a very high turnout has been reported, and a landslide "yes" is being forecast in the urban areas. indeed some prominent "no" campaigners are ready to concede.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-32856232
but would that necessarily guarantee an overall result in favour of gay marriage?
and, if the result isn't a "yes", will the government embark on its previously successful "neverendum" tactic until the electorate provides the right answer?
All referendums (referenda?) seem to work the same way - if there is a "Yes" then it is final and forever, whereas a "No" is just a delay until a repeat can be organised with the correct result - qv Scottish Independence.
I actually very much hope for a 'Yes' in Ireland - but fear it may set the city and countryside against each other, with the hugely regressive Catholic Church stirring the pot for all it is worth.
Any way you look at this, it's pretty amazing that the Irish voted 'yes'. It's really opened my eyes. I assumed that it wouldn't go that way, because Ireland's Catholic church is so thoroughly opposed - I thought that would be the deal-breaker.
SP...I think you will find that the Church doesn't hold sway in Ireland like it used to. Because of its appalling record on child sexual abuse, it seems to have lost a lot of its former credibility. If the YES vote is about 75%, as is predicted, than the Church has completely lost the plot.
Another part of the world where prejudice and narrow-mindedness is no longer in charge. As you say, well done Ireland.
SP....have you been to Ireland recently? It's far from the country of my childhood and even early adulthood.
The Catholic Church was losing respect with my generation.....the scandals of the abusive priests and nuns opened many eyes......the Catholic Church has lost the hold it once had.....
It's a young country.....and the generation that followed me have little truck with the church......or at least with its teachings.
Today the people of Ireland want to live in a fair and equal country.....and they will......
I'm just annoyed I won't be in Dublin for the party......♣
It seems that there can be no doubt of an overall result in favour of gay marriage....I suppose we'll have to wait for the number-crunchers to give us the complete statistical breakdown.
I am very happy that the Irish have joined in with the majority of European thought on this issue. :o)