Cora Sherlock is a writer, blogger and campaigner in the Irish

anti-abortion movement Anti-abortion movements, also self-styled as pro-life or abolitionist movements, are involved in the abortion debate advocating against the practice of abortion and its legality. Many anti-abortion movements began as countermovements in respo ...

. She is deputy chairperson of the Pro Life Campaign. In 2014, she was included in BBC's 100 Women series.

Early life

Sherlock is from Collon, County Louth. She studied law at

University College Dublin University College Dublin (commonly referred to as UCD) ( ga, Coláiste na hOllscoile, Baile Átha Cliath) is a public research university in Dublin, Ireland, and a collegiate university, member institution of the National University of Ireland ...

in 1993, and while studying there, she joined the Pro Life Campaign. Sherlock completed a Masters in

Queen's University Belfast , mottoeng = For so much, what shall we give back? , top_free_label = , top_free = , top_free_label1 = , top_free1 = , top_free_label2 = , top_free2 = , established = , closed = , type = Public research university , parent = ...

and qualified as a solicitor.

Political campaigning

She has been a pro-life/anti-abortion campaigner and activist since the early 1990s. As deputy chairperson of the Pro Life Campaign she has written articles in national newspapers, and appeared on radio and TV on the abortion debate in Ireland.

2002 Abortion Referendum

Sherlock called for a yes vote on the

Twenty-fifth Amendment of the Constitution Bill, 2002 (Ireland) The Twenty-fifth Amendment of the Constitution (Protection of Human Life in Pregnancy) Bill 2001 (bill no. 48 of 2001) was a proposed amendment to the Constitution of Ireland to tighten the constitutional ban on abortion. It would have removed ...

. The Pro Life Campaign also called for a yes vote. She argued that "a Yes vote signifies our acceptance of the Government's commitment to find a realistic alternative to abortion, a matter which those who intend to vote No have studiously ignored to date." She voted against the

Treaty of Nice The Treaty of Nice was signed by European leaders on 26 February 2001 and came into force on 1 February 2003. It amended the Maastricht Treaty (or the Treaty on European Union) and the Treaty of Rome (or the Treaty establishing the European Co ...

in the 2001 referendum.

Protection of Life During Pregnancy Act

Sherlock was opposed to the

Protection of Life During Pregnancy Act 2013 The Protection of Life During Pregnancy Act 2013 ( Act No.35 of 2013; previously Bill No.66 of 2013) was an Act of the Oireachtas which, until 2018, defined the circumstances and processes within which abortion in Ireland could be legally perfor ...

. She said "It's a bad law, with no evidential basis".

Referendum on the Eighth Amendment

Sherlock was opposed to the referendum on the repeal of the Eighth Amendment, which passed. She was opposed to the Citizens Assembly, and has spoken in favour of keeping the Eighth Amendment on newspaper, radio, and TV.

Media

Sherlock has spoken on television and radio on behalf of the Pro-Life Campaign and the Love Both campaign, on programmes such as Vincent Browne Tonight and Prime Time. She has contributed articles and opinion pieces to newspapers, including ''

The Irish Times ''The Irish Times'' is an Irish daily broadsheet newspaper and online digital publication. It launched on 29 March 1859. The editor is Ruadhán Mac Cormaic. It is published every day except Sundays. ''The Irish Times'' is considered a newspaper ...

'', ''

The Sunday Business Post The ''Business Post'' (formerly ''The Sunday Business Post'') is a Sunday newspaper distributed nationally in Ireland and an online publication. It is focused mainly on business and financial issues in Ireland. Founding to Irish financial crisi ...

'', the ''

Irish Examiner The ''Irish Examiner'', formerly ''The Cork Examiner'' and then ''The Examiner'', is an Irish national daily newspaper which primarily circulates in the Munster region surrounding its base in Cork, though it is available throughout the country ...

'' and ''

The Irish Catholic ''The Irish Catholic'' is a 40-page Irish weekly newspaper providing news and commentary about the Catholic Church. The newspaper is privately owned by editor-in-chief Garry O’Sullivan, managed by a private limited company and independent of ...

''. During the 2018 referendum to repeal the eighth amendment, there was controversy when the Pro-Life Campaign wished to remove Sherlock from the RTÉ televised debate with Minister Simon Harris, in favour of

Maria Steen Maria Steen is an Irish conservative campaigner. She is a qualified architect and a barrister. She is a member of the Iona Institute, and campaigned against same-sex marriage, and abortion in Ireland. Involvement in same-sex marriage referendu ...

. RTÉ refused to agree to the proposed change, and instead, Peadar Toibin TD was asked to debate on behalf of the Pro-Life side. Sherlock's brother, Leo Sherlock, founded the online news website TheLiberal.ie in 2014. Cora Sherlock contributed articles to the website when it was founded, but none since 2014.Author Cora Sherlock
TheLiberal.ie

References

External links

CoraSherlock.com official website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Sherlock, Cora Living people Irish solicitors Conservatism in Ireland Irish anti-abortion activists Irish women activists Irish Roman Catholics 1976 births Abortion in the Republic of Ireland BBC 100 Women Alumni of University College Dublin Alumni of Queen's University Belfast People from County Louth