Colin Farrell pledges support for 'Yes Equality' campaign ahead of Irish referendum on same sex marriage

The actor famously played best man at his older brother Eamon Farrell’s civil partnership to Steven Mannion in Dublin in 2009

Colin Farrell is backing the ‘Yes’ vote for equal marriage ahead of an upcoming referendum in the Republic of Ireland.

The country introduced civil partnerships in 2011. In May 2015, citizens will vote on extending civil marriage to include same-sex couples.

Posing with a ‘YesEquality’ campaign sign, the Minority Report actor showed his support.

“Colin Farrell pitching in his support this week for YesEquality and the register to vote campaign. Ask your friends to check us out today,” a spokesperson for the campaign told Pink News.

Farrell famously played best man at his older brother Eamon Farrell’s civil partnership to Steven Mannion in Dublin in 2009.

Speaking on behalf of LGBT charity BeLong in 2010, Farrell recalled: “I can't remember much about the years of physical and emotional abuse my brother Eamon suffered. I was very small. The thing I do remember though, quite literally, is blood on his school shirt when he came home in the afternoon...

“Intolerance is not genetically encoded - it is taught. It is learned at home. It is learned in the classrooms and it is learned anywhere else we gather as a group. But it is usually learned early and added onto from there. If there is nothing to feared, there is nothing to hate.

“If there is nothing to hate, there is no pain. My brother was so forceful in standing up for who he was, and for the good that he knew was inside of him. Many people missed out on an opportunity, not only to enjoy him, but to enjoy themselves by embracing his ‘difference.’ They missed out because they saw him as a threat - not as a testament to the kaleidoscope and diversity of this beautiful world.”

Early poll predictions indicate a landslide win for the ‘YesEquality’ campaign, but referendums are historically unpredictable in the country for a variety of reasons – from low voter turn out to opposition from powerful Catholic factions.

The deadline for voters to register is 25 November.

So far, other names to back the ‘YesEquality’ campaign include Fianna Fáil leader Michael Martin and Ireland’s Taoiseach Enda Kenny.

The campaign was originally launched by The Gay and Lesbian Equality Network, the Irish Council for Civil Liberties, and Marriage Equality Ireland.

“We know that Ireland is ready for this change and that Irish young people really want a fair and equal society,” Michael Barron of BeLonG, also connected to the campaign, said.

He added that the campaign was specifically reaching out to adults aged 18-25 to encourage them to make their “generation’s decision” for the society they want to live in in the future.