After Friday’s vote, counting begins at 9am Saturday with Ireland potentially becoming the first country to allow gay marriage through a plebiscite Counting of votes in Ireland’s landmark referendum on gay marriage begins at 9am Saturday as the government and rights campaigners bid to make history.With more than 3.2 million people eligible to vote, including tens of thousands who registered at the last minute and returned home from overseas, the turnout was reported to be higher than average.