Thank you for voting for equality

Twelve months have passed since Ireland voted to extend the right of civil marriage to same sex couples. 

One of the most fundamental expressions of love and loyalty between two people, Marriage had, up until then, been the preserve of opposite sex couples. One year on, civil marriages are becoming more and more commonplace, and religious marriages continue for opposite sex couples, who chose to follow that path.

Polling day came and I, like all responsible, dutiful citizens went to the polling station to cast my vote. I went with my niece, who, like many others, was voting for the first time, having registered a few weeks previously. As we both placed our ballots in the box, I felt for the first time since the 2002 general election, that I was making a difference that my vote was actually going to effect change.