ALL IRELAND RALLY FOR LIFE
--PRESS RELEASE--
THE PEOPLE OF IRELAND UNITE AGAINST ABORTION AT
THE ALL-IRELAND RALLY FOR LIFE
The 8th Annual All-Ireland Rally for Life will be held at Custom House Square in Belfast City Centre on Saturday 5th July at 2pm. The aim of the Rally for Life is to give the people of Ireland a unique opportunity to show their united opposition to abortion and to send out a clear message that Ireland cherishes her unborn children and their mothers.
The pro-life battle in Ireland has intensified. On the 1st January 2014, abortion was legalised in the Republic of Ireland under the Protection of Life During Pregnancy Act 2013, and now in Northern Ireland, the Justice Minister David Ford proposes to put forward a consultation that could change the abortion law in Northern Ireland to permit the killing of our unborn babies with ‘foetal abnormalities’ and in cases of rape and incest. This will have devastating effects on mothers and their babies throughout the whole of Ireland. Among the thousands of people attending this year’s Rally for Life will be parents whose children had been diagnosed with terminal conditions, to talk about their individual experiences, raise awareness of Trisomy, and to encourage better provision of perinatal hospice care. According to Gemma Bradley, a campaigner for Trisomy Awareness, many parents have been told that these conditions are “incompatible with life”. But she affirms that these babies are “compatible with love, joy and cherished memories”.
Over the years, we have seen tens of thousands of Irish people respond to the threat of abortion with such zeal and passion. Last year over 60,000 people attended the Rally for Life in Dublin in opposition to the Protection of Life During Pregnancy Bill. It is of the utmost importance that thousands of people come out to support this year’s Rally, and to send out a clear message to Stormont and the Dáil that we will never be silent while unborn babies are under the threat of abortion. We must not allow the government in Northern Ireland to dictate the future fate of the next generation of Irish unborn children. We must act now before it is too late! As Bernadette Smyth, Director of Precious Life, stated: “in the words of Pope Francis, “let’s say ‘yes’ to life, ‘no’ to death. This is the time to rise up and make our voices heard loud and clear!”
While the message of this Rally is serious, the event is also a celebration of the sacredness of life. The event, organised by a coalition of pro-life groups, is for families and peoples of all ages; with music, colourful t-shirts, and balloons for children. A concerted effort amongst all pro-life people in Ireland is needed to ensure that the Rally for Life will make a real difference for our unborn children and for our future as a pro-life country.
--ENDS--