In the months leading up to the abortion referendum on May 25, one of the most tireless pro-life activists in the Republic of Ireland was Tim Jackson, a young man who quit his job to work fulltime to save the 8th Amendment. For weeks, he led the Vote No Roadshow right across Ireland, and my colleagues and I witnessed firsthand his passion and dedication to saving the lives of pre-born babies—and the love that Tim received from the army of activists that he led out onto the streets each day.
There is nothing Tim is not willing to do for the pro-life cause—he launched a hunger strike to force the committee considering the removal of the 8th Amendment to view a video of an abortion procedure before they made any decision. He brilliantly confronted Health Minister Simon Harris—who ran for public office as a pro-lifer—at a press conference where Harris intended to promote abortion, asking whether he supported killing innocent human beings—and whether he’d considering repealing the right to life for politicians, as well. The night before the referendum, he was still at the Life House Office—the headquarters of the Save the 8th Campaign—organizing last-minute activism for the next day, so tired he could barely stand. On the day of the referendum, as we drove to the airport to fly home from Dublin, he was sending out messages to pro-lifers urging them to find “No” voters and get them to the polls.
And like all the Irish activists who poured their heart and soul out to save the 8th Amendment, Tim was heartbroken by the result. Today, I saw that he had posted his thoughts on Facebook and fired him a message to ask if I could publish them here. With his permission, here are his thoughts on Ireland’s decision to bring abortion on demand to the Emerald Isle:
Rest in peace dear children. Rest in peace dear land.
A nation has voted to kill its children. The Ireland of St. Patrick, O’Connell, Pearse and Plunkett was sacked on May 25th as the sovereign people turned persecutor with the stroke of a pencil. The carefully crafted Constitution was also destroyed by inserting a fundamental right to kill, whilst celebrations that followed were as tasteless as they were cruel. Who among the cheering fathomed the darkness of the deed? Who else could celebrate a nation choosing to kill its own children but a propagandised and vacuous generation, bereft of love for country or feeling for the innocent to be slaughtered. Is there a more treasonous deed than this?
In times of persecution, famine and grinding poverty, the Irish were a resilient people, clinging to faith, hope and love with a lion-hearted defiance. Children were blessings, welcomed and sacrificed for, proof that there was a future despite mortal dangers and hardship. Now, babies of burden, they are threatening and therefore disposable, to be sacrificed if chosen on the idol altars of self-fulfilment and pleasure.
The underlying obstacle to abortion in this country was not the 8th Amendment. It was the spirit of the Irish people expressed so beautifully in the Preamble of the Constitution, affirming a willing devotion to the goodness of Christ and a sure sense of justice, purpose and integrity. As the bright flame of Christ was extinguished in soul after soul, it was inevitable that evil would envelope the land. The ship is sinking, the passengers asleep, and everywhere “the ceremony of innocence is drowned.” Nihilism reigns. Christ is mocked. And Barabbas is free.
The level of irrationality was astounding: incessant appeals to equality, compassion and care were enough to convince the masses that this murder most foul was not glaringly discriminatory, barbaric and inhumane, but actually progressive. Little thought was given to a proper application of human rights, with a right to kill sought and sanctioned by popular demand.
But this will not be the last word. Whilst the deconstruction of the island of saints and scholars is nearing completion, the architects in their haste have forgotten to ask: who will inherit the land – is it those who kill their young or those who welcome each as gift?
I know the answer, many know the Truth, but the pain of stamping on the faces of Irish saints, martyrs, patriots and children is too much to witness. The land that kept the flame of western civilization alive on Skellig Michael, in Glendalough and Clonmacnoise has become a savage parody of nobler days gone by. Exiled and dejected, it is to the empty tomb that we turn again. He is Risen and with us, and we will not forget.
With men like Tim Jackson to fight for her, we can all have hope for Ireland. Her children could not ask for a better champion.
9 thoughts on “Irish pro-life champion pens beautiful open letter to his country”
Diane says:
This letter is so hauntingly beautiful. What a lovely young man.
Sadly, I will never again visit Ireland; a place where I have always proudly claimed my ancestors once lived. Pleasure, convenience at all costs and a “me first” attitude are the new religion, even now in what I thought was lovely Ireland. What a terrible shame. Glad I was not conceived in today’s world. It is one that is getting harder and harder to live in because everything is disposable and of no real value, except money, material possessions and above all convenience and pleasure for number one. Glad I won’t be around to see just how much more the barre will lower.
Couldnt agree more Diane
We are truly broken hearted and more. We are totally shocked by the attitude and belief system of the Yes voter.
The ME ME ME CULTURE. A country that provided nurses of the highest calibre. Those who voluntarily gave two years of their lives for free in developing countries. Those who sacrifice daily for others now witness this total destruction of all we held dear.
Don’t abandon us. Many of us are still from the Old stock
Excellent and heartfelt letter. This murderous and morally bankrupt Fine Gael government will pay for the millions of the unborn destroyed as long as this land exists and whether they like it or not, all those babies will face them when they-the leaders of this government-face their maker, which may be sooner than they think. Nnaji
Tim has written poetically of this horror which has been inflicted on the land of my grandparents and other relatives. I feel terrible shame and I fear for them now that this will be their mission, to murder inconvenient babes in their mothers wombs. This man has laid down his life for his countrymen and they have thumbed their noses at him. May the Ireland we once knew Rest In Peace.
I’m moved to tears on reading the post. It’s too sad I still haven’t come to any kind of terms with the result.Ive been a proud Irish woman all my life defended my country’s honour if any one dared to criticise her. I returned to Ireland to rear my children as good Irish citizens.Im lost as to how we became so cruel uncaring despite the yes side having care as one of their catch phrases. Their dismissal of any other way is so cruel. But maybe with this young man and many more I’ve met on the campaign we can salvage a kinder more ethical Ireland. An Ireland which cherishes all of our children equally born and unborn.
What a beautiful expression of sadness and hope. Ireland has chosen its path of destruction , but as always, God will be there to pick up the pieces and heal its people.
Tim Jackson is asking who will inherit the land. The answer is simple and most people already know it, in all Western European nations: Muslims will inherit the land.
So good to read Tim’s thoughts and feelings. Thank God for the chance to read something so sound in it’s analysis of what has occurred in the Ireland of today. I find it healing, for my own feelings are affirmed. To believe in life and hope has kept me from harm in my own life. My heart goes out to young people who sense how crazy modern life has become and don’t have an outlet for their true feelings in the cruel world of “cool” fashion, the captains of industry, the naked hatred of faith in God. None of these are about love. None of these are about search for essential truths that teach about a way forward.
The depressed who feel wrongly they are “unwanted” will only hear that the mother aborts an unwanted child and that she has marched for the right to do so.
Abortion is such a lack of love, acceptance and generosity. All these are human needs of everyone.
After reading Toms beautiful and haunting letter I have managed to piece together what’s left of the Ireland I grew up in.
I have not changed or 33% of my real and true fellow Irishmen and women who stand tall and together and stronger in our belief in the beauty of Christ the one and true savior.
The 66% were never part of our world or our Christian beliefs. They followed the GOD of greed and power vanity and utter selfishness. They are dead already and will never find what the real prize was. To wake up each morning and look in the mirror and actually like the reflection that you saw.
GOD is the all powerful and even those who mock Him and in turn mock you and me, their insults will bounce of us and hit them 100 times more on the rebound.
You my fellow friends in choosing life and God may feel sad and even angry at what we have to share our Ireland with , but as sure as GOD is in charge they will regret what they have done. You and I will sleep tonight knowing we are still unchanged in our profession of faith and pro life. Peace will be our greatest gift knowing we fight on and will conquer the devils that have the pro abortion brigade in their pockets. These fools will never know peace for as long as they live as everytime they close their eyes they will be visited by the blood soaked faces and little bodies of the unborn who they sold out… and for what.
So we must stay stronger than ever and seek each other out always and with GOD
Almighty on our sides we are protected always. As for the others who sold their souls for nothing I do not envy them their fate. Peace in Christ to you and yours
And the peace of Christ to the Unborn
They will rise on judgement day and face their murderers.
This letter is so hauntingly beautiful. What a lovely young man.
Sadly, I will never again visit Ireland; a place where I have always proudly claimed my ancestors once lived. Pleasure, convenience at all costs and a “me first” attitude are the new religion, even now in what I thought was lovely Ireland. What a terrible shame. Glad I was not conceived in today’s world. It is one that is getting harder and harder to live in because everything is disposable and of no real value, except money, material possessions and above all convenience and pleasure for number one. Glad I won’t be around to see just how much more the barre will lower.
Couldnt agree more Diane
We are truly broken hearted and more. We are totally shocked by the attitude and belief system of the Yes voter.
The ME ME ME CULTURE. A country that provided nurses of the highest calibre. Those who voluntarily gave two years of their lives for free in developing countries. Those who sacrifice daily for others now witness this total destruction of all we held dear.
Don’t abandon us. Many of us are still from the Old stock
Excellent and heartfelt letter. This murderous and morally bankrupt Fine Gael government will pay for the millions of the unborn destroyed as long as this land exists and whether they like it or not, all those babies will face them when they-the leaders of this government-face their maker, which may be sooner than they think. Nnaji
Tim has written poetically of this horror which has been inflicted on the land of my grandparents and other relatives. I feel terrible shame and I fear for them now that this will be their mission, to murder inconvenient babes in their mothers wombs. This man has laid down his life for his countrymen and they have thumbed their noses at him. May the Ireland we once knew Rest In Peace.
I’m moved to tears on reading the post. It’s too sad I still haven’t come to any kind of terms with the result.Ive been a proud Irish woman all my life defended my country’s honour if any one dared to criticise her. I returned to Ireland to rear my children as good Irish citizens.Im lost as to how we became so cruel uncaring despite the yes side having care as one of their catch phrases. Their dismissal of any other way is so cruel. But maybe with this young man and many more I’ve met on the campaign we can salvage a kinder more ethical Ireland. An Ireland which cherishes all of our children equally born and unborn.
What a beautiful expression of sadness and hope. Ireland has chosen its path of destruction , but as always, God will be there to pick up the pieces and heal its people.
Tim Jackson is asking who will inherit the land. The answer is simple and most people already know it, in all Western European nations: Muslims will inherit the land.
So good to read Tim’s thoughts and feelings. Thank God for the chance to read something so sound in it’s analysis of what has occurred in the Ireland of today. I find it healing, for my own feelings are affirmed. To believe in life and hope has kept me from harm in my own life. My heart goes out to young people who sense how crazy modern life has become and don’t have an outlet for their true feelings in the cruel world of “cool” fashion, the captains of industry, the naked hatred of faith in God. None of these are about love. None of these are about search for essential truths that teach about a way forward.
The depressed who feel wrongly they are “unwanted” will only hear that the mother aborts an unwanted child and that she has marched for the right to do so.
Abortion is such a lack of love, acceptance and generosity. All these are human needs of everyone.
After reading Toms beautiful and haunting letter I have managed to piece together what’s left of the Ireland I grew up in.
I have not changed or 33% of my real and true fellow Irishmen and women who stand tall and together and stronger in our belief in the beauty of Christ the one and true savior.
The 66% were never part of our world or our Christian beliefs. They followed the GOD of greed and power vanity and utter selfishness. They are dead already and will never find what the real prize was. To wake up each morning and look in the mirror and actually like the reflection that you saw.
GOD is the all powerful and even those who mock Him and in turn mock you and me, their insults will bounce of us and hit them 100 times more on the rebound.
You my fellow friends in choosing life and God may feel sad and even angry at what we have to share our Ireland with , but as sure as GOD is in charge they will regret what they have done. You and I will sleep tonight knowing we are still unchanged in our profession of faith and pro life. Peace will be our greatest gift knowing we fight on and will conquer the devils that have the pro abortion brigade in their pockets. These fools will never know peace for as long as they live as everytime they close their eyes they will be visited by the blood soaked faces and little bodies of the unborn who they sold out… and for what.
So we must stay stronger than ever and seek each other out always and with GOD
Almighty on our sides we are protected always. As for the others who sold their souls for nothing I do not envy them their fate. Peace in Christ to you and yours
And the peace of Christ to the Unborn
They will rise on judgement day and face their murderers.