So, what exactly are humanists?

CHOOSE to get married on a cliff off the Irish coast.

Or in a youth hostel on a Sunday. Or in a ruined country church. Choose to read passages from Captain Corelli’s Mandolin at the ceremony, or a poem by Christina Rossetti, or to walk down the aisle to Jeff Buckley’s ‘Hallelujah’.

In a few months, anyone in Ireland should be able to get legally married by a humanist (or any other suitable non-religious) celebrant. Following an amendment to the 2004 Civil Registration Bill last month, the Humanist Association of Ireland (HAI) satisfies the criteria set down by the amendment, and are currently applying for their right to conduct legal marriages, which they hope will be in place soon.