Niamh Uí Bhriain
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Niamh Uí Bhriain | |
|---|---|
| Born | Niamh Nic Mhathúna 1970 (age 53–54) |
| Nationality | Irish |
| Known for | Anti-abortion campaigning |
| Relatives |
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Niamh Uí Bhriain (born 1970 in Cork) is an Irish pro-life activist and family values campaigner.
Early life
Uí Bhriain first came to prominence as the founder and original leader of Youth Defence. She claims that her inspiration behind the group came from a visit by American pro-life activist Joseph Scheidler to her parents' house during the 1983 referendum, during which he had brought with him graphic images of aborted foetuses.[1]
1992 general election
Nic Mhathúna (as she was by that time) ran for Dáil Éireann as an independent pro-life candidate for Dublin Central in the 1992 general election. She gained 514 first preferences amounting to 1.4% of the total vote, and was eliminated on the fifth count with a total of 552 votes.[2]
Youth Defence
Uí Bhriain co-founded the anti-abortion campaign group Youth Defence.
She spoke at Meeting for friendship among peoples in Rimini, Italy, alongside Forza Nuova founder and leader Roberto Fiore in August 2000.[3]
Libel
In 1997, Justine McCarthy alleged in the Sunday Independent that Uí Bhriain had received training from American anti-abortion group Operation Rescue in how to blow up abortion clinics.[4] Uí Bhriain then sued for libel and in 2007 won an undisclosed sum from Independent Newspapers.[5]
Cóir
Uí Bhriain was involved in Catholic/nationalist group Cóir during both Lisbon Treaty campaigns.
References
- ^ McCarthy, Justine (18 September 1999). "American pro-lifers arrive to defend `the last frontier'". Irish Independent. p. 30. Retrieved 24 October 2016.
- ^ "Election Results - Dublin Central". The Irish Times. 27 November 1992. p. 9.
- ^ "Aborto: il genocidio del XX secolo 23/08/2000" (in Italian). 23 August 2000. Retrieved 18 November 2016.
- ^ McCarthy, Justine (29 November 1997). "Pro-life's inner sanctum". Irish Independent. p. 34.
- ^ "Major Libel Victory for Former Youth Defence Leader - Indymedia Ireland". Indymedia.ie. 23 April 2007. Retrieved 16 November 2016.