Buckley will 'still practise as a priest' after gay marriage

The 57-year-old is to marry Filipino chef Eduardo Yango, 32, on Monday.

Only two witnesses will be present at the civil ceremony listed at Larne Borough Council.

Since 1986, the Offaly-born former councillor has officiated at the weddings of divorcees, mixed-religion couples and more recently of gay and lesbian couples in defiance of Roman Catholic Church doctrine.

He told the Sunday Tribune he was aware the marriage would infuriate the Catholic hierarchy, but he saw no contradiction between his partnership and his faith.

"There is no conflict between my love for Eduardo and my faith. Both are equally important to me," he is quoted.

"But this is groundbreaking territory. Other priests have married women or entered civil partnerships with men. But they'd all left the church beforehand – none continued with their ministry."

The maverick bishop conducts Mass twice a week at the Larne Oratory which he refused to vacate after the then Bishop of Down and Connor, the late Cardinal Cahal Daly, suspended him. On his website, he describes himself as an "unofficial chaplain to disaffected and alienated Catholics and Christians, and others, from all over Ireland and further afield".

He revealed he was homosexual in 1999, counsels the gay and lesbian community and holds church services and seminars for them.