Nuns and Friars vote against divorce

November 1995

As votes cast in the Divorce Referendum were tallied at the count centre on Saturday, it emerged that the most overwhelming rejection of divorce in Wexford town came in the ballot box used by the nuns from the Presentation Convent, the priests from the Presbytery, and the Franciscan Friars.

Voting in the number two box at St. John’s Road School, along with the residents of Mary Street, St. Patrick’s Square, Peter Street, Rowe Street, School Street and Waterloo Road, they rejected divorce unanimously, with 63% against and only 37% in favour.

This was the highest margin against the referendum in the urban district. The margin against was repeated exactly in the rural Baldwinstown box.

However, despite these two strong rejections, the majority of polling boxes in the Wexford district spilt in favour of the referendum, according to the tallies carried out.

The largest support came in large urban areas, with the highest yes vote being recorded in the number eight box at Scoil Mhuire in Coolcotts, where 77% of the voters from Sycamore Close, The Grove and Walnut Grove came out in favour of divorce.

The Scoil Mhuire number six box, used by the residents of Ferndale Park, Glenbrook, Hospital Road, Mansfield Drive and Newlands also split strongly in the affirmative, with 70% in favour.

The 70/30 in favour split was also recorded in the Barntown number one box, while another strong yes vote came in Rosslare Harbour, with 68% in favour.

Rural areas voting against included Baldwinstown (63% no), Kilmore (61% no), Kilrane (58% no), Tagoat (56% no), Killinick (55% no), Mayglass (54% no), Tacumshane (54% no), Tomhaggard (54% no), and Kilmore Quay (52% no).

Overall, the county voted against divorce by 51% to 49%. There were 23,850 votes for, and 25,305 votes against.