Thousands of pro-life people flooded the streets of Dublin, Ireland over the weekend to celebrate the 8th Amendment providing legal protection for unborn children.

Keynote speaker Melissa Ohden, who was born alive following a failed abortion, encouraged the pro-life campaigners who are resisting efforts form some politicians and radical pro-abortion groups to overturn the 8th Amendment.

“You have every reason to be proud of the 8th Amendment. Passing this provision in 1983 was a hugely positive step forward for authentic human rights. As an abortion survivor, I applaud your country for it,” she said.

Cora Sherlock, an attorney and vice president of ProLife Campaign who writes at LifeNews.com, told the crowd:

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“We are here today to reclaim the 8th Amendment as something positive, humane and life-saving.”

“There are tens of thousands of people alive today because of the 8th Amendment, Ireland’s Right to Life Amendment. These stories of hope and survival simply cannot be ignored in the debate. They deserve to be front and centre. The public have only heard one side of the story. With respect but without apology, we will continue to challenge the one-sided nature of the debate until the pro-life side is given a fairer hearing in the national media.”

“The recent General Election demonstrated that when abortion was raised on the doorsteps, it was overwhelmingly pro-life people bringing it up with candidates, not those seeking to have the 8th Amendment dismantled. Politicians from all sides concede that,” she said.

The gathering was also addressed by Mary Kenny from Limerick who said:

“In my second year at University I found out I was pregnant and it saddens me now to say the first thought to cross my mind was abortion. My friends talked me out of it but I often wonder what the outcome would have been, if I only had to sit in my car and drive myself twenty minutes in the road, into the Maternity Hospital in Limerick to end the life of my own child.”

She praised the 8th Amendment for “the countless lives that it has undoubtedly saved.

Heidi Crowter, a woman with Down’s Syndrome who is a disability rights activist in England spoke about her life and the importance of valuing everyone in society. Her mother Liz also addressed the crowd, speaking about the injustice of the situation in England and Wales, where 90% of babies diagnosed with Down’s Syndrome are aborted.

Below are some pictures from ProLife Campaign of the amazing event: