As crowds gather at Dublin Castle for the referendum result, social media is alight

Yesterday, Ireland voted on whether or not to repeal the Eighth Amendment, and today we await the results of that vote.

With half the counts now completed, it appears the Yes side is on course for a landslide win and crowds have gathered at Dublin Castle to celebrate.

Polls predicted victory for repeal, but few anticipated the wave of support for the Yes side that appears to have swept the country.

Last night an exit poll conducted for The Irish Times by Ipsos/MRBI suggested that the margin of victory for the Yes side in the referendum would be 68 per cent to No at 32 per cent.

An RTÉ exit poll projected a Yes vote of 69.4 per cent with No at 30.6 per cent.

Among the 18-24 age group, the Yes vote is projected at 87.6 per cent, while for 25-34 year olds it is 84.6 per cent.

Today, Minister for Health Simon Harris said he expects legislation providing for abortion to be implemented by the end of the year.

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar said the results show “We are not a nation divided. We are a nation united”. He described the result as “the culmination of a quiet revolution that’s taken place in Ireland for the past 10 or 20 years”. He continued, “This has been a great exercise in democracy and the people have spoken.”

As people, and the world’s media, gather at Dublin Castle, social media is alight with reaction.

https://twitter.com/jackpowerIT/status/1000400107341312000

Crowds gathering at Dublin Castle #togetherforYes pic.twitter.com/Kx5mKkpLpB

— SiobhanNiDhubhghaill (@ni_siobhan) May 26, 2018

https://twitter.com/SarahBardon/status/1000364355840610304

https://twitter.com/hollyshortall/status/1000400303701753856

https://twitter.com/SkyNews/status/1000394913098301441

https://twitter.com/philipbromwell/status/1000393509021605888

The @Angels4Yes campaigners have arrived at Dublin Castle to warm applause #8thRef pic.twitter.com/jcrYJXAKZB

— Philip Bromwell (@philipbromwell) May 26, 2018

https://twitter.com/philipbromwell/status/1000395504080113666

https://twitter.com/Blackhall99/status/1000399008630738944

https://twitter.com/SkyNews/status/1000397142278586373

Great cheers as @MaryLouMcDonald and @moneillsf they take to stage in Dublin Castle before official announcement #TogetherforYes @sinnfeinireland pic.twitter.com/iDeVL5Hatq

— Caoilfhionn Ní Dhonnabháin (@CaoilfhionnNiD) May 26, 2018

Photograph: @KathleenCHarris