Cork and Kerry deliver strong Yes to same-sex marriage

A Yes result in the Same-sex Marriage Referendum has been declared in all constituencies in Cork, Kerry and west Limerick.

Cork East, Cork North West and Cork South West

There were cheers from a handful of Yes Equality campaigners at the Ballincollig count centre where the final result was delivered shortly after 7pm on Saturday.

Cork’s three county constituencies were the last in the country to deliver their results and all three returned Yes results.

GAA star and Yes campaigner Donal Og Cusack’s constituency returned the strongest of the County Cork Yes vote of the three with a resounding 61.72 per cent in favour.

Cork North West, traditionally a conservative constituency, returned a 57.87 per cent Yes vote. Mallow based Minister of State Sean Sherlock said the result “sends a signal to the world”.

He said a former school friend flew home from the US, where he has resided for 20 years, to vote.

Asked how the voter remained on the register, he said he did not know. “I think people still aspire to Catholic values, perhaps we are taking a more tolerant view, perhaps a more Church of Ireland view.

The Church of Ireland has traditionally been more open about social issues. I think Irish people are moving towards those values," he said. Cork South West returned the closest of the rural Cork vote, with 55.97 per cent voting in favour of the marriage amendment. Louise Roseingrave

Kerry North - West Limerick and Kerry South

In Kerry North - West Limerick and the Kerry South referendums, albeit with a less convincing majority than in many other parts of the country.

The Yes result was remarkably close in both regions - 55.45 per cent in Kerry North - West Limerick, and 55.31 per cent in Kerry South.

In Kerry North - West Limerick, 35,486 valid votes were cast, 19,678 Yes and 15,808 No. In all 35,769 people voted, for a turnout of 57.21 per cent.

The total electorate was 62,523, and 283 invalid votes were cast.

In Kerry South, a total of 33,476 votes were cast, with 288 invalid votes, from an electorate of 57,524. The turnout was 58.19 per cent.

A total of 18,357 Yes votes were cast, and 14,831 No votes.

Cork city, Cork South Central

In Cork city, Cork South Central confirmed a Yes vote at 65.78 per cent of the total, with No votes constituting 34.22 per cent.

Turnout was 63.86 per cent, with 59,018 people voting from an electorate of 92,422. There were 355 spoiled vote.

From a valid poll of 58,663, there were 38,591 Yes votes and 20,072 No votes.

In Cork North Central, the Yes side registered 63.77 per cent, and the No side, 36.23 per cent.

There were 44,661 valid votes cast, with 28,479 on the Yes side and 16,182 on the No side. Turnout was 59.87 per cent, with 45,059 people voting from an electorate of 75,263.