The UK voted to leave the European Union in a non-binding referendum that will none-the-less send the country into years of negotiations to leave the continental alliance.  But the 52 percent majority was carried largely by England, leaving Scotland and Northern Ireland looking for ways to preserve their links to the EU.

Sinn Fein put it bluntly:  A strongly worded statement accused English voters of "dragging Northern Ireland out of the EU".  In Northern Ireland 440,707 (56 percent) people voted to Remain and 349,442 (44 percent) voted to Leave.

"English votes have overturned the democratic will of Northern Ireland.  This was a cross community vote in favor of remaining in the EU," said Sinn Fein National Chairman Declan Kearney.  "This British Government has forfeited any mandate to represent the economic or political interests of people in Northern Ireland," he added.

Northern Ireland First Minister Martin McGuinness of Sinn Fein had already said that if the UK leaves the EU, then Northern Ireland should be allowed to have an Independence and Reunification referendum. 

The border between Ireland the six countries of Northern Ireland would become the UK's frontier with the EU.  The "Leave" campaign had no specifics about how border controls would be handled, especially without offending Dublin.

The Scottish margin was even wider.  62 percent of Scots voted to Remain in the EU, and only 38 percent voted to leave.  The Scottish Greens have already launched a public petition calling for Holyrood to "examine and exhaust every option for continuing Scotland's close ties with Europe" - and that will likely mean a second independence referendum. 

Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon isn't just expected to back that referendum, but she is reportedly contemplating switching to the Euro.

"Scotland has delivered a strong, unequivocal vote to remain in the EU, and I welcome that endorsement of our European status. And while the overall result remains to be declared, the vote here makes clear that the people of Scotland see their future as part of the European Union," said Ms. Sturgeon, adding a strong, "Scotland has spoken - and spoken decisively".

Author J.K. Rowling of "Harry Potter" fame lambasted Prime Minister David Cameron for "breaking up two unions", meaning England and scotland as well as the UK and EU.