Young people in Ireland are being urged to ring their grandparents – to encourage them to vote for same-sex marriage.

The Republic of Ireland is set to vote on proposals to introduce civil same-sex marriage on May 22, just over two months away.

Amid fears that the proposal attracts less support from the elderly – who are more likely to turn out to vote – enterprising students at Trinity College have come up with a novel way to mobilise the demographic.

Students filmed themselves calling their elderly relatives to ask them to vote for equality in the upcoming referendum, to varying degrees of success.

One grandparent said: “My age group wouldn’t vote in favour of that at all” – but added: “I will vote for it, all right.”

Another added: “I’d have to think about it. In my time, when you got married children were there.

“One of the reasons… it would be very sad if you didn’t have any.

“Gay and lesbian – I wouldn’t have known them growing up.”

One student’s dad told him: “If you want my honest opinion, I have no issues with it whatsoever.

“When it’s your turn, I will walk proudly and stand behind you – whether it’s a church or a registry office or wherever the hell it is – I will stand proudly behind you.”

A statement said: “On May 22nd, Ireland will vote on the Marriage Equality referendum, deciding whether or not same-sex couples can get legally married.

“In Ireland, and particularly here in Trinity, students and young people are the most likely to vote yes in the referendum. But we typically have the lowest voter turnout. However, it’s still unclear how the older generations are going to vote. And, given that older Irish people are more likely to turn out and vote on the day, this demographic could swing the vote in a very big way.

“So Trinity students ran up their parents and grandparents to see what way they’d be voting in the upcoming referendum.”