All three districts in Galway have declared their votes and the final result for the county is a massive win for the Yes vote by nearly a two to one margin.
The combined result for Galway’s three districts, which includes Roscommon, is a 61.8% Yes vote and 38.2% No.
While some districts are still turning in their results its clear by this point that the outcome of the referendum is an overwhelming success for the campaign to repeal the 8th Amendment to the constitution.
Galway East was the first district in the country to declare its results today with 60.19% Yes and 39.81% No.
Galway-Roscommon district came next with a closer, but still decisive count of 57.21% Yes and 42.79%.
And finally Galway West has declared its result as 65.95% Yes and 34.05% No, with particularly strong support for the Yes side in the city where some stations reports results as high as 80% and parts of Connemara like Cleggan which had an 82% Yes vote.
Turnout this week in Galway has been higher than expected at 62.45%, exceeding even the numbers who came out for the marriage equality referendum in 2015.
Galway East TD Ciaran Cannon, who supported the No campaign, congratulated the @GWYEastForYes group and said he would do his part in implementing the choice of the people.
Congrats @GWYEastForYes
You campaigned with great enthusiasm, but most of all, with great dignity. Our people have spoken and my job now is to implement the will of our people, in full. #8thref https://t.co/MAHK6sW4iz— Ciaran Cannon (@ciarancannon) May 26, 2018
Fianna Fáil TD Anne Rabbitte, also a No proponent, echoed Deputy Cannon’s remark saying she would join the government in implementing legislation for abortion.
Standing together with @ailbhes @Together4yes for the women and men of Ireland who have spoken & together we must respect the peoples choice & I will be backing government legislation @fiannafailparty @rtepolitics @rtenews @RTEOne_1 @GWYEastForYes #Referendum2018 #8thRef pic.twitter.com/K13EUjunPK
— Anne Rabbitte TD (@AnneRabbitte) May 26, 2018
Galway West TD Éamon Ó Cuív has also said that he will respect the result of the referendum and that he expects legislation will be passed by Christmas.
Nationally all counties look as if they will be returning a Yes vote, with the possible exception of Donegal which is headed to a very close outcome.
The Love Both group which campaigned to keep the 8th amendment has said that it will continue its efforts past the referendum to ensure the government takes care of women and children both.
Our campaign does not end with the referendum, but when the Government properly supports the mother and child.#LoveBoth pic.twitter.com/GN9Mt05G1X
— LoveBoth (Official) (@lovebothireland) May 26, 2018
While the Together For Yes campaign is celebrating the news so far and an expected victory at the RDS in Dublin this afternoon.
The scenes as our Directors Orla, Grainne and Ailbhe enter the RDS, we have news that #together4yes has just crossed 1 million votes tallied with 67.6% Yes (and it was Clare reporting a 64% yes that brought us past the 1 million!) #together4yes pic.twitter.com/I5HxISlwcD
— Together for Yes (@Together4yes) May 26, 2018
We’ll have more on the results of the referendum and the reactions from both sides later today.
