50,000 Irish came #hometovote for the Referendum: Some of the best stories…

We’re a patriotic bunch. We LOVE to have our say. We LOVE a good fight. But who could have imagined that over 50,000 people would come home to vote for the Marriage Referendum?

The scenes at airports, on air coaches and on busses and trains left many with lumps in their throats last night.

Dublin airports were thronged over the past few days, not to mention the bumper-to-bumper roads leaving Dublin yesterday with people racing to get out of the city to their home towns where they are registered to vote.

Thousands of tweets with the hashtag #hometovote appeared on our feeds over the past few days, but here are some of our faves. Warning: You might need tissues.

May 21, 2015

Ireland’s @twitter 30 mins before #marref polls closed. #hometovote lit up globe (heatmap) http://t.co/3mIokwBtNxpic.twitter.com/R3ZQL9MpJQ — IvorCrotty (@IvorCrotty) May 22, 2015

 

This is the scene on the 9:10 London to Holyhead train as Irish abroad return #hometovote #marref pic.twitter.com/spVfkb5sIT — Naomi O’Leary (@NaomiOhReally) May 22, 2015

 

It’s amazing when people join together to #PromoteLove and love wins. CONGRATS IRELAND. http://t.co/1MqDzRRNY1 #PromoteLove #HomeToVote

— Steph Grant (@imstephdotcom) May 23, 2015

 

My home has said YES to #equality. Yes to me my friends Yes to #MarRef #LGBT #IrelandSaysYes #hometovote We did it pic.twitter.com/9Fv0qYO1AK — William H L Edgill (@Edgillwhl) May 23, 2015

 

It’s official. The best country in the world. #YesEquality #MarRef #MakeGraTheLaw #hometovote #Ireland pic.twitter.com/GVp9OmgbLK

— Robert Bohan Artist (@RobertBohan) May 23, 2015

 

Came #hometovote all the way from London and found my mum had made some subtle changes to my room for me #VoteYes pic.twitter.com/BOdxqXhJoN — Kevin Beirne (@KevBeirne) May 21, 2015

 

Two Irish Brothers. One straight, one gay. Equals at last… #hometovote #MarRef #MarRef2015 #SayYesToEquality pic.twitter.com/kZZq8yZFBB

— Jack Patch (@JackPatch_) May 23, 2015

 

Didn’t get a badge so made this little print out instead. Home to vote YES #MarRef@gettheboat2vote@YesEquality2015pic.twitter.com/oxP7pUa3eT — Helen Kennedy (@HKHunterKiller) May 21, 2015

 

Éire! Have some hrs free, flying in to vote tomorrow. It’s the most important thing you’ll do. Don’t forget! #MarRef pic.twitter.com/RSuR4lWTgP

— Hozier (@Hozier) May 21, 2015

 

The #hometovote is like when you’re watching The Hobbit and an army of elves you’d forgotten from earlier in the film arrive over a hill.

— Colm O’Regan (@colmoregan) May 21, 2015