25,000+ attend pro-life rally in Dublin

Estimated 25,000 attend 'Vigil for life' event in Dublin

Updated: 19:34, Saturday, 19 January 2013

http://www.rte.ie/news/2013/0119/abortion-laws.html

Last Pro-Life vigil, 7,000 - 10,000 were there and RTE said it was 2,000. This time the RTE is saying it was 25,000! Buíochas le Dia! p.s. the RTE report seems to be spiked as when you try to ‘recommend’ or ‘send’ it on facebook you don’t get the same article, you get some report about the pro-abortionists planning a counter -demo.

An estimated 25,000 people have attended a “Vigil for life” event to highlight opposition to any change on abortion legislation in Dublin.

The event, which began in Merrion Square, was intended as a means to express concern about and opposition to plans to legislate for abortion in certain circumstances.

Organisers of the event said they were thrilled with the turnout.

A series of speakers addressed the crowd from a specially erected stage on Merrion Square.

They included various representatives of pro-life groups, as well as Tyrone football manager Mickey Harte.

"Ireland is almost unique in the Western world in looking out for, and fully protecting, two patients during a pregnancy - a mother and her unborn child," Mr Harte said.

"We are here to oppose the unjust targeting of even one unborn child's life in circumstances that have nothing to do with genuine life-saving medical interventions".

Caroline Simons of the Pro Life Campaign told the crowd that claims by the Government that abortion was needed to treat threatened suicide in pregnancy had been "completely demolished at last week's Oireachtas hearings on abortion".

"There is no evidence whatever that suggests that abortion reduces the mental health risks of unwanted or mistimed pregnancy. But there is evidence that abortion increases the risk of future mental health problems for a significant number of women.

Bernadette Goulding of the Women Hurt organisation spoke in personal terms about her own experience of abortion.

She said there has been much talk about the risk of suicide before an abortion, but in her experience, she said, there is a much greater risk of suicide after an abortion.

A smaller group of around 200 pro-choice campaigners staged a counter demonstration nearby.