Munster Rally for Life draws 5000 to hear #ProtectThe8th call

The first ever Munster Rally for Life drew a crowd of more than 5,000 as pro-life activists from across the province rallied to tell newly-elected TDs to ‘Protect the 8th amendment’.   Large numbers of young people waved placards saying they were ‘pro-life and proud’ at the Munster Rally which filled the length of Patrick Street before hearing speeches at Grand Parade.   The crowd also held signs aloft calling on politicians to “Protect the 8th” amendment, and chanted “2,4,6,8 …… we appreciate the 8th”.  

Organisers said they were ‘delighted and encouraged’ by the huge turnout, and urged those attending to get involved in a major canvass of Munster which aimed to have a one-to-one conversation about abortion.   

Becky Kealy of the Munster Rally for Life organising committee told the crowd that abortion was “a medieval answer to a crisis pregnancy, and that mothers and babies deserved better from society.” She said the Rally sent a powerful message to newly-elected TDs: listen to the people, or you will go the same way as the Labour party, who prioritised the repeal the 8th amendment in their campaign and were eviscerated by the electorate.”

“Labour’s experience has shown that if you favour abortion-on-demand, then you will no longer be in demand,” speaker Róisín White told the crowd. Other speakers included Bernadette Goulding of Women Hurt by Abortion and  Fiona Hutchinson from Every Life Counts who moved many to tears when she shared her story of the loss of her baby son, Andrew, to anencephaly. “We will no longer be silent while the media uses our children’s disability, and our loss and pain, to push abortion. Every baby is precious and has value and has a right to life” she told a packed Grand Parade to sustained applause.

The 5000-strong crowd also cheered the TD Mattie McGrath who called the rally from the count  in Tipperary to encourage activists to ‘stand strong’ in protection of the right to life.

 

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