Andy Lee and Gordon D’Arcy were amongst those to lend their support.
A number of well-known sporting and TV personalities have lent their support to a campaign urging men to vote ‘Yes’ in the abortion referendum next month.
Former Irish rugby international Gordon D’Arcy, recently retired boxer Andy Lee and current RTÉ football pundit Richie Sadlier were joined by TV personalities Kevin McGahern and Con Murphy to launch the campaign supporting the repeal of the Eighth Amendment in the referendum on 25 May.
If men have a view that the society we live in should be compassionate, safe and caring for women in very vulnerable crisis situations, then they must get involved and vote yes #men4yes pic.twitter.com/fwC5UnJFQG
— Richie Sadlier (@RichieSadlier) April 24, 2018
#menforyes pic.twitter.com/GLJDeipoOr
— Andy Lee (@AndyLeeBoxing) April 24, 2018
The 8th Amendment is getting in the way of a more compassionate Ireland, where women have the choice to get the care they need, and make the decisions they need to make. #men4yes @Together4yes pic.twitter.com/amLs3yRIUw
— Gordon D'Arcy (@Gordonwdarcy) April 24, 2018
100% behind this #Men4yes campaign. Every vote counts and women deserve support for the choices they make about their bodies and the healthcare they need, often in very difficult circumstances. #StandbyYourWoman #Yes https://t.co/lg3bT6vaUm
— Con Murphy (@ConMurphySport) April 24, 2018
Vote yes for a more compassionate Ireland for women. Men, this is an issue we can all get behind! #together4yes pic.twitter.com/wwXw2ZJZpJ
— Kevin McGahern (@kevinmcgahern) April 24, 2018
Men, if you think the 8th referendum is about healthcare, and that it's for a woman to decide what healthcare she needs, then you are a YES voter. We are delighted to have @RichieSadlier @Gordonwdarcy @AndyLeeBoxing @ConMurphySport and @kevinmcgahern launch our #men4yes campaign! pic.twitter.com/nu7V5FMQ1Z
— Together for Yes (@Together4yes) April 24, 2018
Blindboy Boatclub from the Rubberbandits, Hozier and Taoiseach Leo Varadkar are amongst those to have lent their support to the campaign on Twitter on Tuesday.
#Men4Yes because I want to live in a fair society where pregnancy and choice isn’t criminalised, and health isn’t at risk. Even though I can’t get pregnant myself, I want the law to trust in the agency of the pregnant.
— The Blindboy Podcast (@bbboatclub) April 24, 2018
Because continuing to export the issue puts at risk the health and welfare of 12 people each day. Because the 8th prevents nothing but the safety and dignity of our citizens. Because such a lack of compassion to those in a crisis is not the Ireland I believe in. #menforyes
— Hozier (@Hozier) April 24, 2018
Some men feel the #8thref doesn't affect us, or is an issue we should stay out of. It's not. Talk to your daughters, sisters, mothers, girlfriends, wives and friends. We need your votes. #men4yes For compassion in crisis #VoteYes. @Together4yes
— Leo Varadkar (@LeoVaradkar) April 24, 2018
The launch of the campaign comes only a few days after manager of the Tyrone football team, Mickey Harte and a number of other GAA figures urged the support of a ‘No’ vote at an event in Dublin at the weekend.
Superb #Savethe8th event yesterday where a group of @officialgaa stars launched "GAA Athletes for a #NO vote" campaign.
Fantastic atmosphere &real enthusiasm building behind the #LoveBothVoteNo campaign.
Also good to see #repealthe8th/#together4yes support falling in a new poll pic.twitter.com/PlAVv1Fi58— SaveEighthSupporters (@SaveEighth) April 22, 2018
The club where it was held, Ballyfermot De La Salle GAA Club, subsequently distanced itself from the event, issuing a statement to clarify that it only became aware of the event on the day it was being held and that it “would be wholly inappropriate for the club to be associated with the launch as the GAA and its clubs do not become involved in political matters”.
To that end, the GAA has sent around a letter to county secretaries asking them to distance the association as a whole from talk of the Eighth Amendment debate.
A letter was sent to all 32 county secretaries on Monday morning to inform them of the organisations’ unbiased statement and keen interest to be excluded from the referendum debate’s rhetoric.
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