Today's the day: after months (or arguably years, or decades) of build-up, the Irish people go to the polls to vote on whether to repeal the 8th amendment of the constitution or not.
Like the Marriage Equality referendum three years ago, thousands of recent emigrants have also been returning home to vote, and the subsequent #hometovote hashtag and the stories that go with it have been pretty emotional at times - not to mention the numerous offers of lifts, places to stay and more from one stranger to another.
Even Russell Crowe has added his voice to the fray, while the likes of Lily Allen and Pink have also lent their support to the Yes campaign on social media:
I have two beautiful sons . I wasnt lucky enough to have a daughter. If I had, I’d wish her to have courage like yours.
Nobody’s daughter should ever be told she doesn’t have authority over her own body.
This video is the beginning and the end of the debate. #yes https://t.co/YeV9s7NmRy— Russell Crowe (@russellcrowe) May 24, 2018
— Lily Allen (@lilyallen) May 23, 2018
See some of the best #hometovote tweets below:
Last minute flight from Vancouver to London: $1500
Length of journey: 15 hours
Repealing the 8th: priceless.
Me mas's reacrion: also priceless. 😂#HomeToVote #abroadforyes pic.twitter.com/G11cjh11c2— Vancouver Kilo (@Kilo53908733) May 25, 2018
Dublin airport for anyone #hometovote
You absolute legends
Make history people! #TogetherForYes pic.twitter.com/FId0gNfdXu
— Eimear (@eimzkavanagh) May 25, 2018
Scenes in Dublin Airport bringing me to tears! Thank you to all you amazing people who are #hometovote... such goosebumps #VOTEYES pic.twitter.com/tQiaHr39Cy
— Claire Hannigan (@ClaireHannigan3) May 24, 2018
Im coming #hometovote as the woman of Ireland deserve better #repeal #together4yes #trustwomen #progressivehealthcare
— Ian madigan (@Ian_madigan) May 24, 2018
Brussels airport boarding to Dublin. The passengers on one flight #hometovote #Repealthe8th pic.twitter.com/pGyoanvFT3
— Paula Kehoe (@paulamkehoe) May 24, 2018
We are bowled over by the wonderful #HomeToVote crowd. Look at the wonderful @repealproject-clad crew arriving #Together4yes #Together2Vote pic.twitter.com/4GqKPL1U1d
— Together for Yes (@Together4yes) May 24, 2018
My 'drop of golden' son just landed in Cork airport. He is #hometovote and will be voting YES for his sister, YES his mum & YES for a better day for women and a kinder Ireland. Our family all #TogetherForYes #together2vote @CorkTogether4Y pic.twitter.com/fK9Dc7nCi6
— Colette Kelleher (@ColetteKelleher) May 24, 2018
Just off the plane #hometovote!! And my amazing family came through with the banners...can’t wait to get out and do some last minute campaigning to make Ireland more compassionate! #Together4Yes #YourYesMatters #mybodymychoice pic.twitter.com/6HSFyyjZj6
— Gill_Connolly (@Gill_Connolly) May 24, 2018
Last minute decision to go #hometovote to #repealthe8th No flights left from London, so I have a 4 hour train, 4 hour wait and 3 hour ferry to make it home to vote- which is a walk in the park in comparison to the journey that Irish women are making every day to the UK
— Michelle McHugh (@MichelleMarleyy) May 24, 2018
My dad sent my sister a text this week saying he will vote on her behalf since she can't get home to vote.
Little do either of my parents know I'm sitting in the airport waiting for her flight to arrive. #hometovote #Mna4Ta #Together4Yes #men4yes #Repealthe8th— Avril Hayden 🇮🇪🇪🇺 (@AvvyEire) May 24, 2018
I made friends at the boarding gate. Not one of us knew each other. #hometovote #london #ireland @LdnIrishARC pic.twitter.com/w7A91tUrZu
— Danielle Stephens (@DaniS1006) May 24, 2018
🇮🇪🇮🇪🇮🇪THERE IS A LADY AT DUBLIN AIRPORT HANDING OUT BAGS OF TAYTO TO ALL THE ONES COMING #HOMETOVOTE 🇮🇪🇮🇪🇮🇪
🇮🇪🇮🇪🇮🇪🇮🇪🇮🇪
I.
ADORE.
THIS.
STUPID.
COUNTRY.
🇮🇪🇮🇪🇮🇪🇮🇪🇮🇪— Caoimhín RuPeal The 8th (@yascaoimhin) May 24, 2018
All the way from Sweden to Kerry, a 12 hour journey to cross a big fat YES on the ballot paper #HometoVote #repealthe8th pic.twitter.com/psC2utM3K5
— Nora (@tea_and_biccies) May 23, 2018
I can’t vote (lived abroad too long).
I haven’t canvassed (I live in London).I haven’t been shouted at, spat at, had doors slammed in my face. I *can* offer lifts to Heathrow/ London City airports on Friday AM. #HomeToVote #Repealthe8th *for Savita & all Irish women* pic.twitter.com/4nr3OvHa9J— Helen O'Rahilly (@HelenORahilly) May 23, 2018
Lads, the pure dote at the car hire desk saw my badge and jumper and waived the cross border fees with a wink and a smile, wished us luck and the pure overwhelming love I feel now has put dust in my eye. Scraping the money together was a struggle but I’m #hometovote #VoteYes #mná pic.twitter.com/NeKxtgB03a
— Lauren O'Sullivan (@Sullubrious) May 23, 2018
Just started the first leg of my journey #hometovote. Taking a night bus to Tokyo, where I will fly out tomorrow afternoon. Hopefully, I can find something fun to do while eagerly awaiting my chance to help #RepealTheEighth on Friday. pic.twitter.com/DpDeZziKzv
— Matthew Corbally (@Corballicious) May 22, 2018
Big crowd of people at Dublin Airport arrivals cheering everyone with a Yes badge or a repeal jumper who’s come #HomeToVote. My heart. ðŸ˜ðŸ'ž pic.twitter.com/YWn4YKjOkS
— Matthew Carson (@matthewcarson) May 24, 2018
It's never too late to cancel your holiday and come #hometovote pic.twitter.com/w3aVurTKSB
— VultureDoyle (@Repzy) May 24, 2018
Irish women who have come #hometovote arriving at Dublin airport. pic.twitter.com/jTMm1xg9a1
— Laura Silver (@laurafleur) May 24, 2018
I went to Dublin Airport to bear witness to this amazing movement and I could.not.cope.#hometovote pic.twitter.com/NBZQewsfAe
— Jane Horgan-Jones (@horganjonesjane) May 24, 2018
The kindness of randomers is amazing! Got the price of a flight from Abu Dhabi to Dublin donated in 20 mins! I’m coming #hometovote 🇮🇪
— Avril Wall (@theres_WALLY) May 24, 2018
a friend of mine wasn’t allowed fly from Manchester as she forgot her passport. random stranger in the airport transferred her 400 pounds to book flights tomorrow morning. She will be #hometovote. I will be crying
— ruth cunningham (@rthcnnghm) May 24, 2018
Heatmap of the some of the places in the world people traveled from to come #hometovote ... if this doesn't set you off you're broken and in need of urgent repair. Irish people are a class bunch #legends #TogetherForYes #repealthe8th pic.twitter.com/78j3lzeRaA
— Drew Murphy (@drewtmurphy) May 24, 2018
The #hometovote feed is an affirmation of the best of the human spirit. Irish women & men, from all over the world, journeying home to #RepealTheEighth - ádh mór! Ireland is becoming a more compassionate, modern country! 🇮🇪 âÂ?¤ï¸Â? pic.twitter.com/NrS0q6G5C8
— Liam Conlon (@LiamConlon2) May 24, 2018
Can’t handle how gorgeous this family is - part of the welcome party in Dublin Airport #hometovote pic.twitter.com/GtGMqEmKae
— eef (@eefhah) May 24, 2018
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 ðŸ˜ðŸ˜ðŸ˜ðŸ˜ðŸ˜ðŸ˜ðŸ˜ðŸ˜ #HomeToVote #Together4Yes #repealthe8th #VietnamToIreland pic.twitter.com/lJ7yGvg5YO
— the cute hoor (@HoorayForNiamh) May 23, 2018
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 #HomeToVote
— Ciaran Gaffney (@gaffneyciaran) May 22, 2018
The homevote pics of the airport queues are like when a battle in a film is getting tough, and then a load of supportive elves with swords suddenly emerge over a hill.
— Rubber Bandits (@Rubberbandits) May 24, 2018
