A new group calling for gay civil marriages has vowed to "make a lot of noise" about the issue and held true to their word on Saturday, when they enlisted gay choir Glória to help make their point.
At a carol session outside the Gaiety theatre, the choir was in full voice as about 50 protesters from the new group, Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgendered (LGBT) Noise asked passersby to sign petitions.
Protesters wore pink badges and held placards with messages like: "Don't believe in gay marriage? Don't marry a gay person" and "You don't have to be gay to support gay rights".
LGBT organiser Mark McCarron (28) said the organisation hoped to draw attention to the lack of rights for gay couples.
"There's no obvious public protests for gays campaigning for civil marriage," he said. "A lot of people say 'we don't hear from gay people about this issue'. Well, here we are," said Mr McCarron. The group has a Facebook page and about 300 e-mail addresses of supporters, he said.
The Government has said that it will introduce some form of gay partnership legislation next year, but LGBT co-organiser Paul Kenny said that no one knows what the Bill will contain.
Currently, said Mr Kenny, gay couples do not have the same rights as straight couples when it comes to issues like pensions, wills, inheritance and the care of children.
Orla Howard and her partner Gráinne Courtney have been together for five years, but Ms Howard said the law does not give any recognition to her relationship with Gráinne's daughter, Daire (13). Daire was born during a previous relationship with Ms Courtney's husband.
"When it comes to things like next of kin rights, Daire is a stranger to me legally even though I'm a parent," said Ms Howard. "I might as well be a complete stranger."
Mr Kenny and Mr McCarron, who are a couple, said they would like to get married. "We're in our late 20s, and we're finding a lot of our friends are getting married, and we can't," said Mr McCarron.
"We're feeling more and more like second class citizens."