The low turnout at the booths in the west Limerick village of Bruree, childhood home of Eamon de Valera, was symptomatic of the general apathy in the region yesterday.
According to the presiding officer, Mr Danny Deady, one booth at Bruree National School did not have a single vote cast until 11.50 a.m.
By 7 p.m. 60 votes out of 350 registered had been cast in his booth, and a total of 200 out of 1,000 across the three booths there. "I would say we will have around 40 per cent of a turnout," he said.
Mr Pat Meghan, returning officer for Limerick East and Limerick West, said he toured a number of polling stations during the day and found the vote was low in both constituencies where there is a registered vote of 127,000. In Askeaton just 15 votes had been cast by 10 a.m.
Based on the numbers returned in the special vote for nursing homes, the turnout would be lower than other referendums. "The postal vote seemed quite low," he added.
Mr Denis Riordan, the Limerick Institute of Technology lecturer who last year challenged the constitutionality of the nomination of the former Supreme Court judge, Mr Hugh O'Flaherty, to the European Investment Bank, campaigned for a No vote on the Nice Treaty and the establishment of an international criminal court.
He said he was hopeful the No voters would turn out to vote and the Yes ones would stay at home. "It would be very difficult to call. I would be inclined to think that the people who would vote No would stay at home and the people who would vote Yes would go out."
Mr Riordan recently received a bill of £48,424.36 from the Chief State Solicitor's Office for his failed constitutional challenge to the Belfast Agreement. Separately, counsel fees for that case amounted to £28,498. He is due back in the Supreme Court next Wednesday to appeal a dismissed High Court case brought by him against eight Supreme Court judges.