Good point, Paul.

The more I had "VOTE YES" shoved in my face - and we all did (on every single lamp pole along the main national road into the city, how much did that cost the taxpayers?) and much else - the more resistance I felt to being simultaneously manipulated and under-informed (bad combination, that). Multiple emails circulating from the top brass at the educational institution where I teach, politically-interested bodies, all crying Say Yes!!! and exhorting us to Get Out There And Vote!!!!!!!!!

Well, I got out there and voted, all right. A resounding NO, which I X'd in so hard that it almost cut through the ballot paper. Less than a hundred years ago people died for Irish independence. Why give it away now? Why give it away ever? Why give away our enfranchisement? Why should we let the politicians decide what we want and do our voting for us? The Taoiseach has just been thrown out of office for lying and corruption. What's that tell you?

Anybody catch Brian Lenihan (Fianna Fáil TD for Dublin West*) on the telly trying to speak over a booming chorus of shouted NO-NO-NO's from the bystanding populace and getting utterly drowned out, even with mics shoved right up his gob? The only words I caught were him moaning about not being allowed freedom of speech. Freedom of speech????!!!!! Listen all around you, Brian. It's drowning you out, mate.   

Bonnie in The People's Republic Of Cork (returning the highest NO percentage so far)

*Returns just in a few minutes ago from Lenihan's own constituency: One-two-three, all together now: NO