Ireland’s gay marriage debate is heating up but despite polls showing those in favor leading by a wide margin there are still many unanswered questions.

A referendum will be held in May on the issue.

Vincent Browne. the doyen of Irish journalism for decades, took his TV3 politics  show on the road to Cork last week to discover how rural folk felt about the issue.

The response was strong, and strange, as this man Michael O’Leary made clear in an angry attack on the pro-gay marriage movement.

Indeed he became over excited and said he was against men and women getting married before he corrected himself.

His anger is very evident though, especially after he corrects his mistake.

There are fears on the pro gay marriage side that folks like him he may represent a hidden constituency, a silent majority

in rural Ireland who will not make public their opposition to gay marriage until they are in the polling booth.

In the meantime, his real vehemence can be taken as an indication that outside liberal circles there are still many objections to gay marriage.