Couple 'make history' as first same-sex duo to tie the knot in Ireland
The couple became civil partners in Kilshane House in Co Tipperary in September and waited for the Marriage Act 2015 to officially become law to become the first couple to avail of its provisions, as passed by referendum earlier in the year.
As they had already enjoyed a day out in front of family and friends in September, the Dublin-based couple decided to keep yesterday’s ceremony low-key, exchanging their vows before registrar Mary-Claire Heffernan and two witnesses, Jane McLoughlin and Vitaliy Halstyan of Kilshane House.
“We got civil partnered on September 18 and all our family and friends were there, that was really our wedding day,” Richard Dowling explained after yesterday morning’s ceremony was over. “This is formalising the legalities of our marriage. We wanted to try and get in the history books and be first across the line.”
They were originally hoping, once the marriage equality referendum was passed, that September’s event would be their marriage but when the legislation wasn’t in place in time, decided to proceed with the civil partnership ceremony and then have a marriage ceremony when it became legal.
“We were in Kilshane for a charity event at the weekend, for the Jack and Jill Foundation, and contacted [registrar] Mary-Claire a month ago to see if, by any chance the law commenced during that month, was there any way we could do the paperwork in time,”
Cormac Gollogly, a barrister from Dublin said. “The system was only up and running at the weekend and we weren’t even sure on Monday morning if the notice would go up. But we were here very early this morning to make sure we were first and we are first in the country.”
Mary-Claire Heffernan confirmed the couple were indeed the first to avail of the 2015 law. “The reason we know is that I can check the civil registration system and, at 9am, they were the only couple married this morning,” she said. “They’re all claiming it, but we have the evidence!”
Richard Dowling is originally from Athlone and now based in Dublin, and both of the men’s mothers, Rosemary Ryan and Kathleen Rafter, are originally from Tipperary, hence the link with Kilshane and Clonmel for the happy occasions.
Richard Dowling and Cormac Gollogly, saying "I do".
— @DCHomos (@DCHomos) November 17, 2015
Ireland’s First Gay Married Couple 🇮🇪👬 pic.twitter.com/GY6QlNKsi8
Richard Dowling proposed to Cormac, “down on one knee,” more than six years ago near Barcelona.
Were they confident the vote would be a ‘yes’ from the electorate? “No,” they both said.
“The campaign was really helpful,” Cormac added. “I really want to thank everyone in the Yes Equality campaign. Their hard work really paid off. Our friends flew home to vote from London and Australia and Richard’s two brothers, who had never voted, both registered to vote.”
After the formalities were complete, it was off for a cup of coffee before braving the rain and heading back to Dublin where the newlyweds hoped to enjoy a celebratory lunch. “We did the honeymoon,” Richard said. “We went to the Maldives already. We had a fabulous time.”
Mary-Claire Heffernan said that, as they were already civil partners, the couple only had to give 24 hours formal notice of their intention to marry.
“ We were all on tenterhooks yesterday, getting the notification on the system. I told them, ‘if you really want to be the first, you have to be in early’.”
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