^ No we’ve not, just over a year actually since Holyrood passed the bill and only 5 months since it came into force. We were talking about it first but England got it passed before us.

Not sure what you’re thinking of tbh.

As above once married you have a number of automatic rights, eg to apply to adopt children, inheritance tax. Also marriage is a legal status and the state determines a counties laws.

This is cobblers. There is no automatic right to apply to adopt children because you get married. You do not have to be married to adopt in England; you do not have to be heterosexual; you do not have to be part of a couple.

Can’t help wondering how many of the yes votes were cast by urban dwellers who live within easy reach of the polling stations while the more traditional, conservative and Catholic older people who live in remove villages and hamlets and would have voted against, weren’t able to get to vote.

Knock yourself out – turnout data by electorate is right here: http://electionsireland.org/results/referendum/refresult.cfm?ref=201534R

The Irish population is heavily urbanised anyway – 2/3 of the population lives in cities and suburbs: http://www.irishexaminer.com/ireland/urban-congestion-66-of-us-live-in-cities-and-suburbs-191986.html

I wonder what Catholic strongholds in Nigeria, Uganda and so on will make of this?

Who cares? I’d imagine they’re more concerned with avoiding internecine conflict with other headbangers than what happens in a small country on the periphery of another continent.

The state shouldn’t have any role in marriage.

Given it’s a legally recognised status, covered by specific statute, the state should be the only body concerned with it (rather than say the church etc).

Ireland hasn’t had an established church since 1871. The situation with schools and the religions is disgusting, but it could be a lot worse.