Bono urges yes vote for gay marriage

BONO, lead singer of Irish rock band U2, is supporting the yes case in Ireland's referendum on same-sex marriage.
"MARRIAGE is now an idea that transcends religion," Irish media quoted the singer as saying in Canada last week.
"It is owned by the people, he said. "It is not a religious institution." Referenda on social issues tend to be contentious in the predominantly Catholic country, but the atmosphere coming up to Friday's poll on same sex marriage is different. Homosexuality was illegal until 1993 in Ireland, but support for gay rights has increased greatly over the last two decades after a series of clerical child abuse scandals undermined public confidence in the authority of the Catholic Church. An opinion poll published on Saturday in the Irish Times newspaper showed support for same-sex marriage at 58 per cent. But Prime Minister Enda Kenny, a strong supporter of the change, disagreed that the "yes" campaign was "home and dry", stressing the importance of people casting their votes. "I'm actually never in any doubt about these things," Kenny told the Irish Independent. "They can never be carried unless the people take the time to get a ballot paper and cast their vote," he said. The results are expected on Saturday.