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Selfies, beards and tears: Gerry Adams was like a pop star on Grafton Street this lunchtime

The Sinn Féin president found it difficult to canvass for a Yes vote today, such was the demand for selfies.

GERRY ADAMS’S ATTEMPTS to canvass for Yes vote in the same-sex marriage referendum were somewhat thwarted by demands for selfies on Grafton Street this lunchtime.

The Sinn Féin leader arrived at the top of the famous Dublin street just after 1.30pm with an army of Sinn Féin TDs, senators and staff laden with party-branded Yes leaflets.

Initially Adams appeared more taken by the breakdancers performing outside the St Stephen’s Green shopping centre:
https://vine.co/v/eKqO6Vpg7Ul

But not to be distracted he soon got down to the important business of engaging with the voters:
https://vine.co/v/eKqOFX2Un1z

Nearby, some excited schoolgirls hovered, whispering “that’s Gerry Adams” to each other as they waited patiently for the all important selfie:
https://vine.co/v/eKqeWptindM

Sure enough, the Louth TD obliged:

IMG_5851 Hugh O'Connell / TheJournal.ie Hugh O'Connell / TheJournal.ie / TheJournal.ie

And it wasn’t long before everyone else wanted to get involved…

Others got their friends to take pictures:

IMG_5865

After a bearded gent snapped another bearded gent and Gerry together, the Sinn Féin president shook his hand and this incredible exchange happened:

The selfies continued as Adams and the Sinn Féin delegation headed towards the shopping centre.

We remarked to a Sinn Féin press officer that he had, unfortunately, become the official photographer. “I’m always doing this,” he jokingly sighed.

As we chatted, one girl got particularly overwhelmed by the whole event and was seen in tears after she got a picture with Adams.

She wandered off in the direction of the Luas before we got a chance to talk to her.

Then as Adams made his way into the shopping centre, he was accosted by another group of schoolgirls who wanted their picture with the popular party leader.

Selfies galore:
https://vine.co/v/eKqv60XhZBj

Then this man got very excited and started recording a selfie video with Adams encouraging a Yes vote:

Take our word for it when we tell you he was VERY excited.

All this madness prompted Sinn Féin TD Sandra McLellan to remark that her party leader was “like a pop star”.

“There’s no Irish political leader as recognisable internationally as him,” she told us.

And with that Gerry ‘Bono’ Adams was off into the bowels of the shopping centre.

Read: The No campaign says that there are thousands of people who are “being silenced”

Previously: There was some pretty awkward canvassing at the Stephen’s Green Luas stop this morning

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Hugh O'Connell
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