Ireland has always been a place of mystical charm and romantic nooks with many newly-weds choosing it to share cherished moments.
So it is no surprise our beautiful island has been ranked one of the top five honeymoon destinations in the world for LGBT couples.
A global study, compiled by the Latin America Travel Company, wanted to provide an LGBT Honeymoon Ranking System that offers couples “an exhaustive, inclusive list of all the best places for LGBT couples to honeymoon.”
From a list of countries where homosexuality is not criminalised and assessing a number of factors including safety and inclusivity, the study confirmed Ireland fifth in the rankings.
The Emerald Isle was also listed as the second best European destination for LGBT honeymooners, with Switzerland taking first place.
In a candid statement about the findings, the author of the study said, “While it shouldn’t have to be the case, it remains an issue that LGBT equality and rights are not always respected in every country around the world, which can dramatically rule out certain destinations as a honeymoon choice for many couples.”
On May 22, 2015, the Emerald Isle made history by holding a referendum to change the constitution of Ireland regarding the prohibition of same-sex marriage in the Republic.
The majority voted to change the law by 62.07 per cent, making Ireland the first state to legalise same-sex marriage through public opinion.
The results prompted much debate in the predominantly Catholic country, but it also sparked a great sense of victory and acceptance within the LGBT community.
In the LGBT Honeymoon Ranking System study, researchers considered issues like marriage equality and LGBT travel-related factors.
They also took into account the quality of romantic settings at each destination and historical popularity among newly-weds.
Canada was ranked the top honeymoon destination for LGBT couples with New Zealand listed second and Australia in close third place.
Same-sex marriage has so far been legalized in 28 countries worldwide with Austria the most recent in January 2019.
