Some great points made here.
Ireland has voted to repeal the Eighth Amendment after 66.4% of the country voted yes. Out of 40 constituencies, 39 voted in favour of repealing the eighth.
Donegal was the only constituency to vote no in the referendum – the outcome was that 51.9% voted no, and 48.1% voted yes.
This being said, one Donegal man thinks that this does not tell the story.
Noel Sharkey took to Twitter to justify the reasons why that particular constituency voted the way that it did, and it makes a hell of a let of sense.
Have a look at it for yourself here:
2) Donegal people are forced to live and work elsewhere. Many of our Yes voters cast their vote in Dublin, Galway, etc. where they also canvassed and leafleted for @Together4yes
— Noel Sharkey (@JuniorDoctorIE) May 26, 2018
4) Donegal women contributed to the national debate, sharing their harrowing personal stories of fatal foetal abnormality and rape, having had to travel some of the longest journeys to access healthcare.
— Noel Sharkey (@JuniorDoctorIE) May 26, 2018
6) A lot of canvasses involved going up backroads and boreens. The scenery was beautiful but it took hours to get small numbers covered. Despite this, the team never gave up.
— Noel Sharkey (@JuniorDoctorIE) May 26, 2018
8) Having voted Yes because you support women, you'll surely spare a thought for the Donegal women hurting at this result, which doesn't reflect their sacrifice and hard work during the local campaign.
— Noel Sharkey (@JuniorDoctorIE) May 26, 2018
10) A final thought – you'll all be raving about us when you are on your summer holidays up in the hills of Donegal at some stage. Mock us now and we will spit in your coffee! Well done to everybody @ARCDonegal @Together4yes
— Noel Sharkey (@JuniorDoctorIE) May 26, 2018
Sharkey makes the point that plenty of people in the south of Donegal will have voted in Sligo/Leitrim due to constituency boundaries.
He also made the important point that many Donegal people went through an awful lot to ensure that this amendment was repealed, and that belittling and insulting the county for how they voted is flat out insulting, considering that: “Donegal women contributed to the national debate, sharing their harrowing personal stories of fatal foetal abnormality and rape, having had to travel some of the longest journeys to access healthcare.”