'Monster' pro-life meeting hears from number of high-profile speakers

Placards for the upcoming Abortion Referendum to repeal the 8th amendment in Dublin's City Centre. Photo Gareth Chaney Collins

Allison Bray

April 11 2018 11:48 PM

Around 350 anti-abortion campaigners packed a hotel this evening in what was billed as a 'Monster' pro-life meeting of those opposed to repealing the 8th amendment.

The meeting, organised by the Family and Life organisation, heard from a number of high-profile speakers urging fellow campaigners to get out over the coming weeks and appeal to voters to vote 'No' in the upcoming abortion referendum on May 25.

"You are the army, you are the people to bring that message to metropolitan, modern Ireland," Niamh UiBhriain of the 'Save the 8th' organisation said to ecstatic applause from the crowd.

Described as a 'hero to anyone concerned with the pro-life cause' she was preaching to the converted as she spoke of the upcoming vote as a 'defining moment in Irish history."

"When you decide as a nation that you have the right to kill another human being there is no going back," she said to thunderous applause from the audience.

"There is nothing compassionate or progressive about killing children," she added.

"This is a step too far for Irish people."

Playwright, author and journalist John Waters quoted former Labour leader and Communications Minister Pat Rabbitte warning of 'shock tactics' being used by the No side in the campaign.

"But shock tactics means the truth," he said.

The former Irish Times journalist accused pro-choice campaigners and the media and of using 'sleight of hand' tricks "to conceal the truth".

"We don't have a press anymore," he said to more raucous applause.

"Everything is lies, everything is twisted. That's that you have to get across to people," he added.

He likened the very notion of holding the referendum on repealing the 8th to the sinister prospect of holding a referendum on exterminating the homeless as a means of dealing with the homeless and housing crisis.

"We don't have the right to tamper with these things," he said.

"If you mark yes (on the ballot), that pencil becomes a knife," he concluded to a standing ovation.

Other speakers included Vicky Wall, of the parents association 'Every Life Counts' and businessman Declan Ganley.