It was the only constituency to vote against same-sex marriage – but a 57% vote for yes was one of a wave of surprises

Nearly everyone expected Roscommon to vote no. Instead, the traditionally conservative county, the only constituency in Ireland that voted against same-sex marriage in 2015, confounded predictions with a resounding yes to abortion reform.

Roscommon – blighted by generations of emigration and written off, by some, as a rural backwater – proved on Saturday it was in step with the rest of the country, voting to overturn a 35-year-old constitutional ban on abortion.

“Without doubt it’s probably one of the most difficult areas to get the yes vote out, but we’ve done it and we’ve shown that Roscommon is living in the modern world, and we’re delighted about that,” said MEP Luke ‘Ming’ Flanagan, from Castelrea in north Roscommon, at the Hyde Park count centre.

Roscommon’s 57% verdict in favour of reform was one of a wave of surprises in the midlands that proved the much anticipated urban-rural divide had failed to materialise.

Even the tiny rural village of Dysart, a place of dry stone walls and even stonier fields, voted yes. “My own [ballot] box, a very rural older population – wow,” said Tom Nolan as he tallied up 203 to the yes side and 123 to no.

Play Video 1:00 History is made as Ireland votes to repeal anti-abortion laws – video report

A breakdown of the exit poll carried out by broadcaster RTÉ suggested that 63% of voters in rural areas voted to repeal the eighth amendment, compared with the confirmed result of 76.5% in Dublin Central. RTÉ also projected that 52.5% of farmers had backed abortion reform.

According to the forecast, all age groups except the over-65s backed repeal, and there was a majority among both men and women.



Roscommon county, with a voter register of just 63,000, was considered the bellwether for the no campaign as the only constituency in Ireland that voted against legalising same-sex marriage in the referendum of 2015.

The brief notoriety offended those who had voted in favour of marriage equality. But they had to wait three years to shake off the unwelcome sobriquet as the most conservative country in Ireland. It meant tears of joy when the results started to flood in.

All eyes on Roscommon in Irish abortion vote Read more

Mother and daughter Georgina and Natalie Barrow, who had canvassed door to door for repeal, hugged and sobbed as a ballot box in their polling station, Strokestown, produced a 90-66 yes vote.



“I am actually shaking,” said Georgina. “I can’t believe it: we hoped for this and we got really good feedback on the doors but you just never know when people go into the booth just what they will do.”



She put the result down to the “shy voter” who did not want to share their opinion in public in a small country town for fear of recrimination, but voted with their conscience in the privacy of the polling booth.

Campaigning for yes in Roscommon county had not been easy, said artist Jacinta Lynch. “The investment of the no campaign was really overwhelming, and it felt there was a really dark situation here. But a landslide? We couldn’t ask for anything more.”

Some yes campaigners had been subjected to abuse, she said. Posters for the yes side had also “literally disappeared overnight” while the no posters remained. In the village of Knockcroghery, yes posters were turned to face the wall.

As well as tears, Nollaig Molloy was on the verge of exhaustion after months of campaigning. “I just feel like going away to sit somewhere by myself; it’s been intense,” she said.

lisa o'carroll (@lisaocarroll) Roscommon MEP Luke Flanagan as tallies show county is 57% in favour of abortion repeal

"Without doubt it’s probably one of the most difficult areas to get the ‘yes’ vote out, but we’ve done it and we’ve shown that Roscommon is living in the modern world"https://t.co/wHo6NJM5MH

While taoiseach Leo Varadkar said the result was the “culmination of a quiet revolution”, not everyone agreed.

Play Video 1:56 Irish PM: 'A quiet revolution has taken place' – video

Research by RTÉ showed most people had formed a view on abortion five years ago and were unswayed by any campaigning. Some said it showed politicians were long out of step with the public.

But there was also anger in some quarters that the referendum was bound up with specific proposals for legislation to introduce unrestricted abortion up to 12 weeks.

“I’m extremely disappointed. We still don’t realise the onslaught and death toll that is going to come from this. We’ve literally handed away the rights of the unborn to our government,” said no campaigner Darragh Bailey, 22.

Facebook Twitter Pinterest Roscommon TD Eugene Murphy. Photograph: Lisa O'Carroll

In Roscommon town, no voter Claire Feeley, 38, said she was “very disappointed and quite shocked” with the result.

“I had difficulties with this pregnancy,” she said pointing to her baby; now, other children like hers may not be protected, she said.

Across the road, Caitlin McConn, who runs Harlows pub, disagreed: “It’s a great result. My mum, dad, sister, brother-in-law, all voted yes. I was blown away by my parents. They felt it wasn’t their choice to make choices for others who might find themselves in difficulty,” she said.

Local TD Eugene Murphy, who voted no, said the result was “the will of the people” but that he hoped respect would be shown to his side of the divide.



“It is very important that people who voted no are not isolated or feel isolated, and the legislation reflects their genuine concerns,” he said.