Northern Ireland’s first same-sex marriage takes place today

Northern Ireland’s first same-sex marriage is to take place in Carrickfergus today.
By The Newsroom
Published 11th Feb 2020, 06:50 BST
Robyn Peoples (left) and Sharni Edwards are due to become the first same-sex couple to be married in Northern Ireland on TuesdayRobyn Peoples (left) and Sharni Edwards are due to become the first same-sex couple to be married in Northern Ireland on Tuesday
Robyn Peoples (left) and Sharni Edwards are due to become the first same-sex couple to be married in Northern Ireland on Tuesday

Belfast couple Robyn Peoples, 26, and Sharni Edwards, 27, are set to become the first same-sex couple to be married under new legislation passed in Westminster last year.

Ahead of the wedding, Ms Peoples said: “Our message to the world on our wedding day is: we are equal. Our love is personal, but the law which said we couldn’t marry was political.

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“We are delighted that, with our wedding, we can now say that those days are over.”

Her partner, Ms Edwards, said: “We feel humbled that our wedding is a landmark moment for equal rights in Northern Ireland. We didn’t set out to make history – we just fell in love.”

Sara Canning, partner of Lyra McKee, the journalist who was shot dead during rioting in Londonderry last April, joined activists, MPs and campaigners from Amnesty International and the Love Equality campaign at a parliamentary event last night to celebrate the changes.

She said the law change has brought her “some much-needed light in what has been a dark year”.

Related topics:CarrickfergusNorthern IrelandBelfast