Some sporadic musings following the repeal of the Eighth Amendment to the Constitution. In no particular order:

• Steered by ordinary people, from women and couples with stories on both sides, to previously unknown citizens spanning all walks of life who joined together to run well-organised campaigns, it was extraordinary. The political parties were shoved to one side by movements for yes and no.

• How many of the impressive young people but mainly women who fronted this campaign will stay involved in politics and run for office at local or Dáil level?

• It’s presumptuous to ridicule TDs and senators and county councillors who supported the no side as being out of touch. Maybe they voted based on their personal conscience? Aren’t they entitled to be respected for their personal opinion? They, like everyone else, have one vote. And doesn’t the exact same assumption apply to those who publicly backed the yes campaign, including Luke Ming Flanagan MEP, who alluded to as much about “personal conscience over losing votes” before last Friday? Moreover, what about the public representatives who ducked beneath the crossfire throughout? Any news since?

• Of voters who agree on the approval of abortion where the woman is the victim of rape or incest but do not approve of unrestricted abortion up until 12 weeks, some voted yes and some voted no.

• The RTÉ exit poll makes for interesting reading, debunking stereotypical assumptions about how certain cohorts of society predictably votes. But apart from genuine people, be they pro-choice or pro-life or the rest in the middle, there were nasty hijackers and campaigners on social media and elsewhere who really cared little about pregnant women or unborn babies. They used the referendum to promote their own political beliefs, religious ideology, anti-establishment, pro-this or anti-that beliefs. Whatever. Anyway, fair play lads. You won, you lost, you keep going. Not nice people.

• People shouted that the referendum result was another message to the church. But did you notice how priests and bishops were absent from the campaign debates and discussions on radio and television?

• Those who voted no should accept the democratic result in the same way those who voted yes should respect people who remain anti-abortion. Some chance.

• The Irish silent Brexit or Trump vote is obviously non-existent.

• While RTÉ and other broadcasters were subject to strict rules regarding balance and impartiality (as should be expected of journalists), the same rule obviously didn’t apply to other journalists, columnists and commentators who were clear canvassers, writing for national newspapers and making contributions to radio and TV. And mainly for the yes side on their social media anyway. So has the line between mainstream media and social media, where impartiality never existed, just become a cloudy blur?

• Campaign and election posters make little difference as to how we vote, except to antagonise. So, could all general election candidates save themselves and their core supporters the hassle, silly posing and expense of stupid looking posters?

• Now we have had 36 amendments to the Constitution. The world still turns. CL

Holy show

We are coming to the end of first holy communion ceremonies. Without wishing to sound irreverent, this also marks the end of a bonanza time for bouncy castle owners. Anyway, on retrieving his rented castle from a house late last Saturday – just as the adults finished their turn – one castle owner discovered a sticky note which read: “To the person whole took my shoes from the side of the bouncy castle, GROW UP!”