After months of campaigning from both sides, Ireland heads to the polls to vote in the marriage equality referendum today and, going by the fact #VoteYes is trending on Twitter worldwide, much of the planet is on the one side.
While polls have shown a tightening in the margin between the yes and no votes across the country, much of social media, and the internet for that matter, appears to be in favour of marriage equality, with celebrities, organisations, companies and regular folk all calling on those eligible to vote to put an X in the ‘yes’ box.
Among the strongest images of today’s referendum are the scenes at Dublin airport, where thousands of Irish citizens eligible to vote are flooding into the country in a bid to be back for the vote, with #hometovote also gaining considerable traction on Twitter.
While the proceedings get underway today, it will be tense times across the country tomorrow afternoon as we begin to get the clearest picture of the outcome of the referendum, with results coverage including journalist Vincent Browne covering the count from The George on Dublin’s South Great George’s Street.
Here are some of the world’s, and Ireland’s, online reactions to today’s vote.
So #voteyes is the No 1 trending topic Worldwide pic.twitter.com/TCMA6Nf0wz
— Gavin Sheridan (@gavinsblog) May 22, 2015
This is the scene on the 9:10 London to Holyhead train as Irish abroad return #hometovote #marref pic.twitter.com/spVfkb5sIT
— Naomi O’Leary (@NaomiOhReally) May 22, 2015
Came #hometovote all the way from London and found my mum had made some subtle changes to my room for me #VoteYes pic.twitter.com/BOdxqXhJoN
— Kevin Beirne (@KevBeirne) May 21, 2015
hello irish followers. #VoteYes ??? pic.twitter.com/wVIvBurQQg
— Gary C (@oohgaryc) May 22, 2015
#HomeToVote is probably the most heartwarming hashtag ever, I wish I could have made the journey from SF. C’mon Eire! pic.twitter.com/eYAbtx0bzy — Ashlinn marron (@AshMarron) May 21, 2015
Sending love to our Irish friends today! #VoteYes ??
— The Saturdays (@TheSaturdays) May 22, 2015
In July I get to marry my brilliant and utterly Irish boyfriend, the love of my life. I’d love to do the same in his country #VoteYes
— Alastair Coomer (@AlCoomer) May 22, 2015
A particular mention to illustrator Annie West, who in the space of just one day has created arguably one of the most evocative images for those returning home in their droves.
#marref #hometovote pic.twitter.com/PgYwg9iBMA — Annie West (@anniewestdotcom) May 22, 2015
And possibly the best promotion seen calling on a Yes vote goes to Bishopstown Bar, which knows how to encourage an Irish population to vote Yes.
#MarRef today, special breakfast being served. #VoteNo only has 1 sausage and #VoteYes and you’ll get 2 sausages pic.twitter.com/fFN9zQwHw3 — Bishopstown Bar (@thebtownbar) May 22, 2015
Yes sign image via Jean-Etienne Minh-Duy Poirrier/Flickr
