Offaly group amongst thousands at Rally for Life 2024

A strong Offaly contingent was amongst thousands of people who attended the Rally for Life 2044 in Dublin City centre last Saturday. The Rally for Life heard calls for the government to establish a special task force to tackle the "spiraling abortion rate", with speakers saying politicians must "wake up" to the fact that abortion numbers have more than tripled since 2018. Figures released show that in 2023 a total of 10,033 abortions took place in Ireland bringing the total number since repeal in 2018 to over 42,000. 

Rally organisers, Life Institute, said that the thousands attending the rally sent "a powerful and important message that the Irish government needs to stop acting like cheerleaders" of the "spiraling abortion rate"

John Egan, Chairperson Offaly Prolife, who traveled with the Offaly group to the Rally for Life said that it was “desperately sad to see the abortion rate continue to rise year after year, to realise that 1 in 6 babies' lives now ends in abortion in Ireland”.

Independent Offaly TD, Carol Nolan, addressing the packed rally, backed calls for the establishment of a special task force, saying that "thousands of women are being betrayed by the over-promotion of abortion as the only possible response to pregnancy in certain circumstances and the cruel under- promotion of life affirming alternatives."

Deputy Nolan, said that women needed support and real choices, that women were being "betrayed" by the lack of support for unexpected pregnancies.  "I have stated previously that we are now confronting an epidemic of loss. That, coupled with the virtual certainty that the numbers of abortions will continue to escalate at an annual level, this should be treated as a health policy emergency," the Independent TD said.

The Rally, which gathered at Parnell Square before marching to Custom House Quay where speeches were heard, also heard from Kaya Jones, Grammy winner, and former member of chart-topping group The Pussycat Dolls. The songwriter and singer said she had a message for young women at the Rally in particular: "you are made to be loved and respected and cherished, not to be told that you must have a choice that no woman really wants - which is to end the life of her child."

She said that her personal experience of the music industry - where as a 19 year old she had to perform on stage while still suffering the after-effects of abortion - had led her to the realisation that it was exploitative and demeaning to women. She said when she found she was pregnant she had been told to "get rid of it" by those she felt were in charge of her career and her life.

“There’s nothing beautiful about it,” said Ms Jones. “No matter how much money you may have, no matter how much fame you may receive, no matter how many records you may sell. The Pussycat Dolls ultimately sold 50 million singles worldwide, over 30 million albums worldwide, and I have a Grammy, but none of it will bring my children back,” she said.

Speaking at the Rally, commentator Niamh Uí Bhriain said that the two referendums in March showed the disconnect between the government and the people on many significant issues, including abortion. "The government needs to stop relying on the same NGOs and the extremists on this issue - to the same people who advised them it was a good idea to try to take the word "mother" out of the Constitution," she said. "They need instead to realise that most people don't think a rapidly climbing abortion rate is a good outcome."

Also speaking at the Rally, Mary Fitzgibbon of Nurses and Midwives for Life said that a recent spike in maternal deaths in Ireland was a cause of huge concern, and that Ireland used to be one of the safest places for a mother to have a baby. "Is that still the case?" she asked. "It is unprecedented for Ireland, in my memory, to see three maternal deaths in one week. So much for women being safer after abortion was made legal."

Pro-life Councillors also addressed the Rally for Life, with Ms Standon saying that the local elections had returned some 70 winners for the pro-life cause, a trend she said she hoped would continue to grow.

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