Rock band U2 and United Nations secretary-general Ban Ki-moon welcomed Ireland’s vote in favour of legalising gay marriage.
During a show in Arizona, singer Bono thanked voters in Saturday’s referendum, saying the country was now a country of peace and equality.
“It’s a moment for us to thank the people who bring us peace to our country,” he said.
“We have peace in Ireland today, and in fact on this very day we have true equality in Ireland.
“Millions turned up to vote yesterday to say love is the highest law in the land - love!
“And in the biggest turnout in the history of the state, to say love is the highest law in the land.
“If God loves us, whoever we love, wherever we come from, then why can’t the state?"
After being honoured with the Tipperary International Peace Award, Ki-Moon said the outcome of the referendum on Saturday was “a truly historic moment”.
“As a dynamic member of the Human Rights Council, Ireland is also a strong proponent of human rights,” Ban said.
“We saw this commitment yet again with Friday’s referendum.
“This is a truly historic moment: Ireland has become the first country in the world to approve marriage equality in a nationwide referendum.
“The result sends an important message to the world: All people are entitled to enjoy their human rights no matter who they are or whom they love.”
More than 62 percent voted in favour of making the change.
It means that Ireland is the first country in the world to legalise same-sex marriage through a popular vote and comes more than two decades after homosexual acts were decriminalised there.
A number of other stars also took to social media to celebrate the outcome of the referendum.
Stephen Fry said that the “sanctity of marriage has been upheld”, while Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling hailed the result as “extraordinary and wonderful”.
