The people of Ireland are going to great lengths to vote in the referendum to overturn the country's eighth amendment today, which effectively outlaws abortion. Many have travelled #HomeToVote halfway across the globe, while others are going to a lot of trouble closer to home.
Case in point: one pregnant woman left the hospital midway through labour this morning to have her say. Páraic Ó Súilleabháin, who himself is supporting the repeal campaign, alerted the world to his "badass" partner's heroism on Twitter, even posting video footage of the momentous occasion.
I got permission to post the video! pic.twitter.com/hB7e1j7yNZ
— Páraic Ó Súilleabháin (@Paraic_O_S) May 25, 2018
"Well my badass of a partner decided mid induction in her pjs to get to the polling station from the labour ward to vote," he tweeted. "Hopefully the baby won't be born in the station! # emotionalday @ Together4yes # Repeal8th # repeal # 8thAmendment # TogetherForYes # together4Yes."
Strange feeling the past day or so in hospital with my partner who is in early labour. Thinking of Savita and all the others. Let's get this corrected once and for all. #repealthe8th #repeal #8thAmendment #galway #VoteYes
— Páraic Ó Súilleabháin (@Paraic_O_S) May 25, 2018
Tweeting from the hospital earlier in the morning, he said he was "thinking of Savita [Halappanavar] and all the others," who had suffered as a result of Ireland's strict abortion laws. "Let's get this corrected once and for all," he added. 31-year-old Indian dentist Savita Halappanavar became the face of the country's campaign for abortion rights after her death in Galway, Ireland, in 2012. She was denied an abortion in the midst of a five-day natural miscarriage, during which time she developed sepsis and died.
Ó Súilleabháin's tweet has received around 600 retweets and more than 2,6oo likes as of Friday afternoon, and his partner is being roundly praised online, with some calling her a "yes hero".
PAIR of badasses ye are - Sky News should be outside UHG for the announcement later. Its like awaiting the arrival of our own #RoyalBaby (only better)! pic.twitter.com/RIJYGEV0hS
— Elaine Byrnes (@ebyrnesNUIG) May 25, 2018
Big time.
— Páraic Ó Súilleabháin (@Paraic_O_S) May 25, 2018
she's a #yeshero - let us know how things go ..:)
— Helen Shaw (@athenamediaie) May 25, 2018
she's a #yeshero - let us know how things go ..:)
— Helen Shaw (@athenamediaie) May 25, 2018
I'm full of emotion 😭 don't forget, all babies born today must be named either GDPRthur or Repealerina 💕
— Niamh4Yes (@niamhzie) May 25, 2018
— Mary Kennedy (@mcjk) May 25, 2018
Where is this polling station?! Midwife here, and on my bike I can get there if needs Paraic. All good wishes to you both for safe arrival of your little one. So many women of all ages voting in D7 where I voted this am. Great video.
— Breda Gahan (@Health_HIV2030) May 25, 2018
Thats a dam good wuman! All the best to you’s both on the safe arrival of your baby! The wee one already has a cracking story to tell their pals #VoteYes
— Laura Marshall (@OnlyMrsNicoll) May 25, 2018
Your wife is amazing!! And it's awesome that your child will have been in the polling station and sort of voted on such an historic day.
— Victoria Targett (@victoriatargett) May 25, 2018
The polls close at 10pm tonight local time and the result is expected to be close, with the latest opinion polls indicating a Yes victory, however the country's undecided voters could swing the vote. The result will be announced late Saturday afternoon.
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