A group of Yes voters pose for a photo on their way #hometovote from Brussels, Belgium.Twitter

Irish immigrants arrive home to vote in their thousands as Ireland makes history, with a once in a lifetime referendum on the Eighth Amendment of the Constitution.

As the voting on the May 25 referendum, on Ireland’s Eighth Amendment of the Constitution, gets underway #hometovote has been erupting on social media with thousands of Irish from around returning to cast their ballot. From as far away as Asia, Australia, South America, as well as throngs of people from the UK and Europe, the famous Irish diaspora are returning home to vote.

The Eight Amendment, introduced in 1983, grants equal rights to the fetus and the mother. Current law outlaws abortion in all cases, except when the mother’s life is at risk and the restrictions on this are very high. Ireland’s abortion laws are among the strictest in the European Union.

If the Yes vote wins on Friday, the Irish Government have said that abortions would be allowed during the first 12 weeks of pregnancy.

Read more: Ireland votes on abortion rights as nation holds its breath

This 2018 #hometovote movement mirrors the actions during Ireland’s marriage equality referendum in 2015 when similar scenes were recorded. In fact, Ireland’s #hometovote campaign this year has been so successful that the hashtag earned the coveted position on Twitter’s headquarters wall of fame, in San Francisco.

Over the last week #hometovote has been trending as the Irish around the world, who have the right to vote, prepared to fly and take the boat home. However, by the evening of May 24 scenes at Dublin airport were reminiscent of Christmastime as Irish flooded through the arrival gates.

This is just a sample of some of the tweets of people flying in from around the world:

Read more: Stunning hypocrisy - Orange Order says “no” to abortion referendum in Ireland

The London contingent were also strongly represented:

Famous figures also threw their hats into the ring including rugby player Ian Madigan, who is currently playing for Bristol.

Sinn Fein’s leader Mary Lou McDonald retweeted a moving illustration of Irish flooding in with suitcases to vote. The image of dragging suitcases has been referenced heavily over the years of pro-choice campaigning as 11 Irish women, on average, per week travel abroad to access abortions.

New York Irish comedian Des Bishop took to Twitter to offer lifts for anyone home to vote.

Also being used on Twitter was #hometovoteno. The top tweet came from the socially conservative Roman Catholic advocacy group the Iona Institute. It reads:

Many other tweets came from other pro-life groups however so individuals did post of their journeys.

The feeling ahead of the vote seems to be one of pride and anticipation as the global Irish flock to do their civic duty and change Irish law.  With the latest polls, in the Sunday Times, showing the Yes vote with a lead of 52% nothing will be certain until the results come through on Saturday. Polls will close on Friday night at 10pm.