The result had never been in doubt since this morning. But there was something special, nonetheless, in hearing the final result being announced by the returning officer, Ríona Ní Fhlanghaile, in Dublin Castle.

And the margin of victory was an emphatic one.

The total turnout was among the highest in an Irish referendum in recent times, with 60.5% of the electorate turning out. That in itself adds weight to the decision. The number of ‘Yesses’ was enormously impressive too, with a massive 1,201,607 signalling their support for gay marriage. The ‘Nos’ amounted to 734,300. In percentage terms, the split was 62.1% in favour versus 37.9% against.

As already reported by Hot Press, the congratulations have been flooding in from all over the world, as supporters of equality for all, irrespective of gender or sexual orientation, celebrated the first time ever that any country has introduced gay marriage by the popular will of the people.

Campaigners all over Ireland, meanwhile, are experiencing not the huge sense of relief that might have been expected if the vote had been a close one, but rather the fantastic reality of the vindication and empowerment which the vote represents.
Emotions are running high and understandably so.

This is truly an historic moment, which sees Ireland embrace the Republican ideals of liberty, equality and fraternity completely and unequivocally for the first time. And it is another important milestone in the split between State and Church: a statement that the tenets of no religion will have precedence over the rights of all citizens.

The scare-mongering and hypocrisy of those leading the ‘No’ campaign have been rejected. People refused to vote out of fear. Instead, they embraced their fellow citizens, homosexual and lesbian, so that the last vestiges of anti-gay prejudice have now been eradicated from Irish law.

Let’s all celebrate. The Irish people have spoken – and we have a right to feel proud of the result.