Marriage Equality North and South: The Journey After The Gathering

“It Just Feels Weird” – Irish External Voting and the ‘Brexit Irish’

“…At the time of writing (May 2022), Irish emigrants retain the right to vote in Irish elections for just 18 months after leaving, and in order to enact this entitlement they must return to vote in-person (Mackle, 2018). Returning to Ireland and voting in an election after the 18-month period is classed as a criminal offence (O'Neill, 2019).…”

“…These arguments came to the fore in Ireland during 2015 and 2018 with the Marriage Equality and Repeal the 8th Referendums. Prior to the Marriage Equality Referendum, the Twitter hashtag #HomeToVote was recorded 72,000 times in 24 hours as Irish emigrants from across the world made their way to Ireland to cast their vote (Mackle, 2018). Those unable to vote joined in with social media posts, with some posting online about calling family in Ireland, encouraging them to vote 'Yes' (Fottrell, 2015;Mackle, 2018).…”

“…Prior to the Marriage Equality Referendum, the Twitter hashtag #HomeToVote was recorded 72,000 times in 24 hours as Irish emigrants from across the world made their way to Ireland to cast their vote (Mackle, 2018). Those unable to vote joined in with social media posts, with some posting online about calling family in Ireland, encouraging them to vote 'Yes' (Fottrell, 2015;Mackle, 2018). Danielle Mackle describes this as the diaspora mobilising 'to make their voices heard in the hope of creating a more open and tolerant society at home to which they may someday return' (Mackle, 2018:119).…”