Action on X national protest 18 May

Cork Pro-Choice Alliance on distributing "illegal" leaflets

Cork Pro-Choice Alliance are distributing leaflets this Saturday on Patrick. St. informing women of abortion services available in England. This is in defiance of Irish law which prohibits the distribution of information on the subject.

Spokesperson Alan Gibson stated: “We are defying this unjust law because supporting a women’s right to choose is more important than following outdated Catholic doctrine. This censorship of information is undemocratic and of a bygone era.”

He added: “The government is ignoring the reality that over 4000 Irish women travel to England each year to avail of abortion services. The CWRTC believe this dereliction of duty to these women is simply unacceptable.”

“Information on abortion services needs to be made publicly available now.”

Pro-Choice Alliance Cork press release

The Pro-Choice Alliance Cork condemns Fianna Fail’s decision to oppose women’s access to their existing constitutional right.

It calls on all parties to face up to their responsibility not just to pass legislation on X but to repeal the 8th Amendment.

Spokeswoman Sandra McAvoy said

“It looks as if church gate collections matter more to Fianna Fail than their responsibilities to the women of Ireland. They took the same position that women had no right to control their fertility during the long fight to legalise contraception. Their Ard Feis vote could hardly have shown more clearly that they are the party of the past.”

“Fianna Fail’s stance is further proof that the major parties lack common sense, compassion, empathy.”

“They have learned nothing about women’s rights to life, health and to make their own decisions, from the scandals of symphysiotomy and Magdalen homes. But then, they have never shown an interest in the needs and interests of our women citizens.”

Cork Pro-Choice Alliance calls on the Irish state to face up to its primary responsibility to women by repealing the 8th Amendment and ensuring that our laws do not force women to become suicidal in the first place.

Sandra McAvoy

“Cases like the X case arise when states deny women (and children) who are pregnant against their will the right to terminations. They are avoided when states recognise women’s right to choose an early abortion. The only way to deal with the suicide issue, or with the myriad of reasons why a women might choose abortion to end a crisis pregnancy is to repeal the 8th Amendment. Those with ears to hear know it has brought anguish and the threat of death and disability to women.”

“It is time to repeal it and introduce legislation that meets women’s needs and reflects twenty-first century knowledge of women’s rights.”

Pro-choice Activist Anne McShane summed things up:

“The pro-life lobby would rather see women take their own life or die in childbirth than allow them basic rights. It is clear they pull key politician’s strings. We need an agenda that empowers women, not one decided by politicians or the church. Women in Ireland deserve the right to choose.”

Cork March for Choice a HUGE Success!

I think I speak for most members of CWRTC when I say we are still reeling from the amazing success of yesterday's march.

Grand Parade

Ailbhe Smyth - Action on X

We heard from Ailbhe Smyth of Action on X, Mary Favier of Doctor's for Choice, Laura FitzGerald of the Socialist Party and John Jeffries of the Worker's Party.  We were also blown away by the bravery and resolve of one young women who got up to tell her personal story and to appeal, among other things, for the importance of breaking the stifling stigma around abortions. Eye-opening words from all.

Top of Patrick St.

As for the march itself: if I'm honest, we had planned a couple of different routes to accommodate different turnout sizes - and we were not entirely sure what to expect. As people kept gathering at the fountain we scratched each 'small turnout' route off the list one by one.  Needless to say we were delighted when we had more than enough people (estimates are ranging from 200-300) to justify walking directly up Patrick St - not once, but twice!

Back down Patrick St.

Moreover it definitely seemed like the public reception was positive overall.  Despite rumours of a counter-demonstration there was none to speak of.  On the contrary we seemed to grow in numbers as we wandered down Patrick St.

There are a number of take home messages from the day.  For us at CWRTC it is that minds are changing.  The pro-choice movement and its support is growing - we WILL win this one.

March for Choice - Saturday March 9th

We are gearing up for Saturday and hope you are too!

If you know you can make it, please mark your attendance on our Facebook event and, once that's done, take a  moment, pop on some music, and start ticking boxes to invite everyone you know in the Cork area.

See you there!

Mark the X Demonstration - Cork Opera House

This morning outside the Cork Opera House members of CWRTC and the ProChoice Alliance Cork assembled to mark the 21st anniversary of the X case. Women lay on the ground forming an X, signifying that the issues with current legislation are relevant to all women in Ireland. 

Leslie Burton - 24 - was quoted as saying “People who can afford it go to England, people who can't are trapped, so it becomes an issue of who can pay for it...I had a friend who chose to study abroad here like me (I'm American), and she got pregnant here, far away from her family, and had to pay two thousand euros to get over to England, all on her own.  It's something that happens to all kinds of people at all times of their lives and you just need to be taken care of, wherever you are.”

Micheal O'Riordan - 23 - "I think we need abortion rights in Ireland because I believe it's a woman's right to decide when she has a child.  Parenting is probably the biggest most important job you can do so if you are unable to provide for your child, if it's not the right time, if it's a result of rape and your not willing to have a baby of a rapist, if your not old enough, if your in the middle of a college degree, there is so many reasons why abortion is needed in Ireland and it's only available to those people who can afford to travel to England at the moment so it's very elitist if you don't have enough money to make the journey and your just stuck, your made have a unwanted baby, an unwanted pregnancy .. it's unreal. "

Images were also collected of women and men expressing why they need to see abortion rights in Ireland.  

These will be part of a new Tumblr project http://abortionrightsireland.tumblr.com by the ProChoice Alliance Cork.

Lots of exciting stuff this week as part of the National Abortion Rights Campaign's 10 days of action 

http://www.abortionrightscampaign.ie/2013/02/21/10-days-of-action-for-abortion-rights-1st-10th-march-2013/

Back in Business!

We have been pretty quiet here at the Cork Women's Right to Choose Group blog for the last long while - but we have been very active in and around Cork.

In summer 2012 we affiliated to the newly formed Pro-Choice Alliance Cork, an umbrella group connecting people and associations in Cork who are committed to securing abortion rights for women in Ireland.  

This organisation was behind the Cork based vigil marking the passing of Savita Halappanavar at the Cork Opera House...

....as well as a demonstration the following week demanding change to our laws - once and for all.  

Then in December we then held a public meeting at the Metropole hotel with speakers Clare Daly, TD with the United Left Alliance, Mary Favier of Doctors of Choice, and Clare Murray a law lecturer at UCC.  We had a fantastic turnout and learned loads.

You can check out the new Pro-Choice alliance website at www.prochoicecork.weebly.com

Finally, later in December 2012 sent delegates to the Dublin meeting at which a new national campaigning alliance was formed.  The national campaign website has been launched, at www.abortionrightscampaign.ie, and we are excited to be taking part right NOW in 10 days of action March 1st - 10th, 2013

Stay tuned for more!