While Europe watches nervously. Here's an informative Q&A from the Guardian explaining the details.

Today is the day of the Irish referendum on the Lisbon Treaty, the backdoor new constitution -- though it can't be called a new constitution because that would require too many other public votes -- being adopted by the EU. There are 27 countries that signed the treaty. But only in Ireland do the people get to vote on it. So the Irish have outsized power today -- they are the voice of the people of Europe. If they vote the treaty down, they can scuttle the whole thing.

The political leadership of the country supports the treaty. But nationalists think it infringes on sovereignty. And Irish farmers, one of the few industries that the EU hasn't benefited, are leading the charge against it. Polls suggest the treaty is in trouble--the final results are likely to be close.