All hail a more grown up and inclusive Ireland

Now that the euphoria, and disappointment for some, of the same-sex marriage referendum has died down, I would like to make a few observations.

First of all, it was fantastic that it was endorsed by such a clear majority. While the divorce referendum narrowly passed 20 years ago, by a margin of just 0.3%, no one would doubt the validity of that poll. The Irish people voted by a decisive margin of 62% in favour.

The referendum was the legal system catching up with a changed Ireland.

There will be media attention when same-sex marriage legislation goes through the Dáil and a bit of a media frenzy surrounding the first gay marriages in Ireland. However, soon people won’t even bat an eyelid when they see wedding pictures of same sex couples in the papers.

Just as it is no longer cool to say you had been out the previous night and drove home with a bellyful of pints, it will no longer be cool for homophobic taunts to be thrown round the school yard or workplace.

In an interview with Village magazine in 2010 eminent psychiatrist Prof Ivor Browne referred to Ireland as a “disturbed child in a fantasy world”.

I think that child is finally growing up.

Tommy Roddy

Salthill

Galway