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4000 March for Marriage Equality in Dublin, Ireland

08/22/2010 by JR Russell

It seems like just yesterday that Civil Partnerships were passed by the Irish Dáil and Seanad. It was, in fact, not that long ago at all. It’s so recent that it will still be some months before Civil Partnerships are actually available to Irish couples.

While it was an obvious and huge step forward, critics of the Civil Partnership legislation point out that the children of same-sex couples are not protected under the new legislation, and also that the legislation has the effect of codifying inequality.

Today, Irish queers and allies marched in Dublin to demand full civil marriage for same-sex couples. Estimates put the crowd at 4-5000. The march was organised by LGBT Noise.

Panti Bliss, owner of the popular Pantibar, remarked on Twitter that the crowd was relatively young. This would show a divide in the community where the younger LGB are more likely to see marriage as their right. The Netherlands started recognising same-sex marriage almost a decade ago, so for some of those marching, same-sex marriage has been a reality in Europe for most of their lives.

Assembling at Dublin City Hall, Lord Edward Street, the march set off at 2pm wending its way down Dame Street, by the gates of Trinity College Dublin, and along Nassau Street before turning up Kildare Street.  There, the march passed by the gates of Dáil Éireann and turned left at The Shelbourne Hotel onto St Stephen’s Green where the mass of people streamed around the Green (past the Loreto school) to the steps of Iveagh House where the Department of Justice and Law Reform is headquartered (no longer is the portfolio of Equality included in the Department’s remit).
from Gaelick (more pics there too)