QUB second year gains thousands of signatures on gay marriage petition

‘Marriage is about love, not gender’

| UPDATED national

This Friday history was made in the Republic of Ireland as a massive 62 per cent of voters turned out to legalise gay marriage.

In the euphoric aftermath in Ireland and around the world, momentum has begun for Northern Ireland to follow suit.

Capitalising on the momentum, second year Psychologist Clare Meehan has started a petition to bring marriage equality to Northern Ireland, and has already gained thousand of signatures in just a few days.

Celebrations in Dublin on referendum night

Clare says: “It really did feel like history in the making and the day had a real emotion to it. You felt proud to be Irish.

“I realise that the north has a different political system and no constitution to amend, but having said this, The Republic of Ireland voted in favour of marriage equality on May 22nd 2015, the same day in 1998, when Northern Ireland voted in favour of the Good Friday Agreement.

“So we have used popular vote here in the past to bring about great change.”

Happy revellers celebrating the yes vote

So far Clare’s petition, started just four days ago, has over 3,000 signatures, perilously close to her 5,000 goal to petition the Northern Irish Assembly.

Cliodhna Curley, who signed the petition, wrote: “Marriage is about love, not gender”.

To support Clare’s campaign for equal marriage in Northern Ireland click here.