Ireland Gay Marriage Vote Spurs Emotional Celebrations, In Photos

Scenes Of Celebration And Love After Ireland Votes Yes On Gay Marriage

Ireland held a historic referendum on same-sex marriage on Saturday, with a resounding majority of voters backing legalization. The result makes Ireland the first country in the world to adopt gay marriage through popular vote.

Around 62 percent of citizens who headed to the polls voted yes to legalization, amid the highest turnout the country has seen in two decades. The vote reflects the changing nature of Ireland's once-conservative Catholic society, which only decriminalized homosexuality in 1993.

Supporters of the Yes campaign celebrated in the streets of Dublin as the ballots were counted, breaking into the national anthem when the official result was announced. The photos below capture the crowds outside Dublin Castle as they cheer, cry and take in a landmark moment in Irish history.

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Ireland Votes Yes On Gay Marriage

Ireland Votes Yes On Gay Marriage

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