According to The Guardian, with about a fifth of constituencies returning official results, Ireland appears certain to pass the gay marriage rights reform with close to 65% in favor! The biggest support so far was recorded in Kildare North with a 69.67% majority for the Yes side, while the closest contest was in County Mayo where only 52% were in favor.

Voters were offered the chance to amend their constitution to:

“Marriage may be contracted in accordance with law by two persons without distinction as to their sex.”

The streets of Dublin are starting to get busy, with whistles, car horns and impromptu street parties as the Yes camapign really starts to dare to believe it has won. Many were really reluctant to accept it was true even as the tallies emerged. Joey Kavanagh, who organised the #gettheboat2vote campaign said:

“I’ve ben so inspired by the creativity, the vibrancy and the love of the yes campaign. Just to see the messages of support I’m getting from around the world. Wonderful day. The most wonderful day. I hope Ireland can now play a key part in the global conversation about equality.”

Ireland has become the first country in the world to legalize gay marriage by popular mandate – in what the nation’s only openly gay minister has described as a “social revolution”. For more live coverage check The Guardian, here.

(Top image, Getty; via The Guardian)