History: 2022
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- History: 2022
Projects for 2022
Campaigns undertaken in 2022
Reaching a huge audience on social media
IMPACT : Millions of views and engagements on our world-class pro-life messaging. With your help, Life Institute has become a leading global source of pro-life information.
Time to think: Keep the 3-day wait campaign
IMPACT : A national campaign utilising billboards, newspaper ads, online messaging, leaflet drops and more, with a reach of more than a 1.2 million and potentially saving 1,000 lives a year.
Billboards urging voters to help save 1,000 babies every year
Bravo to everyone involved in the ‘Time to Think’ campaign which saw a sustained and significant rise in pro-life engagement right across the country.
And it was superb to see pro-life doctors and nurses, along with pro-life TDs, coming out so strongly to remind Simon Coveney and Leo Varadkar to keep the promise they made in the referendum – and to give women that vital time to consider.
Newspaper adverts with the ‘Call Your TD’ message
Social media messaging packing a powerful punch – with huge numbers seeing the message
More than 100 medical professionals signed the open letter “strongly urging” the Minister for Health to retain the 3-day wait before abortion – and they said that the government must not betray voters or mothers and babies.
21,000 aborted
IMPACT: The message was seen nationwide as billboards and social media advertisements reminded the public of the shocking reality of abortion in Ireland.
With every year, the shocking and heart-breaking death toll from legalised abortion in Ireland rises. Abortion rates rocketed after repeal of the pro-life amendment in 2018. According to the Department of Health, in just over three years, 21,000 abortions took place. That’s more than the population of Sligo. That’s the equivalent of 840 classrooms of children who were never born – or 78 average-sized primary schools, completely wiped out.
Life Institute’s 2022 billboard campaign, with additional social media and media advertising, brought this stark reality to public attention.
I’m just appalled at that 21,000. It’s unbelievable. I’m so sorry I voted Yes as I never thought we’d be looking at these numbers.
Helen, Dublin
It asks the question: “why are we aborting our future?”. The appalling abortion rate shocks even many of those who voted Yes because they were told abortion would be ‘rare’.
By shining a light on this cruel reality we will awaken the conscience of the people who will come to the realisation that killing cannot be forever dressed up as compassion, and that they were lied to when they were told abortion would be ‘rare
Read more here
Abortion Review
Our sincere thanks to all of you for making submissions and calling TDs on the Abortion Review - which is still underway. Thanks to Gript Media, we know that the Review looks unlikely to fully examine the cruel outcomes of the abortion regime, but it has been vital to make pro-life voices heard and to draw public attention to those outcomes. We’ll be in touch!
Rally for Life 2022
Impact : Back for the first national gathering in 3 years, the Rally made a huge impact, with significant media coverage and a bumper attendance as thousands packed out O’Connell Street
It was a powerful sight. Thousands packed the Dublin streets to make Rally 2022 a colourful, energetic, high-octane event, with the Irish Times acknowledging that O’Connell Street was packed down the entire length with pro-life marchers.
It was the fi rst in-person national pro-life march since 2019 because of Covid restrictions, and the crowd was hugely energised by the overturn of Roe v Wade in the United States, which was a strong ray of hope to pro-lifers everywhere.
It was tremendous to see the young people leading the Rally with such passion and energy, as pro-lifers of all ages stood together with the message: “Roe v Wade is overturned, Come on Ireland it’s your turn”.
“We’re showing this government that the pro-life movement hasn’t gone away, and we will always stand strong for life,” MC Becky Kealy told the crowd.
Niamh Uí Bhriain of Life Institute told the crowd that events in the US had given “renewed hope and energy and a sense of excitement” and also “an understanding of the importance of defi ance – of refusing to bow down to the establishment, of being unafraid of be countercultural when that’s what it takes to end abortion,” she said.
Organiser Megan Ní Scealláin said. “We can see the power of perseverance and that culture can change. Not just in the US but in Poland, in Hungary and in Croatia, where polls show that 60% of doctors now won’t perform abortions and political support for change is growing.”
Read more here
RECLAIM: the next generation of pro-life leaders courageously working to rebuild the culture
IMPACT : Perhaps the most important investment we can make in bringing the country back to life – assisting young prolife leaders to forge a new path and bring their peers to Rethink abortion.
These young people are the future of the pro-life movement, and they are going to CHANGE the future. Now they have organised themselves into an exciting new pro-life initiative called Reclaim – and they deserve our best support and encouragement. Expect great things from them in the year ahead.
The Renewal Tour : Hope and defiance to rebuild the pro-life future
The Renewal Tour brought us on a jampacked, whirlwind tour of the country for an inspirational series of meetings with pro-life supporters in Cork, Donegal, Dublin and Mayo.
The compelling and often revelatory film documentary made by Tim Jackson – ‘Ireland’s Fall: The Abortion Deception’ was shown at every meeting – and the hundreds who attended heard from a superb panel of speakers including Mickey Harte, Mattie McGrath TD, and special guest Jonathon Van Maren, author of the superb history of the Irish pro-life movement. Renewal began at an impressive venue – the main screen at the Savoy Cinema in O’Connell Street where so many big-name productions are unveiled, and it was a superb start to the Tour. There was an atmosphere of anticipation and excitement, as pro-lifers from all over Dublin and surrounding counties met once again to be a witness to the pro-life cause.
“It feels like hope is back”: A Tour that brought ‘inspiration and purpose’.
Speaking to full houses each night, the Renewal Tour featured: Niamh Uí Bhriain, who spoke about bringing hope and defiance to renew the culture – and outlined current and future campaigns.
Jonathon Van Maren, the Canadian historian, activist and author who inspired all who attended with a powerful speech about why the overturning of Roe vs Wade should encourage us to work to make Ireland a pro-life nation once again.
Mattie McGrath TD, one of the most hard working pro-life politicians in the Dáil encouraged his fellow pro-lifers to never lose hope and keep up the fi ght. Aontú candidate, Becky Kealy, delivered a rousing speech emphasising the importance of staying active and never taking a backseat when it comes to fighting abortion in Ireland.
Megan Scallan shared encouraging news about raising up a new generation of pro-lifers with a new Reclaim initiative with major plans for the coming months
And Vicky Wall, who does such superb work with Every Life Counts, held the audience in the palm of her hand when sharing about this vital life-affirming programme which helps the most sick and vulnerable babies.
In Donegal, we also welcomed the famed GAA star Mickey Harte who received a standing ovation for his heart-felt and courageous words. He was joined by Mary T Sweeney of Aontú, a tireless worker and motivator for mothers and babies. Mayo’s own Tommy Horan addressed the audience with a heartfelt and stirring call to get back to action, as did Paul Lawless of Aontú who talked of the importance of growing a political alternative.
Ben Scallan from Gript Media was warmly received and talked about the importance of growing a badly-needed media platform which told the truth about abortion. Gript’s work in investigating and challenging the consensus is second to none.
Jonathon Van Maren powerfully shared an unending truth with the crowd when he said that, for decades, “Ireland’s pro-life movement told the world what was possible. Her shining example showed those of us in other nations that another way was possible,” he said. “And what nation has a more glorious heritage of defiance than Ireland?”
He told of pro-life success in Poland, in Chile, in Ecuador and other countries as well as in the U.S. The prolife tide is rising again.
Read more here
25 May: " We will not forget you"
On May 25th each year, we remember all the babies who have been killed by abortion – and the mothers who have been failed by a cruel and careless government who are wilfully blind to the harm abortion causes women.
In the days before that dreaded anniversary, we joined the pro-life movement in praying and remembering those who had been lost, with a Moment’s Silence, and a Light for Life taking place nationwide.
And then, as we do each year, we gathered at the Dáil to remember them.
Read more here
The Abortion Inquiry
IMPACT : The only serious investigation into thehorrific outcome of this abortion regime
Thanks to your help we are gathering evidence from women, from doctors, from legislators and from other sources the government and the media would rather were ignored.
Rates of abortions have skyrocketed. Late-term abortions are happening. A baby was aborted after a misdiagnosis in the National Maternity Hospital.
Women have reported “horrific” experiences with abortion pills. 94 women have made claims against the State because of adverse outcomes after abortion. The right to conscientious objection is under attack.
The ABORTION INQUIRY will expose all of this and more. Coming in 2023.
Read more here
Standing with those giving public witness at abortion centres
Despite threats of imprisonment or fines if the law is changed, these amazing pro-life volunteers continue to hold peaceful vigil at abortion centres around the country.
