<p>Irish voters backed same-sex marriage by a landslide in a referendum marking a dramatic social shift in the traditionally Catholic country, government ministers and opponents of the bill said on Saturday.<br /><br /></p>.<p>Final results were not expected until later in the day, but ministers predicted Ireland had become the first country to adopt same-sex marriage via a popular vote by a margin of around two-to-one, just two decades after it decriminalised homosexuality.<br /><br />"This has really touched a nerve in Ireland," Equality Minister Aodhan O'Riordain said at the main count centre in Dublin. "It's a very strong message to every LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender) young person in Ireland and every LGBT young person in the world."<br /><br />Health Minister Leo Varadkar, who revealed he was gay in a radio interview in January, said the referendum resembled a "social revolution."<br /><br />The proposal was backed by all political parties, championed by big employers and endorsed by celebrities, all hoping it would mark a transformation in a country that was long regarded as one of the most socially conservative in Western Europe.<br /><br />Only a third of the country backed the decriminalisation of gay sex for men over 17 in 1993, according to a poll at the time. A supreme court judge in 1983 said homosexuality was "morally wrong" and contributed to depression and suicide.<br /><br />"This is a big placard from the people of Ireland to the rest of the world saying this is the way forward," said David Norris, who began a campaign for gay rights in the late 1970s.<br /><br />The Catholic Church, whose dominance of Irish politics collapsed in the wake of a series of sex scandals in the early 1990s, still teaches that homosexual activity is a sin. But it limited its 'No' campaigning to sermons to its remaining flock, a marked contrast with active public opposition to similar moves in France and elsewhere.<br /><br />Instead, lay groups led the opposition by raising concerns over parenthood and surrogacy rights for gay couples. Many believe the recognition of the legal rights of same-sex couples in 2009 is sufficient.<br /><br />One of the main opponents of the bill conceded minutes after the first boxes were opened.<br /><br />"Everyone seems to be predicting a 'yes' ... and that seems to be the case at the moment. It's disappointing," said John Murray from Catholic think tank the Iona Institute.<br /><br />State broadcaster RTE said up to 80 percent of voters backed the 'Yes' campaign in some working-classing areas of Dublin. The vote was much closer in many rural areas, but the vast majority of constituencies appeared likely to back 'Yes', RTE said.<br /><br />At the main count centre, 'Yes' supporters embraced, cried and waved rainbow flags as the high approval rate became clear.<br /><br />"It's very hard for it to sink in, inside screaming and jumping already but I'm just waiting for that exact moment when I can say it," said Ger O'Keefe, 27, a gay 'Yes' campaigner from Waterford.</p>
<p>Irish voters backed same-sex marriage by a landslide in a referendum marking a dramatic social shift in the traditionally Catholic country, government ministers and opponents of the bill said on Saturday.<br /><br /></p>.<p>Final results were not expected until later in the day, but ministers predicted Ireland had become the first country to adopt same-sex marriage via a popular vote by a margin of around two-to-one, just two decades after it decriminalised homosexuality.<br /><br />"This has really touched a nerve in Ireland," Equality Minister Aodhan O'Riordain said at the main count centre in Dublin. "It's a very strong message to every LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender) young person in Ireland and every LGBT young person in the world."<br /><br />Health Minister Leo Varadkar, who revealed he was gay in a radio interview in January, said the referendum resembled a "social revolution."<br /><br />The proposal was backed by all political parties, championed by big employers and endorsed by celebrities, all hoping it would mark a transformation in a country that was long regarded as one of the most socially conservative in Western Europe.<br /><br />Only a third of the country backed the decriminalisation of gay sex for men over 17 in 1993, according to a poll at the time. A supreme court judge in 1983 said homosexuality was "morally wrong" and contributed to depression and suicide.<br /><br />"This is a big placard from the people of Ireland to the rest of the world saying this is the way forward," said David Norris, who began a campaign for gay rights in the late 1970s.<br /><br />The Catholic Church, whose dominance of Irish politics collapsed in the wake of a series of sex scandals in the early 1990s, still teaches that homosexual activity is a sin. But it limited its 'No' campaigning to sermons to its remaining flock, a marked contrast with active public opposition to similar moves in France and elsewhere.<br /><br />Instead, lay groups led the opposition by raising concerns over parenthood and surrogacy rights for gay couples. Many believe the recognition of the legal rights of same-sex couples in 2009 is sufficient.<br /><br />One of the main opponents of the bill conceded minutes after the first boxes were opened.<br /><br />"Everyone seems to be predicting a 'yes' ... and that seems to be the case at the moment. It's disappointing," said John Murray from Catholic think tank the Iona Institute.<br /><br />State broadcaster RTE said up to 80 percent of voters backed the 'Yes' campaign in some working-classing areas of Dublin. The vote was much closer in many rural areas, but the vast majority of constituencies appeared likely to back 'Yes', RTE said.<br /><br />At the main count centre, 'Yes' supporters embraced, cried and waved rainbow flags as the high approval rate became clear.<br /><br />"It's very hard for it to sink in, inside screaming and jumping already but I'm just waiting for that exact moment when I can say it," said Ger O'Keefe, 27, a gay 'Yes' campaigner from Waterford.</p>