Ireland Trip Blog #70: Just Say "Yes" ... and it made History in Ireland!

Tom, Rob and Geoff

On our last day in Dublin, Ireland before we flew home to the U.S., we investigated Marsh's Library (yesterday's blog) and then went into a shopping mall where we came upon a shop called "Yes." That "YES" made history in Ireland days after we returned home.

WHAT WAS "YES" ABOUT ? - "YES" was the campaign to inspire Irish voters to amend their constitution and include marriage equality for gay and lesbian couples. The vote was actually slated for May 22, 2015, just a couple of days after we returned home, and was on the Friday of that week.


THE OPPOSITION -   What was sad was that the Catholic Church took opposition to marriage equality, and had done some really nasty stuff to discourage people from voting for equality. Fortunately, the people of Ireland are so fed up with the church after rampant and numerous sex scandals and pedophilia in the church, and even a cover up in Galway (that we mentioned in a blog post many blogs ago of a church there that took in single mothers to work them ragged and buried their illegitimate children in a mass graveyard - google it if you don't believe it).

The "YES" booth in the Dublin Mall

  Regardless of the stupidity and hateful campaign of the church, the Irish people didn't listen to them. Many Irish people told us they would never again be governed by a religion or a church. They had enough of the corruption.

MEETING A "YES" SUPPORTER -  So, when we saw the  It was really encouraging to see so many people working in the booth, trying to educate people about the legal importance of marriage equality.
   We met a nice skinny, bearded, red-headed Irishman named Geoff there and told him how we were married in the U.S. in 2009. We all posed for a picture together.
   On May 22, we anxiously waited for the news from Ireland and the Irish people

PANTI BLISS- On Day #1 of our trip when we arrived in Dublin, we got to meet Rory McNeil, who is the drag personality known as "Panti Bliss." Panti became known as a strong proponent of Ireland Marriage Equality and was there when it became the law.

Panti Bliss aka Rory O’Neill

CAPTION FOR PHOTO (RIGHT):  Panti Bliss aka Rory O’Neill leads the celebrations. ‘I am drunk on yes … It’s not that Ireland has changed today, but that Ireland has confirmed the change that we already knew had happened.’ Photograph: Fran Veale/Rex Shutterstock



HERE'S A LINK TO THE STORY and A VIDEO FROM MAY 22 WHEN IRELAND MADE HISTORY:
Ireland becomes first country to legalise gay marriage by popular vote
(Source: U.K. Guardian) 

Referendum result gives yes vote 62% and no 38% as equality minister declares he is proud to be Irish


NEXT: DUBLIN'S HAUNTED MANSION HOUSE