Irish abortion referendum: yes wins with 66.4% – as it happened

The map shows the breakdown of results: an overwhelming yes to repealing the eighth.

That brings our live coverage to an end. Thanks for reading and commenting.

Our full report on today’s historic result is here.

That’s it then: as those two shock exit polls predicted last night, by a margin of 66.4% for yes to 33.6% for no and on a record turnout of 64.51%, Ireland has voted to repeal the eighth amendment of its constitution, which since 1983 has effectively prohibited abortion in all bar exceptional circumstances.

Here’s is Guardian Ireland correspondent Henry McDonald’s full story on the events of a historic day, what led up to them, and what they might mean.

Here is Harriet Sherwood’s explanation of what will happen to Ireland’s abortion legislation now, and how the government’s planned new regime compares with the rest of the world.

And here is her article about how the spotlight in the abortion debate is now likely to switch to Northern Ireland.

The final three results have been confirmed, and as expected Donegal was the only one of Ireland’s 40 constituencies to vote no:

• Sligo-Leitrim 59.38% yes, 40.62% no
• Cork East 64.12% yes, 35.88% no
• Donegal 51.87% no, 48.13% yes

My colleague at Dublin Castle Emma Graham-Harrison tells me that as the results were announced, the crowds in the courtyard began chanting, “Savita, Savita!” - the name of the Indian dentist who died of sepsis in 2012 after being refused an abortion during a protracted miscarriage.

Here we are, the final result. Returning officer Barry Ryan is announcing the result:

Yes: 1,429,981 NO: 723,632

A majority of 706,349 for yes

That’s 66.4% for yes, and 33.6% for no

Ireland’s eighth amendment has therefore been repealed.

So while we’re all waiting patiently for the final result – it’s been an hour-and-a-half since the last constituency declared – it seems at least someone in the crowd at Dublin Castle has a nice sense of humour:

Readers have been telling the Guardian about what they hope will happen next.

Katie, film-maker:

For both sides, this is a very difficult and emotional topic and I hope that people can be gentle and empathetic with each other. I hope that women are treated with respect. I hope that women are given compassion. I hope that women are given the ability to make the extremely difficult and painful decision about an unplanned pregnancy without needing to feel shame or facing barriers. I hope that women are given the option to have quality medical advice and facilities if they so choose.

Lloyd Meadhbh Houston, student:

In the short term, I hope that this result will improve the lives of women in Ireland and Northern Ireland, allowing access to free, safe, and legal terminations to women in the south, and a shorter, more manageable journey for women in the North. In the long term, I believe this result offers further evidence of the absurdity, hypocrisy, and cruelty of the prohibition of abortion in the North of Ireland. 26 counties down, six to go. The fight isn’t over.

Louse Kinsella, mother:

I hope the government will put in place legislation, with sufficient financial supports and recruitment to support the proposals. I also hope that there will be sufficient supports and education put in place with a target of Ireland having the lowest abortion rate in the world. Abortion should always be the last resort and I think targeting a very low rate through proper eduction and empowerment of women, men, and children combined with proper healthcare and social supports is something both sides of this campaign can support.

Robert McCourt, retired:

I think the government will move quickly to enshrine the result into law. I think it is necessary for society to build upon this result and that the people who voted no can be encouraged to understand the result and perhaps give it some form of support.

Maeve Quinlan, student:

I hope that we can move forward and bring in the proposed legislation without conflict. I hope the no side respectfully accept this democratic result, and do not engage in hurtful and distasteful protesting outside medical centres and clinics. These protests as seen in the UK and US are misguided and aim to shame those seeking medical support.

Turnout has been confirmed at 64.51%, more than three points higher than in the same-sex marriage plebiscite in 2015 and a record in an Irish referendum.

Rain has started at Dublin Castle, and people are fleeing to shelter at the edges or pulling out umbrellas, reports Sinéad Baker.

But very few people are leaving. Everyone remains eager to hear the final announcement.

Grainne Teggart, Amnesty International’s Northern Ireland campaigns manager, has written for the Guardian on the urgent need to now reform the abortion law there, which dates back to 1861 – literally from the Victorian era – and makes abortion illegal in almost every circumstance, even in cases of rape or fatal foetal abnormalities:

With legislation soon to follow Saturday’s result in Ireland, we may soon see women in Northern Ireland catching trains over the border rather than planes over the sea for this healthcare. But we’ll still be forced on those lonely and difficult journeys.

The UK government cannot continue to turn a blind eye to this absurd situation. Westminster has the power and responsibility to bring Northern Ireland abortion law in to line with human rights standards, but is choosing instead to be complicit in our harm and suffering and is continuing to deny us equality.

For the past 16 months, Northern Ireland has been without devolved government. But this is no excuse - having a Stormont government in place would not relieve the UK government of its responsibility to ensure that women’s right to abortion is upheld. Devolution is no justification for the denial of women’s rights.

A free abortion service in England is a helpful form of remedy, but it’s not the solution. In parallel with this, we must also see a process to bring about long overdue law reform in Northern Ireland.

It is important to remember that it’s the most vulnerable and marginalised women who are unable to travel and left most at risk by the current laws. We’re talking about women who have experienced domestic violence, women without confirmed immigration status, young girls who can’t fly without an adult, and those with health complications.

Sky’s Darren McCaffrey in Donegal has a similar report to RTÉ’s from East Cork: it looks like the results from the last three constituencies (Sligo-Leitrim is the third) will be announced alongside or after the final national result.

The overall outcome, though, is not in any doubt: unofficial but generally accurate tallies suggest Donegal is the only constituency to have voted no, with yes looking a comfortable winner in East Cork and Sligo-Leitrim.

Here is the Guardian’s full video report on the day that fully two-thirds of Ireland’s voters backed the repeal of article 40.3.3, which since 1983 has effectively prohibited abortion in almost all cases:

1:00

The crowd at Dublin Castle cheers as Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald holds up a sign saying “The North is next ...” reports Sinéad Baker.

We’re still waiting on the final three constituencies: Cork East, Sligo-Leitrim, and Donegal, which observers are predicting may be the only one to back no.

RTÉ is reporting that the Cork County returning officer has closed the count centre in Ballincollig. The results for Cork East have reportedly been sent to Dublin Castle and will be announced after the national result.

26 May 201812.01 EDT

Lisa O'Carroll

Peter Boylan, leading yes campaigner and chair of the Institute of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, gets a hero’s welcome in Dublin Castle, with the crowd chanting “Peter, Peter, Peter”.

Boylan came under fierce attack from some institute members when he claimed that the majority supported repeal, a claim he stood by earlier this month.

Offered without comment:

The 18-to-24 age group in Ireland has been strongly pro-repeal and many young people have contacted the Guardian.

One of them, Olivia Malone, 18, a student from County Wexford, canvassed during her exams for the yes campaign:

I graduated on Thursday, and was out with most of my year group till the early hours of the morning. I had a great time, but what worried me was whether my all girl’s school would drag themselves out to vote the next day.

Yet on Friday morning I woke up to texts in the 6th Year group chat - the girls were all encouraging each other to vote. The youth involvement in this has been unlike any other election I’ve ever witnessed. I’m floating on cloud nine.

I’m totally astonished by the massive landslide. The general feeling among strong yes campaigners recently was cautious hope, and I know most that I’ve talked to predicted a yes vote in the 50s, but this is beyond anything I can imagine.

If you’d like to share your reaction, you can do so here.

Dublin Bay South votes 78.49% yes, 21.51% no.

That leaves three constituencies still to declare.