Gay Couples Celebrate 'Milestone' Civil Partnerships

The first same-sex civil partnerships in Ireland have taken place.

Dubliners Barry Dignam and Hugh Walsh were the first to celebrate their partnership publicly on Tuesday last.

They tied the knot at the Civil Registration office in Dublin, followed by a celebration with family and friends at a nearby hotel.

The pair, who have been in a relationship for 17 years, were happy to pose for a large media presence who were there to record the historic occasion.

"When we met, it was illegal to be gay in Ireland," Mr Dignam said. "Now we are having a civil partnership, it is pretty amazing the change that has happened. But we still have places to go yet."

Both men believe that civil partnership does not go far enough and are in favor of full gay marriage equality.

"We just need that little bit more of a push now," said Mr Dignam, "Now that people realize the sky is not going to fall down, that push for civil marriage is not a far journey at all."

"We're basically just two faces," said Mr Walsh, "We are interchangeable with the thousands of gay couples who live in this country and who love each other and who are going to do this."

Their ceremony was followed immediately by a second all-male couple, Thomas Cahalan, 48 and Nicholas Nelson, 52 from Greystones, Co. Wicklow

The civil partnership law took effect on January 1st, but couples are required to give three months-notice of their intentions.

Last week's ceremonies were not, in fact, the first same sex partnerships entered into in Ireland.

Six couples received exemptions from the waiting period for various reasons and had registered their partnerships in private over the past two months.

Up to 1,000 couples have had their civil partnerships or marriages recognized in Ireland since the laws changed.

280 couples have currently given notice of their intention to enter into a partnership.

Kieren Rose, spokesman for GLEN (Gay and Lesbian Equality Network) described the ceremonies as "a very significant advance" and a "milestone" for gay and lesbian people in Ireland.

"Lesbian and gay couples have been waiting for years to have their relationships recognized and protected by the State," he said.

Civil partnership affords couples many of the same rights and responsibilities of marriage, including next of kin rights.

However, it stops short of affording full equality and does not deal with the issue of children with gay parents.