Hashtag has been used by Irish voters travelling home to vote yes in the abortion referendum

Whether it is boarding 13-hour flights or thanking the strangers that have funded their journeys, Irish citizens are sharing their stories on social media as they travel home from all over the world to cast their ballot in the country’s historic referendum on abortion. The hashtag #HomeToVote has been used across social media channels by supporters of repealing the 8th amendment as they converge in Ireland to cast their votes.



Many were visibly displaying their support through clothing and badges, and noticed support for the campaign on the way. One supporter, who flew home to canvass and vote, tweeted that his flight attendant was wearing a ‘Tá’ – the Irish for yes – badge on his flight.

IO for Yes // May 25th (@iarlaoh) The flight attendant checking my ticket on the plane #hometovote this morning was wearing a “Tá” badge. :)

Not everyone found that fellow travellers understood the significance of their journey, however, and felt it echoed the experience of the women who have to travel abroad for abortions under the present constitution.



“Boarding a 13-hour flight from Buenos Aires to London. London to Dublin tomorrow. No one at airport knows what my repeal jumper means. No one here knows why I’m travelling. If this feels isolating for me, can’t imagine how lonely it must be 4 her, travelling 2 the UK,” tweeted Ciaran Gaffney. He also posted an image of himself in his repeal jumper in Buenos Aires

And for those that weren’t able to visibly display their support, their families greeted them in Ireland with merchandise to promote the campaign before the vote. One yes supporter returning from Vietnam shared her experience: “So I forgot my repeal jumper when I first started my travels in January and now my mam and dad are after showing up at Dublin airport with the jumper in hand,” she tweeted, finishing the tweet with a series of tearful emojis indicating how emotional the experience was.

the cute hoor (@HoorayForNiamh) So I forgot my repeal jumper when I first started my travels in January and now my mam and dad are after showing up at Dublin airport with the jumper in hand and I just 😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭 #HomeToVote #Together4Yes #repealthe8th #VietnamToIreland pic.twitter.com/lJ7yGvg5YO

Some are making the briefest of visits home to vote, with one user posting that she would not even be in the country for as long as 24 hours. “This is the most important referendum we may ever face,” she said. “Of course I was coming home.”



Aoife 📚🦄 (@PrettyPPD) I'm flying home for not even 24 hours to vote for this. Anyone I've said this to hasn't called me a muppet. Or insane. They're thanking me. This is the most important referendum we may ever face. Of course I was coming home. #hometovote #RepealTheEighth #Repeal

Some Irish citizens who have lived abroad for too long to retain their right to vote have funded the trip home for others. “I have been living outside of Ireland for longer than 18 months so cannot vote. I have helped fund someone to travel home who is eligible to vote. I am passionate about this issue - women have a right to bodily autonomy,” one woman based in the UK said.

Nanzy Panz (@nanzypanz) I have been living outside of Ireland for longer than 18 months so cannot vote. I have helped fund someone to travel home who is eligible to vote. I am passionate about this issue - women have a right to bodily autonomy. Please #bemyyes #repealthe8th pic.twitter.com/DYlm9WzSQ2

This funding effort, co-ordinated by groups like Abroad for Yes, has allowed many Irish voters to make the trip. “Yesterday #AbroadForYes accommodated me to go #HomeToVote,” Clara Harte tweeted. “My heart is bursting! Making that journey that so many young women do and hopefully won’t have to again for abortions each day.”

Clara Harte (@clarabelleharte) Yesterday #AbroadForYes accommodated me to go #HomeToVote . My heart is bursting! Making that journey that so many young women do and hopefully won’t have to again for abortions each day 🇨🇮 #Repealthe8th already! pic.twitter.com/GagjF4HRBe

It isn’t just women who have been returning home to vote. One proud mother posted to social media that she had just collected her son at the airport. It has been suggested that men who oppose abortion will definitely vote, while men who believe the issue of abortion should be a woman’s choice may be less likely to cast their ballot. Noeleen McHugh said her son was home to return a favour. “In 2015 Ireland gave him his right - the right to get married. On Friday he’ll return the favour and vote to give women the right to make decisions about their own bodies.”



Noeleen McHugh (@MchughNoeleen) Just collected eldest son from Dublin Airport. In 2015 Ireland gave him his right - the right to get married.

On Friday he’ll return the favour and vote to give women the right to make decisions about their own bodies. #Together4Yes #hometovote #soproud

And support for the #HomeToVote campaign extends well beyond social media. Non-Irish nationals are showing solidarity with the campaign and joining Irish women based in their countries at events.



Facebook Twitter Pinterest Sue Newton attended a demo in London supporting Irish people planing to return home to vote. Photograph: David Levene/The Guardian

Sue Newton, 64, from Essex attended an event in London last week for Irish people who were preparing to travel home. Newton volunteers with the Abortion Support Network, hosting Irish women in her home when they travel alone to get an abortion: “I take them to the clinic and support them,” Newton said. “I support the idea of women’s rights to choose.”



Her daughter, Frankie, told her mother about the London event. “We have the right in England. Women should have the right in Ireland,” Frankie says.



With polling suggesting the referendum could be tight, and a large section of the population said to be still undecided on how to vote, campaigners hope that the determination shown by these Irish citizens living abroad will help to finally change Ireland’s strict abortion laws.