said. The couple got engaged in Spain several years ago and waited until same-sex marriage was legalised by referendum and through Government legislation. “I really wanted to thank everyone in the Yes Equality campaign, their hard work really paid off. “Our friends were flying home to vote from London and Australia and Richard’s two brothers, who had never voted, both registered to vote,” Mr Gollogly said.