Ireland has lit a beacon bright enough to be seen around the world while it is also begun a conversation at home which will continue, a leading campaigner for marriage equality said.
Joe Noonan, chairman of Yes Equality Cork, hailed the emphatic victory on the marriage-equality referendum as a proud day for Ireland and for Irish people everywhere.
“The people of Ireland have taken a brave and trusting step forward – they voted with confidence and compassion,” said Mr Noonan.
“With this Yes, the Irish people have shown their families, their friends and, not least, themselves what their true values are: families matter, children matter, everyone matters.”
A solicitor, Mr Noonan was legal adviser to campaigner Raymond Crotty when he won his landmark judgement in the Supreme Court that all EU Treaties must be ratified by referendum in Ireland.
And he said that the Yes campaign had notched up at least three notable achievements, both inside and outside Ireland, in the course of a tough campaign on the marriage-equality referendum.
“Ireland is the first country to vote by nationwide referendum for marriage equality for all its citizens and, by doing so, Ireland has lit a beacon bright enough to be seen around the world,” he said.
“Secondly, Ireland is great for talk and the conversations these past weeks have been mighty . . . a silence has been broken forever and a brand new conversation has begun and it will continue.”
Mr Noonan said the third astonishing achievement of the Yes campaign in the marriage-equality referendum was the political awakening of a new generation, passionate about the issue.
“Young people drove the campaign with an energy and a creativity that was unstoppable – they knew that for once their vote could make a difference and what a difference!” he said.
“Some people said we were trying to redefine marriage: they missed the point. We were trying to redefine home. Ireland is a more welcoming home place this morning for all its sons and daughters.”
