One of Ireland’s most senior Catholics has said the church needs a “reality check” following the country’s overwhelming vote in favour of same-sex marriage.

The first gay marriages are likely to take place in the early autumn, after a referendum found 62% were in favour of changing the constitution to allow gay and lesbian couples to marry.

Ireland has become the first country in the world to legalise same-sex marriage by popular vote in a move hailed as a social revolution and welcomed globally. And Diarmuid Martin, the archbishop of Dublin, said it showed the church needed to reconnect with young people to regain its traditional cultural standing and moral authority in Ireland.

The archbishop told the broadcaster RTE: “We [the church] have to stop and have a reality check, not move into denial of the realities. We won’t begin again with a sense of renewal, with a sense of denial.

“I appreciate how gay and lesbian men and women feel on this day. That they feel this is something that is enriching the way they live. I think it is a social revolution.”

The archbishop personally voted no, arguing that gay rights should be respected “without changing the definition of marriage”. “I ask myself, most of these young people who voted yes are products of our Catholic school system for 12 years. I’m saying there’s a big challenge there to see how we get across the message of the church,” he added.

Ireland celebrates historic gay marriage vote Guardian

Meanwhile, the taoiseach, Enda Kenny, praised the courageous step by Irish voters, including the tens of thousands who registered for the first time and many who travelled home to cast ballots, to decide in favour of same-sex marriage.

“The decision makes every citizen equal and will strengthen the institution of marriage for all existing and future marriages. All people now have an equal future to look forward to,” he said.

Already the resounding victory for gay rights campaigners is being billed as a massive boost for the republic’s reputation on the international stage. The UK prime minister, David Cameron, has praised the historic reform on social media. “Congratulations to the people of Ireland, after voting for same-sex marriage, making clear you are equal if you are straight or gay,” he said.

Ireland’s equalities minister, Aodhán Ó Ríordáin, went one step further than Cameron, tweeting:



Ireland hasn't just said "Yes"... Ireland has said: "F❤️CK YEAAHHHH" — Aodhán Ó Ríordáin TD (@AodhanORiordain) May 23, 2015

He later added: “This is our Republic - we’ve taken it back today.”

The official result showed almost 1.95 million people went to the polls – a higher than normal turnout of 61%. Some 1,201,607 people backed a change of the 1937 constitution to enshrine in the section titled The Family an amendment that “marriage may be contracted in accordance with law by two persons without distinction as to their sex”. Those voting against the proposal numbered 734,300.



All but one of the republic’s 43 parliamentary constituencies voted yes to same-sex marriage. And fears of an urban-rural, yes/no split proved to be unfounded. Constituencies such as Donegal South West, which in the past voted against divorce and abortion reform, backed the yes side.

The health minister, Leo Varadkar, who this year came out as the country’s first openly gay minister, said the campaign had been “almost like a social revolution”.

At Dublin Castle, the site of the national count, the social transformation was evident in the rainbow colours of the gay movement, which lit up the 18th century cobbled courtyard amid glorious sunshine on Saturday afternoon. Some 2,000 activists had gathered there to celebrate the resounding victory for a country where homosexuality was not decriminalised until 1993.

A high turnout, particularly among younger voters, boosted the yes side. The overall turnout of 61% was higher than the poll to ratify the 1998 Good Friday agreement, when 56% of the electorate came out to vote.