Voting in Galway was steady all day. By teatime 278 people in Gort had cast their votes out of a total of 1,275 on the register, while in nearby Kinvara 191 people out of 681 had voted, Judy Murphy reports from Galway.
Inisbofin reported a 38 per cent turnout by 6 p.m. and expected that to rise to 70 per cent by the time the polling centre closed. For junior Minister and East Galway TD, Mr Noel Treacy, yesterday evening's figures were good: "The percentage which has voted so far is equal to or greater than an election. Students especially seem to be making an effort to get home to vote."
Some people travelled from as far away as Killarney and Belfast to make their votes count, including one woman who drove 130 miles especially to vote against the Amsterdam Treaty. The Belfast Agreement was fine, she felt, but she was vehemently opposed to Amsterdam. Many younger city voters echoed her views.
Counting of the votes will take place today at the Westside Community centre in Galway West constituency, and at St Brigid's Hospital Hall, Ballinasloe, for Galway East.