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WORLD NEWSMonday 25 May 2015
Gay couples awake to new Ireland, hope to wed by Christmas
SHAWN POGATCHNIK until dawn after the result communities in Ireland. Yes supporters celebrate at the final result at Dublin castle, Ire-
Associated Press was announced Saturday Deputy Prime Minister Joan land. Gay couples of Ireland woke up Sunday in what felt like
DUBLIN (AP) — Gay couples night. Burton said she expects a nation reborn, with dreams of wedding plans dancing in their
of Ireland woke up Sunday The Justice Department the bill to become law by heads.
in what felt like a nation re- confirmed Sunday it plans early July. Because exist-
born, with dreams of wed- to draft a marriage bill this ing law requires a minimum (AP Photo/Peter Morrison)
ding plans dancing in their week that will permit those three-month notice for any
heads. taking vows in civil ceremo- civil marriages, the first gay
This new reality was sinking nies to choose either to weddings cannot happen
in after the Irish people vot- be “husband and wife” or until the fall.
ed with a surprisingly strong “spouses of each other.” It For Sen. Katherine Zappone
62 percent “yes” to en- will ensure that no church is and Ann Louise Gilligan,
shrine the right to gay mar- required to perform a gay their day has nearly come.
riage in the country’s con- marriage, a key demand Since 2003 they have
servative 1937 constitution. of the dominant Catholic fought for legal recogni-
Thousands of revelers of all Church and also the main tion of their Canadian mar-
sexual identities celebrated Protestant and Muslim riage, suffering setbacks
and delays as they sued on their long road to social
the state all the way to the acceptance and the re-
Supreme Court. maining wait to get official-
“For so long, I’ve been hav- ly hitched in Ireland, before
ing to dig in my heels and Christmas they hope.
say ... Well, we ARE married. “It took us hours to get a taxi
I’m a married woman!” (Saturday night) because
said Zappone, a Seattle so many people came up
native who settled with her to us in tears, wanting to
Irish spouse in Dublin three talk to us. They now felt so
decades ago. much freer, and proud,”
“We are now entering a said Zappone, who be-
new Ireland,” said Gilligan, came Ireland’s first openly
a former nun. lesbian lawmaker when
Zappone and Gilligan Prime Minister Enda Kenny
thrilled a crowd of thou- appointed her to the Sen-
sands of rainbow flag-wav- ate in 2011.
ing revelers Saturday at the “There aren’t that many
results center at Dublin Cas- moments in life where you
tle with a playful promise to are surrounded with an ex-
renew their vows. Zappone uberance of joy.
dramatically broke off from These are rare moments,”
a live TV interview, stared said Gilligan, a former Lo-
directly into the camera, reto nun who left the order
and asked Gilligan to marry in her mid-20s to pursue so-
her all over again. cial justice as a lay Catho-
“I said yes to Katherine 12 lic. She wasn’t sure about
years ago at our marriage her sexuality until Zappone
in Canada,” Gilligan, near- entered their first theology
by, shouted to the crowd. class together at Boston
“And now we are bringing College in 1981.
the ‘yes’ back home to Ire- “The door opened, and this
land, our country of Ireland! gorgeous woman came in.
Yes, yes, yes!” I didn’t know I was lesbian.
In a more sober mood Sun- I’m a late learner,” Gilligan
day, the couple reflected recalled with a laugh. q
