Roisin Murphy: Irish same-sex marriage referendum will be a ‘cake walk’
Irish singer Róisín Murphy has predicted that Ireland’s upcoming referendum on same-sex marriage will be a victory for equality.
The Republic of Ireland is set to vote on May 22 on a proposal to introduce civil same-sex marriage.
Polls have consistently shown strong support for equal marriage in the country – however, there are fears that a combination of low turnout and strong opposition from religious groups could lead to an upset.
Despite a concerted push among churches in the country, Róisín Murphy says she is confident equality will win out.
She told the Irish Independent: “It should be a cake walk.
“I’ve seen massive changes in Ireland myself. A friend of mine came out a few years ago. He was holding it all in for a very long time. Everyone in his family was so much more accepting than he ever thought, or believed, possible. It was a relief.
“There has been a massive shift in socio-politics and religious outlooks in Ireland… Since I left Ireland, there has been huge changes in a relatively short period of time.
“Obviously, there can be some changes that are too extreme and too fast, and there can be collateral arising from such changes, but there is so much to be gained from a society that is constantly shifting and changing and being able to adapt and evolve. Irish people are absolutely great at it.
“The Church controlled so much in Ireland for so long. I’m not going to get into whether or not religion per se is a bad thing, but my point is the political aspect in Ireland was way out of kilter and it wasn’t right.
“[The Church] had huge political power. It’s also amazing when you think of all the books, plays and works of art that were banned outright in Ireland.”
