Tag Archives: Ireland

Eurovision 2011: Ireland’s Jedward

Hair inspired by the late John Sex? They’re identical twins.

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IRELAND: JMG Reader Vivian Cummins Runs For Office As Marriage Proponent

Longtime JMG reader Vivian Cummins has announced his candidacy for Ireland’s Parliament as a Green Party proponent of same-sex marriage. Via press release: Vivian Cummins, the Green Party candidate for Kildare South is believed to be the only gay and officially recognised civil partnered candidate in the forthcoming General Election in the Irish Republic to be held on 25th February …

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Explaining UK, Great Britain, England, Etc

(Tipped by Rex Wockner)

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SMOKING GUN: Vatican Warned Irish Bishops Not To Report Pedophile Priests

In a just-revealed 1997 letter, a Vatican representative for the soon to be sainted Pope John Paul II warned Ireland’s bishops not to report pedophile priests to the police. The letter, obtained by Irish broadcasters RTE and provided to The Associated Press, documents the Vatican’s rejection of a 1996 Irish church initiative to begin helping police identify pedophile priests following …

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IRELAND: Atheist Group Launches “No Religion” Census Campaign

Ireland’s leading atheist group is asking former Catholics to be truthful on the upcoming census form. The “Be Honest To Godless” campaign is being supported on Facebook. Think before you tick your answer to the religion question, and give an answer that matches your actual religious affiliation. If you still believe in God but you are no longer truly a …

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Ireland Recognizes Gay Marriages

Beginning today Ireland will recognize same-sex marriages and civil unions performed abroad. However those married in other countries will have their relationships “downgraded” to civil partnerships upon arrival in Ireland. Unions from 27 countries or states will be recognised; 17 of which currently give gay couples the right to marry. Couples will be automatically considered as civil partners and will …

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IRELAND: Openly Gay Sen. David Norris Leads Polling For Next President

Ireland’s openly gay Sen. David Norris is leading the polls to succeed Mary McAleese as that nation’s next president. The Independent Senator received the backing of 27% of those surveyed by Red C in a poll for Paddy Power bookmakers. The poll found Fine Gael MEP Mairead McGuinness in second place, with 13% support, although this is due to the …

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IRELAND: Immigration Rights Granted To Gay Couples In Civil Partnerships

Gay couples in civil partnerships have been included in Ireland’s immigration reform bill. According to gay group GLEN, inclusion of civil partners in immigration law will build on progress already made in providing recognition for same-sex couples in immigration regulations. In provisions for people in de facto relationships, non EU same-sex partners of Irish or EU nationals are now entitled …

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Will Ireland Elect A Gay President?

Openly gay Sen. David Norris decided to run for president of Ireland after supporters launched a Facebook campaign urging him to enter the race. And now polls show him far ahead. Although, like the British monarchy’s, the Irish president’s power is more symbolic than real, elections to the post have previously been used to protest against the Republic’s political establishment. …

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No Gays? No Way! Ireland’s President Turns Down NYC’s St. Patrick’s Day Parade

Irish President Mary McAleese has turned down an offer to be the grand marshal of NYC’s 250th Annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade over the event’s long-running ban on LGBT participation. Efforts at a compromise where President McAleese could attend the gay-organized, all-inclusive St. Patrick’s parade in Queens on the weekend before March 17, and then march in the actual Fifth …

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Two-Thirds Of Irish Support Gay Marriage

Two-thirds of those polled by the Irish Times say they support full marriage equality. JUST OVER two-thirds of people (67 per cent) believe gay couples should be allowed to marry, according to an Irish Times /Behaviour Attitudes social poll. It is one of a series of findings in a poll on “sex, sin and society” that indicates Irish people have …

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IRELAND: President Signs Civil Unions Bill Into National Law

Today President Mary McAleese signed Ireland’s civil partnerships bill into national law. It extends marriage-like benefits to gay and lesbian couples in the areas of property, social welfare, succession, maintenance, pensions and tax. The act also offers additional rights and protections for other cohabiting couples including a redress scheme for financially dependent long-term cohabitants on the end of a relationship. …

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Civil Unions For Ireland

As expected, yesterday Ireland’s Seanad rubber-stamped the nation’s lower chamber and approved its civil unions bill 48-4. The Green Party Minister for State Ciarán Cuffe, who instigated the move to introduce the legislation in 2007, welcomed its approval last night. He said changes will need to be made in social welfare and tax laws to facilitate the change. He said …

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Won’t Someone Think Of The Children?

JMG reader Colin sends us this amusing clip of sad protesters outside of Ireland’s Dáil yesterday as the legislative body voted to approve civil partnerships. What’s the music? So familiar….

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Civil Unions Pass In Ireland’s Dáil

Ireland’s lower legislative chamber, the Dáil, has just passed a civil partnerships bill. The Dáil has passed without a vote, all stages of the Civil Partnership Bill, giving new legal rights to non-marital couples. Justice Minister Dermot Ahern said ‘it was one of the most important human rights pieces of legislation the House had dealt with.’ Minister Ahern continued ‘to …

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Queen Elizabeth To Become First British Monarch To Visit Ireland In 90 Years

Queen Elizabeth II will visit Ireland next year, making her the first British monarch to step foot on the island since it became independent in 1921. Confirmation that the event, long discussed between London and Dublin, will take place next year has come from Ireland’s prime minister, Brian Cowen. It is time for “normal courtesies” to be observed between friendly …

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IRELAND: National Poster Campaign For Marriage Equality Launches

A national poster campaign has been launched in Ireland to promote marriage equality. The posters can be seen on buses in Dublin and have been sent to libraries and community centers nationwide. Ireland does not recognize same-sex unions, but a pending civil partnerships bill would provide some, but not all of the rights of marriage. Orla Howard, Board Member, Marriage …

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Eurovision: Ireland’s Niamh Kavanagh

I prefer the over-the-top cheesy glitz of most Eurovision entries, but as power ballads go, this one is pretty good. (Despite a tiny hint of Titanic-ness.)

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Friendly Voices – Colin Farrell

“I can’t remember much about the years of physical and emotional abuse my brother Eamon suffered. I was very small. The thing i do remember though, quite literally, is blood on his school shirt when he came home in the afternoon. The beatings and taunting were very frequent for my him and a constant part of his school years. I …

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Pope Accepts Resignation Of Irish Bishop Over Priest Pedophile Scandal

Emperor Palpatine has accepted the resignation of Bishop John Magee over the massive pedophile cover-up scandal that has roiled Ireland. “As I depart, I want to offer once again my sincere apologies to any person who has been abused by any priest of the Diocese of Cloyne during my time as bishop or at any time,” Bishop Magee said in …

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