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A LANDSLIDE.
Yesterday, 2,159,655 million votes were cast in a referendum on abortion, seemingly Ireland’s most divisive issue and a so-called political minefield.
Today, chants of ‘Simon, Simon, Simon’ rang out of Dublin Castle as the Health Minister who led his government’s referendum campaign arrived before a result of 66.4% Yes and 33.6% No was read out by the returning officer.
Unexpected. Shocking. Overwhelming. Flabbergasting. A silent Yes vote.
The words were drowned out on a poorly mic-ed stage by the buzz of a relieved and celebratory crowd.
Young, old, urban, rural, male, female – they were all represented, as they were in the votes.
People found it to be too difficult to decide, a personal issue best left alone, we heard. Today we hear that official turnout was 64.13%, the biggest of any referendum since the 1992 vote on the same issue.
Fourteen constituencies returned Yes votes of over 70%.
Eleven of them were in Dublin, the highest in Dublin Bay South, followed by Dun Laoghaire whose people also rejected the insertion of the Eighth Amendment 35 years ago.
The others included Kildare, both north and south, and neighbouring Wicklow.
But it wasn’t a question of the Pale versus the rest.
The only outlier was Donegal, its people rejecting the 36th Amendment to Bunreacht na hEireann by a narrow margin of 51.87% to 48.13%.
After that, the closest fought race was in Cavan-Monaghan which saw the Yes side at 55.5%. So not really that close at all.
The wins in Mayo, Roscommon-Galway, Kerry, Limerick County, Offaly, Sligo-Leitrim, Longford-Westmeath and Tipperary all landed between 57.1% to 59.4%, the only constituencies that didn’t hit at least the 60% mark.
Regardless, there were cheers in the Roscommon-Galway count centre as it became clear 23,677 voters wanted to repeal the Eighth. It was a turnaround not only from 35 years ago when more than eight out of 10 of its population were in favour of the Article, but from three years ago when they were the only grouping to vote against another social issue – same-sex marriage.
“It shows we’re not conservative, we’re just complicated,” explained Luke Ming Flanagan.
Across the 26 counties, there were 3,367,556 people entitled to vote (although that is more than likely a significant overestimate given problems with the register). Whatever about the accuracy of that figure, 2,159,655 marked a ballot paper. Of those, 1,429,981 were of the one opinion.
A landslide indeed.
The Eighth has been repealed.
HIGHEST YES VOTES
LOWEST YES VOTES
See how your constituency – and all the others – voted here.
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It’s a sad day
@Mark kelly: a sad day indeed for many who won’t ever see the light of day but that’s democracy. The people have spoken. The result is clear and fair
@Mark kelly: for you maybe, but a happy day for woman who get to choose, maybe we need a referendum on vasectomy you look after your body we will look after ours
@Jean Keely: you can’t argue with stupid
@Mark kelly: on the contrary, I’m ecstatic. Finally breaking free from the shackles of the church
@Jean Keely: If I had more than one like to give I would!
Fair comment. You have your opinion but obviously respect the opinion of the majority. That is democracy.
@Mark kelly: for Donegal
@Mark kelly: I think it’s a day not to celebrate but be aware that we should be tolerant of all beliefs and points of view.
@Mark kelly: You could also say the same for contraception and the millions of “potential babies” they have prevented. I think you have a very low opinion of women to think there will be queues up and down the street to avail of terminations. No woman would make such a decision willy nilly.
@Rory: yes, alot of triumphalism. Lets remember that there is emotions in this for those who choose too.
@Mark kelly: stupid is actually one of the most enjoyable things to argue with, but I’ll let you off the hook on this wonderful day x
@Mark kelly: it is indeed. The great unwashed have spoken.
@Jean Keely: it’s a good day for women who’s pregnancy is an inconvenience for their their “career” or more likely to their promiscuity…
@Cheryl Mellett: a 24 week fetus is very different to the semen in a condom..if you can’t see that I pity you. 22 days and there’s a heartbeat, in Virginia they have recognized the fetus feels pain so by law they must anesthetize the fetus before it is sliced and vacuumed out..its barbaric
@Big Mickey: is that where your from
@Big Mickey: Terminations beyond 12 weeks will only be granted on very specific medical grounds.
@Rory: It absolutely is a day to celebrate. Ireland has come out of the dark ages finally.
@Mark kelly: Ulster said No.
@Cheryl Mellett: that some beauty of a retort, absolutely clueless stuff.
@Big Mickey: you’re a complete misogynistic idiot ……
It’s a great day! Well done Ireland!
Cant help but notice the flood of No campaigners on this post. Nothing else to do lads? Im off to celebrate.
@reg gordon: a few of the more vocal ones are missing probably only paid till yesterday
@reg gordon: 2:1 and it’s well done to yes campaign. No need for NO people to be bitter as the people have spoken. Still a large proportion of the population that voted no. Let’s just hope it’s not a flood of mass abortions and genuinely crisis cases are the ones that are helped here as promised.
@Greg Kelly: ah don’t worry most of the NO voters be dead in the next few years, they have had their time
@happinessnow: What a stupid comment.
@reg gordon:
For me there is nothing to celebrate here, while a person can now get to choose to have an abortion when the legislation is enacted, what to celebrate where a poor woman for what ever reason will terminate her own flesh and blood and during that termination a human being will loose it life.
I had been a No vote during the whole campaign, first of all because I am the mother to a special needs child, second because of our government and the fact I do not trust them to do anything right for the people of Ireland unless it was for their own self gain. My No vote was noting to do with any religions or yes or no campaigns, but the fact that I think its a step to far for abortions on demand up to 12 weeks for no reason. I had a wonderful chat to a family member last night and something she said, change my mind and that was “Don’t let the state have control over us women anymore” and indeed I had a hard think about it and thought who am I to tell anyone how or what they should do, so I voted yes today. it won’t be my choice to have an abortion but I am not the judged over anyone else. However, I will after the referendum if the 8th is repealed to lobby all of our politicians to legislated for a valid reason to have an abortion up to 12 weeks.
@happinessnow: there’s an old saying what goes around comes around be careful what you wish for!
@Greg Kelly: Greg I never gave you a thumb up but I will now. Of course we want to do our best so that abortion is not needed in the first place. No one wants an abortion but some need it. Now we can study why women abort and hopefully target those issues. In the case of rape or FFA we can do nothing but for the rest we can try. I am totally committed to that.
@Deborah Behan: well said Deborah all I want is what’s right and fair for all and not the extremes on either side
Great Stuff!
Now can we have a referendum on the public ownership of our Water!
@Jarlath Murphy: any whether we should have to pay tax on our home
@☘: and sure lets just do a vote to get rid of taxes all together while we’re at it.
@Jarlath Murphy: Totally agree
We need to curb the dongeal bashing folks. What we witnessed today was democracy in action. It works both ways. And its a beautiful thing when it does.
@Dreyfus: agreed. I don’t want to bash anyone or any county. We all voted in good faith.
Dreadful day for Ireland. Future generations will view us as probably worse than we view Tuam, The Magdalene laundries and other past horrors.
@Steve1234: why would they?
@Steve1234: are you for real shame on you for insulting the woman and poor babies remember it was the church that put them there
@Steve1234: nonsense. Complete and utter tosh.
@Jean Keely: Yes I am. At least the people of the past didn’t vote via referendum to set up these mother and baby homes, Magdalene laundries etc. Where as the majority of Irish people voted in the slaughter of unborn children, almost always for convenience. Some day liberals will be viewed with the same scorn that we view the laundries and abortion will be a major reason for that scorn.
@Steve1234: this guy must be a troll.
Two examples given perfect reason why abortion could have prevented suffering of actual children and women.
(But the Church had their Gravy train)
@Steve1234: Liberals will never be viewed with even remotely the same level of scorn as the laundries, the mother & baby homes & the like. If it wasn’t for liberals, they’d probably still exist in this country.
@Keith McDonagh: You think that, but if you told people 40 years ago abortion and same sex marriage would be voted in via popular vote you wouldn’t be believed yet we have those now. Eventually the pendulum will swing the other way
@Steve1234: you are a sad selfish person, bet you have never had the S**t many women have had to deal with in their pregnancy’s
@Steve1234: hi are you 9 or 99?. Grow up or vote for euthanasia.
@happinessnow: Most abortions (Over 95%) are performed on healthy women who have no problems in their pregnancy. They are done purely for convience and selfish reasons.
@David Dickson: 27. Don’t think I’ll vote for euthanasia, don’t believe in killing people
@Jean Keely: That not totally correct as a survivor myself, it was the religious, state and lay people did those things including the police so please don’t assume you know, the religious and the state worked hand in hand and still do no matter what happen today. Tell us how our wonderful government have help us survivors, they make us beg, they defer everything to down the road, the set up organisations supposedly to help us and this Caranua helps themselves instead of any survivor. The treat all of us like the dirt on the ground.
@Steve1234: Hopefully that pendulum will knock some sense into you
@Steve1234: have you asked all those women …..youre making bullshit statements you haven’t a clue about… accept the loss and let it go NOW
@AP: can never accept injustices
@Steve1234: wow! Bot wow!
@Steve1234: you make me embarrassed to be called Steve!
I seen a poll about what influenced the way people would vote most and ‘hearing women’s stories’ came out somewhere in the region of 80%. If only all the aborted children actually survived and we all got to hear their stories it may have been very different but unfortunately they never got a voice. Before anyone comments I want you to know I’m atheist and I’m all for women’s health. But we’ve just sacrificed a lot to gain a little. We don’t actually get the end say, the legislators do.
@Mark kelly: what do you think that they would have remembered about it \O/
@Mark kelly: what rubbish. no doubt some non abortion stories would be horrendous. Born into families that don’t want them, cannot support them or are trapped in poverty because they never got to complete their education. Whatever reason a woman or couple use to when deciding is none of our business.
@Mark kelly: we knew exactly what we were voting for and it passed by two thirds of the voters. Irish women can now choose what is best for them. if you are not happy here then you could move to Poland or Malta,
@Mark kelly: they don’t have stories, just the women do and it’s sad that they had to make them public to make other women safe, but good on them for thinking of others
@Mark kelly: What a load of bull. Many people know personal stories from people close to them. My cousin killed herself due to a crisis pregnancy where very little help was in place to support her. She was in a very dark place already when she found out and the shame and lack of fund to travel abroad was a main factor. This was the last straw. So you can stick your “But we’ve just sacrificed a lot to gain a little” where the sun don’t shine.
Shame on you and other no voters for being willing to put some women through hell. Thankfully as the polls have clearly show the likes of you are now in the minority.
Well done Donegal
‘Chanting Simon, Simon, Simon’…incredible to read after everything that has happened in the Health Sector.
@Cormac Ó Braonáin: dreadful, when women are dying from the cervical smear tests scandal.
A great day for the women of Ireland. After all those years of abuse and torture by the religious and political establishment, women finally have the say over their own bodies.
Repeal Donegal from the Republic :)
@Ruairi Gagarin: Sure geographically Donegal has been repealed by the republic a long time ago.No motorway or rail going there.The recovery and investment in the area by government has been minimal.Due to the economic state in the area the young people have moved away leaving the elderly at home.The result is consistent with the over 65 vote throughout the country.Take my own house 6 yes votes went elsewhere and we are certainly not the only ones.
The issue is officially resolved.
Lets legalise drugs now. After all people are taking them anyway.
@Larry Doherty: 100% agree. Legalise all drugs. In one swoop, the vast majority of criminal gangs would lose their raison d’être thereby releasing vast policing resources for other areas, the drugs sold would be of good quality and not contain things like rat poison, and the government could create jobs and raise taxes which could then be partially ringfenced to provide proper mental healthcare which is, sadly, directly linked into why people take drugs in the first place. Healthier, wealthier and safer country.
@Larry Doherty: Prohibition in the 1920s resulted in deaths through bad illegal liquor and a crime wave due to criminal gangs making a fortune off alcohol (remember Al Capone?).
Legalise and control drugs…while making people responsible for their actions taking them just as we do with alcohol…and you’ll stop most of the ‘drug problem’ immediately.
The current approach is pointless and won’t work. Ever.
ehhh you’re missing Dublin-West on that list! 74% yes!!
@Chris Judge: It’s on it now :)
Closer to our neighbours over the water by the day…
Turkeys voting for Christmas is it?
The Irish people have spoken end of story move on. The politicians hog the limelight but were pulled screaming and roaring by those brave woman who have fought tirelessly for this change.
Most Politicians are cowards who didn’t declare until they checked which way the wind was blowing
Donegal. Will SF get two seats next time out.
@Rory: maybe not even one. They will certainly need to adapt their message but no problem to them there.
All the old mickey dodgers retired to Donegal, the sisters of NO MERCY.
@Pamela Jawara: this was not a referendum about the Catholic Church. We are living in a so called democracy and you are entitled to your vote. Have respect for every citizens vote.
Yes Yes Yes …Simon NO
Is it Donegal as a constituency or Donegal county that voted no?
YES, we said YES, we will YES
If the NO campaign got even a fraction of the support it seems to enjoy in the comment section of websites like this one they would have won. But alas, enjoying a majority of support in the comments section on a website doesn’t win a referendum.
Mark of the beast?
have your say