A decade of marriage equality in Ireland
Ten years ago, on May 22, 2015, the people of Ireland made history. We became the first country in the world to provide for marriage equality rights by popular referendum. For a formerly conservative (and some might even say 'narrow-minded') society, it was like a revolution.
I remember that day like it was yesterday. I was watching the live TV coverage of the voter count. So evident was the bursting public pride, joy and unbridled happiness that I bundled my then 10-year-old son on a train from Dun Laoghaire and we went into the city centre, Dublin Castle, where the results were announced. I wanted us to soak up the atmosphere and for my son to witness history. Buses and cars were blowing their horns. People of all ages were hugging each other and dancing in the streets. It felt like something amazing had happened and that Ireland would never be the same again.
This is because it was more than just a legal milestone — it was a powerful affirmation by the Irish public (my mother, my aunts, my cousins, my neighbours) that love is equal, and that every person deserves to live with dignity regardless of their sexual orientation. Just a month later, in the same year, the Gender Recognition Act came into force, enabling transgender people in Ireland to self-declare their gender on official documents.
These transformative changes did not happen overnight. They were a result of decades of activism and tireless work by civil society. LGBTQIA+ campaigners brought their lived experience — stories of discrimination, oppression and violence — to the national conversation. It was years of debate, strategising, protests, court hearings, meetings, fundraising, deliberative democracy structures, and building community networks that ultimately evolved into the referendum campaign. Communities were mobilised and appeals were made to the Irish public focusing on the values of fairness, inclusion, and respect.
People like my parents, born in the 1930s, in a very different Ireland, listened. Their courage ultimately shaped the Ireland we know today — an Ireland that is more open, more compassionate, and freer for all its people.
It is important to note that the journey of change began long before 2015. Same-sex sexual relations between consenting males were decriminalised in 1993 — a turning point that helped pave the way for progress. Since then, Ireland has steadily dismantled barriers to equality to not only protect but also improve the lives of the LGBTQIA+ community.
The struggle for equality continues. In November 2023, Ireland published its National LGBTQI+ Inclusion Strategy, which contains over 100 actions that are aimed at promoting inclusion, protecting rights and improving the quality of life and wellbeing of LGBTQIA+ people. Ireland believes that each person, regardless of sexual orientation, gender identity, or any other characteristic, is entitled to equality, dignity, and the full enjoyment of their rights.
But we are also deeply aware that LGBTQIA+ rights are under threat in many parts of the world. It is unacceptable that individuals continue to face discrimination, harassment, and even violence — sometimes fatal — simply for being who they are. The universality of human rights cannot be realised if the rights of LGBTQIA+ people are not protected. Under international law, all states have a duty to respect, protect, and fulfil human rights without discrimination, regardless of political or cultural context.
As an Irish public servant, I am proud to say that promoting and protecting civil society and human rights defenders is one of Ireland's core foreign policy priorities. This is based on our own experience of social progress and the journey we ourselves have travelled.
Since the Marriage Equality Referendum, Ireland is a more open and freer place. Our experience has shown us what is possible when people are empowered to speak, organise, and lead. These values now underpin our global engagement — including our role in promoting LGBTQIA+ rights internationally.
As we mark this anniversary, we do so not just with pride in how far we have come, but with renewed determination to keep moving forward. Ireland will continue to stand for equality, inclusion, and the universality of human rights — for LGBTQIA+ communities and for all people, everywhere.
There is a wonderful Irish saying that goes 'Ní neart go cur le chéile' which means we are stronger when we act together. The journey is not over —but our commitment is unwavering, and our hope is strong.
The writer is Ambassador of Ireland to India
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