Colm O’Gorman

Colm O’Gorman (48) is the Director of Amnesty International Ireland and hails from Co Wexford. Colm talks about how his wedding day with Paul was one of the most extraordinary days of life. He would have loved to have married in Ireland, surrounded by their friends, family, and their kids, instead of in New York. “To have our marriage respected, …

John Lyons

John Lyons is a Labour Party TD from Dublin North West. John sees that Ireland is unequal today, and that gay and lesbian people are discriminated against. For him, this referendum is simply about equality. “This is about asking the citizens of Ireland – do you believe in equality? Do you believe that gay people’s relationships are as equal as everybody …

Oliver Clare

Oliver Clare, from Louth, says that the referendum boils down to fairness. Members of the LGBT community are having families, and ought to be fully protected as citizens of Ireland. “I would find it impossible to go to the polling booth, look my friends in the eye and say that ‘I voted against you having the same rights and opportunities …

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn

Pádraig MacLochlainn is a Sinn Féin TD from Donegal North West. He relates the story of how he and his wife travelled to the wedding of dear gay friends in Spain. He was taken by the genuine and strong love on display, and saddened at how this love is not protected in Ireland. That’s why he’s voting yes. “Our loved …

Jerry Buttimer

Jerry Buttimer (46) is from Cork. Jerry is a former teacher and is now a Fine Gael TD and Chair of the Joint Oireachtas Health Committee. He believes that our Proclamation calls on us to cherish all the children of the Republic equally, and this vote is the historic opportunity to do just that. “Our Proclamation asks us to cherish …

Stephen Donnelly

Stephen Donnelly is an Independent TD for Wicklow and East Carlow. He talks about his friends who had to leave Ireland in the past because of intolerance – his view is that it’s imperative in a modern society that all men and women are treated equally. To him, this is a very small thing we can do but it will …

Eamon Ryan

Eamon Ryan (51), from Dublin, is the leader of the Green Party. He thinks that this vote is really about giving everyone the chance to have the family that they deserve, and to have that family protected in law. “If two people are in love, and want to show that or express that in a union recognised by the state, …

Clare Daly

Clare Daly is an Independent TD for Dublin North. Clare thinks that this referendum is a positive opportunity for parents and for Ireland. “It’s a little bit mad that we have one group in society who can marry and another who can’t just because of their sexual orientation. Surely all it should be about is if you love somebody. Strange and …

Ciarán Cuffe

Ciaran Cuffe (51), from Dublin, talks about how on a European scale, Ireland might have some catching up to do, but that we’re on the cusp of taking a great step forward. Ciarán is a Green Party Councillor on Dublin City Council. “In many areas: in social equality, environmental equity, and marriage, we’re way behind the rest of Europe. But …

Thomas Pringle

Thomas Pringle is an Independent TD for Donegal. He believes that society is changing, marriage is evolving and it will only enrich our society if we recognise everybody’s right to be equal under the law. “The people of Donegal have nothing to fear from this referendum. I think that it’s vitally important that we show that all members of society …