Roger Casement: Martyr

Guardian Books.

Think this was settled some time ago, dear.

Catholic Church: Confession

Trainee Roman Catholic priests in Ireland could face curbs on their internet access and are to be encouraged to mix more with women after claims over the use of the gay dating app Grindr at the country’s main seminary.

Ireland’s Catholic hierarchy voiced concerns about what it called an “unhealthy atmosphere” at St Patrick’s College in Maynooth, Co Kildare, and ordered a review of the “appropriate use of the internet and social media”.

It follows remarks earlier this month by the Archbishop of Dublin, Dr Diarmuid Martin, about “strange goings-on” at the 221-year-old s

Dr Martin, the most senior Catholic cleric south of the border, disclosed that he had decided to send students from Dublin – the largest diocese in Ireland – to Rome for priestly formation, rather than to Maynooth just a short drive from the capital.

The Archbishop spoke of an “atmosphere” at the college following a string of allegations about a “gay culture” made in letters and blogs and concerns about “promiscuous sexuality”.

Pressed on what his concerns were he told RTE Radio: “One is that there is a homosexual, a gay culture; that students have been using an app called Grindr, which is a gay dating app. 

“[That] would be inappropriate for seminarians, not just because they are trained to be celibate priests but because an app like that is something which would be fostering promiscuous sexuality, which is certainly not in any way the mature vision of sexuality one would expect a priest to understand.”

His remarks prompted the college trustees, including senior clerics, to hold crisis talks.
Now in a statement issued by the Catholic Church in Ireland, they promise a review of whistleblowing procedures and internet and social media use policies.

They said they would ask bishops to set up a group to look at the “pastoral needs” of seminarians, including ways to temper the all-male, clerical training environment by introducing more contact with women, families and lay people.“Acknowledging the recent and extensive media coverage regarding the college, and the disquiet that it has caused amongst the faithful, the trustees emphasise that the Church has clear instructions on the formation of seminarians,” they said.

“It is essential that these are observed in order to form priests ‘after the heart of the Good Shepherd’.

“There is no place in a seminary community for any sort of behaviour or attitude which contradicts the teaching and example of Jesus Christ." ...

Telegraph.

Well, at least they're not raping altar boys...

Marriage: Easter Rising

It looks like love is a warzone for this happy couple who celebrated the 100th anniversary of the Easter Rising by getting married in Irish Volunteers’ uniforms.

The happy couple - 29-year-old Dubliner Mark White and 24-year-old Venezuelan Kerwin Villalobos - shunned traditional wedding attire to take a trip back in time in tonight’s episode of RTE’s Don’t Tell The Bride.

The loved-up pair, who wed earlier this year after being together for four years, said ‘I do’ in an intimate ceremony at Dublin’s City Hall.  

Hairdresser Mark planned the whole wedding himself, keeping it a secret from dancer Kerwin, and explained he opted for a 1916 theme to show how far Ireland has come in history after same sex marriage was legalised last year.

He told the Irish Mirror: “What better way to celebrate being Irish than having an Easter Rising themed wedding?' ...

Irish Mirror.

Hoax Watch: Begorra!

Mystery continues to surround the identity of a couple who wrote to GCN (Gay Community News) magazine alleging that they had been asked to leave a Dublin city-centre restaurant after a nearby table complained about them holding hands. 

Gay Star News.

The letter, which comes just five months after this year's landslide gay marriage referendum, has provoked widespread outrage and some incredulity.

It detailed a night at an unnamed Dublin restaurant at which the couple were celebrating their anniversary. As they held hands and touched, the letter says, a waiter approached asking them to stop showing each other physical affection.

The couple asked to see the manager, and the letter continues: "When we said we had every right to show each other affection, the manager said that it was unfortunate that other customers were uncomfortable, and suggested that we leave. He told us we wouldn't be charged for our meal."
 

Queerty.

The writer of the letter finishes with disbelief that something like this could happen in the country that voted overwhelmingly for same-sex marriage back in May. "This is not the indication, on any level, of acceptance or even tolerance," the letter continued. The whole experience has really shaken the foundations of what I had come to believe post-referendum about my country."

GCN magazine has confirmed that upon receiving the anonymous letter, it contacted the couple by email to point out that they would have a case to bring to the Equality Authority. 

GT.

The magazine received no reply to this email and received no further contact from the couple, but decided to publish the letter, without a name and address given, anyway.

Some have cast doubt on the authenticity of the letter. Theatre writer Philip McMahon, who co-wrote and appeared in the film Queen Of Ireland, wrote on Twitter: "It's kind of dangerous too, because it creates a Chinese whisper effect that erupts into outrage - without any hard facts."

The Whitefriar Grill, a restaurant in Dublin city centre which offered to "hook up" the couple after the story broke, has also not been contacted by the couple - despite the offer of a gourmet meal with all the trimmings. 

Sunday Independent (Ireland).

Is there no end to these 'Cry homophobia!' fantasies?

PS Whilst it's possible the unknown eaters at the unnamed restaurant have gone to ground and disappeared into the ether, you'd think the gay media might - just for once - start questioning these gay mis lit stories they're fed.

Brian Dowling: Not Just Married!

Mirror.

Small print: 'The couple's nuptials come just a few months after Ireland voted to legalise same sex marriage and while the couple wed in London a few months ago, we're sure tying the knot in his home country after the historic referendum made the day extra special for Brian.'

You can't get gaymarried in Ireland yet.

The Sun.

Letters Of The Day: Love Thy Neighbour

SIR – Many of those who voted in favour of legalising same-sex marriage in the Republic of Ireland will have been Catholic.

The country has rejected an archaic and divisive form of Christianity in favour of one that follows Christ’s teaching to love thy neighbour.

Rebekah Reville Joy
Barnet, Hertfordshire

SIR – For the Church to pretend to have always been the guardian of marriage is disingenuous, since for the first millennium it did not even have a ceremony to celebrate it.

Some Christian groups expressly forbade it, and while the pre-Reformation church accepted the need for reproduction, it always placed celibacy on a higher moral plain.

Rev Dr John Cameron
St Andrews, Fife

SIR – Edward Thomas (Letters, May 24) asks why the rights of a gay couple should outweigh those of a Christian family business. Only someone who has not had to endure many years of stigmatisation due to a state of being beyond their choosing would ask such a question.

What he should be asking is why Christians, who should surely know better, are still intent on perpetuating a situation where one part of the population is denied the same rights as the rest.

Gary Spring
Southgate, Glamorgan

The Sunday Telegraph.

Church News: Humanity Finally Defeated

The Irish vote to allow same-sex marriage was a "defeat for humanity", a senior Vatican official has said in the first high-level reaction from the Holy See to last week's landmark referendum.

"Not a defeat for Christian principles, it was a defeat for humanity," Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin said in comments quoted by Vatican Radio late on Tuesday. "I was very saddened by this result."

Parolin, Pope Francis' most senior Vatican official, added that the referendum result showed the Church needed to improve the ways it preached the Christian message.

"The Church must take account of this reality, but in the sense of reinforcing its commitment to evangelization," he said...

Reuters.

Thanks for clearing that up.

Tweet Of The Day: Panti Bliss

Yesterday, two days after the result, I saw so many LGBT couples holding hands in Dublin. All changed, changed utterly. Long may it continue

— Panti Bliss (@PantiBliss) May 26, 2015

It seemed like this in Brighton, too, interestingly...

PS Let's not be beastly to the Christians, urges the Telegraph.

Update: GCN cover.

Stock Photo Watch: Careful Now

A family whose image was used in a poster campaign by a group opposing gay marriage in the Irish Republic say they were "naive" about stock photo sites.

The photo had been placed on a website by a photographer in return for a free photo shoot, with the family's consent.

They told the BBC that while the Mothers and Fathers Matter group had legitimately used their image, they did not agree with its message...

"We got some lovely pictures and we agreed to let the photos to be added to stock. We were just unlucky this time," the father said.

In a statement released via Human Rights campaign group Amnesty International in Ireland the pair laid out their own views on the gay marriage debate, although as non-Irish citizens they were not involved in the vote.

"This family believes that everyone has a right to marry the person they love regardless of their gender," they said.

"And this family would vote Yes [in favour of legalising same sex marriage]."

BBC News.

Good for them.

Quick experiment: The most popular stock photo company is Getty Image's iStock. 

Search for 'gay' on their site and what comes up first as 'best match'...

Worst Cartoon Of All-Time: The Independent

The Independent.

The full horror of the utter shiteness of this has yet to fully sink in...

PS Crap art imitates a Fagburn piss-take?

Cartoon Of The Day: Martin Rowson

Martin Rowson, The Guardian.

Morrissey Comes Out: For Gay Marriage

Behind you!!!

True To You.

What a loon.

Feel free to make up your own 'Morrissey's in Sydney' gags.

PS Will Never Marry.

Update: As warm and welcome as the Irish referendum. All good Morrissey shows are 62% gay pride and 38% Catholic guilt and his Sydney sojourn is no exception, just with added tan and didgeridoo, Guardian review. Eh?

Irish Marriage Referendum: Those Media Cliches In Full

And thousands cheered in celebration, gaily waving rainbow flags...

Let's not forget the politicians and campaigners who helped make this happen...

And the ones who didn't but still butt in...

An important day in Ireland. Sends a great message that #equality matters. #equalmarriage

— Nicky Morgan (@NickyMorgan01) May 23, 2015

Hectic scenes at Dublin Airport... #hometovote

Meme of these two dudes leaving a polling station...

Little old lady in a rainbow cardy...

But #VoteNo campaigners were also out in force...

Obligatory gay media sentimental twaddle involving a kid; 'heartwarming', 'adorable' etc etc..

And those all important supporting tweets from celebs...

WONDERFUL news for Ireland. Now everyone...GO GET MARRIED #LoveWins ❤❤❤👬

— Tom Daley (@TomDaley1994) May 23, 2015

And finally, a rainbow appeared over the streets of Dublin...

Ireland: Their Sunday Papers

Via Tom Hayes. x

Fagburn doesn't think a question of equal rights should have gone to a referendum, but loves the way this says to homophobes... OI! YOU'VE LOST! GAME OVER!!

PS Here's The Irish Sun's hilariously crap 'marriage referendum party playlist', includes Born This Way, Gay Bar, I'm Coming Out, and err, Snow Patrol!

Ireland: Fuck Yeah!

Mail Online joins in the celebrations.

Don't think I'll spoil the moment by checking their reader comments right now...

Ireland hasn't just said "Yes"... Ireland has said: "F❤️CK YEAAHHHH"

— Aodhán Ó Ríordáin TD (@AodhanORiordain) May 23, 2015

Ireland: Excitement Mounts As The Count Begins

Telegraph.

But this referendum was about more than just the right to marry. Much, much more. It was the manifestation of a social revolution that’s been simmering away in Ireland for some time.

It used to be that Irishness was defined by affection for the Catholic Church and resistance to European liberal trends. So stubborn was this identity that the country took longer than the rest of Western Europe to embrace secularism. But the paedophile revelations of the 1990s rightly rocked faith in the Church as an institution, while a series of recent scandals shook faith in its actual theology...

Shake off the last remnants of traditional religious authority, it was reasoned, and Ireland could finally join the 21st century. Au revoir, Father Ted.

To emphasise, the Yes vote was undoubtedly a reflection of growing tolerance towards gays and lesbians. But it was also a politically trendy, media backed, well financed howl of rage against Catholicism. How the Church survives this turn, is not clear. It'll require a lot of hard work and prayers.

Tim Stanley, young fogeyish Christian bore in residence, The Daily Telegraph.

In fine: Ireland to the Pope; 'SCREW YOU!'

Eurovision: Vote No!

Modern Toss, The Guardian Guide.

Thankfully Fagburn's off to see Sleaford Mods tonight.

Ireland: Vote Yes!

Dear Irish people,

If the history of our two nations teaches us anything, it is surely that there is nothing you lot like better than being told what to do by English people - so may I join with so many of my fellow countrymen (and ladies!) and implore you to go out today and VOTE YES!

Fagburn.

PS Not sure I can document all the happy clappy huzzahs in the papers today, so here's a rare piece of uncommon sense, A referendum is not the way to go when it comes to gay rights or minority issues, Saeed Kamali Dehghan, Guardian, Comment Is Free.

The Guardian: Irish Gay Marriage Referendum Special Souvenir Supplement

From Germany to Buenos Aires, and with the gay marriage referendum taking place in Ireland tomorrow, here are some stories of couples celebrating same-sex marriage around the world...

Online readers' photogallery.

The Guardian Briefing: Everything You Wanted To Know About Ireland's Gay Marriage Referendum But Couldn't Be Arsed To Ask.

As Ireland’s airwaves imposed a broadcasting embargo on the topic of same sex marriage – and as Ireland’s taoiseach Enda Kenny urged the country to vote yes because “there is nothing to fear for voting for love and equality” – [Colm] Tóibín told Channel 4 News that he was confident of victory. Polls have suggested that 58% of the electorate will vote yes.

“This time round something has lifted, the society has had the imagination to change, and that’s a great thing,” said the author, who is gay himself and who last week said in a lecture that “we are not talking about sexuality. We are talking about our love, the embrace of love, how our love equals that of our fellow citizens”.

“The issue is: what is the difference between my love if you’re gay and your love if you’re not gay that makes my love lesser than yours?” he told Channel 4 News’s Jon Snow on Wednesday. “And if you think my love is lesser than yours, who have you asked and how do you know? The question is really about degrees of love. And if you’re gay, I think you’re pretty sure in the way you’ve lived your life that actually love – for all of us, we’re human – is the same, and we would like that to be publicly recognised and under our constitution.”

With four Irish Catholic bishops asking their parishioners in letters to vote no tomorrow, Tóibín said the church “has no moral authority to speak on civil matters, because of the abuse, and I don’t notice them speaking much on spiritual matters, so that they’re sort of neutered”...

Guardian Books.

Blah blah blah etc etc...

Irish Marriage Referendum: Vote No!

Parody!

And here's the original - in its own silly antediluvian and bigoted way, just as amusing.