Cora Sherlock
{{Short description|Irish anti-abortion activist}}
{{BLP sources|date=September 2016}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2021}}
{{Use Hiberno-English|date=November 2021}}
{{Infobox officeholder
|name = Cora Sherlock
|order = Deputy Chairperson of Pro Life Campaign
|term_start = {{start date and age|2005}}{{cite magazine|url=https://www.scribd.com/document/31228105/Pro-Life-Campaign-Ireland-Newsletter-Birthright-Summer-2005|magazine=Birthright|publisher=Pro Life Campaign|date=Summer 2005|title=Pro Life Campaign Newsletter - Birthright Summer 2005}}
|nationality = Irish
|profession = Solicitor
|alma_mater = University College Dublin, Queen's University Belfast
|known_for = Anti-Abortion campaigning
|birth_date = {{birth year and age|1976}}{{cite news|url=http://www.catholicherald.co.uk/news/2014/05/01/cora-sherlock-many-irish-people-live-in-a-dreamland-about-abortion/|title=Cora Sherlock: 'Many Irish people live in a dreamland about abortion'|newspaper=The Catholic Herald|date=1 May 2014|accessdate=12 September 2016|first=Mary|last=O'Regan}}
}}
Cora Sherlock is a writer, blogger and campaigner in the Irish anti-abortion movement. She is deputy chairperson of the Pro Life Campaign.{{cite web|url=http://corasherlock.com/about/|title=About Cora Sherlock}} In 2014, she was included in BBC's 100 Women series.{{cite news|newspaper=The Irish Times|date=28 October 2014|accessdate=12 September 2016|title=Cora Sherlock named one of BBC's 100 Women of 2014|url=https://www.irishtimes.com/news/world/cora-sherlock-named-one-of-bbc-s-100-women-of-2014-1.1979717}}
Early life
Sherlock is from Collon, County Louth. She studied law at University College Dublin in 1993, and while studying there, she joined the Pro Life Campaign. Sherlock completed a master's degree in Queen's University Belfast and qualified as a solicitor.{{citation needed|date=October 2019}}
Political campaigning
=2002 Abortion Referendum=
{{See also|Twenty-fifth Amendment of the Constitution Bill 2001}}
Sherlock called for a yes vote on the Twenty-fifth Amendment of the Constitution Bill 2001. The Pro Life Campaign also called for a yes vote.{{cite news|newspaper=The Irish Times|url=https://www.irishtimes.com/opinion/letters/referendum-on-abortion-1.1050005|first=Cora|last=Sherlock|title=Referendum on Abortion|date=11 February 2002}} 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."{{citation needed|date=October 2019}} She voted against the Treaty of Nice in the 2001 referendum.{{cite news|first=Cora|last=Sherlock|title=Nice Treaty Referendum|newspaper=The Irish Times|date=5 June 2002}}
= Protection of Life During Pregnancy Act =
{{see also|Protection of Life During Pregnancy Act 2013}}
Sherlock was opposed to the Protection of Life During Pregnancy Act 2013.{{cite news|newspaper=The Irish Times|url=https://www.irishtimes.com/news/politics/enactment-of-abortion-bill-very-sad-day-for-ireland-1.1480013|title=Enactment of Abortion Bill 'very sad day' for Ireland|first=Kitty|last=Holland|date=31 July 2014}} She said "It's a bad law, with no evidential basis".{{Cite news|last=Holland|first=Kitty|title=Enactment of Abortion Bill 'very sad day' for Ireland|url=https://www.irishtimes.com/news/politics/enactment-of-abortion-bill-very-sad-day-for-ireland-1.1480013|access-date=2021-03-04|newspaper=The Irish Times|language=en}}
= Referendum on the Eighth Amendment =
{{see also|Eighth Amendment of the Constitution of Ireland|Abortion in the Republic of Ireland}}
Sherlock was opposed to the referendum on the repeal of the Eighth Amendment,{{cite episode|url=https://www.tv3.ie/3player/show/41/124794/0/Tonight-with-Vincent-Browne|title=Tonight with Vincent Brown|date=24 April 2017|station=TV3|series=Tonight with Vincent Brown}} which passed. She was opposed to the Citizens Assembly,{{cite news|publisher=RTE|url=https://www.rte.ie/news/2016/0728/805346-abortion/|date=10 September 2016|accessdate= 17 September 2016|title=Pro Life Campaign says Citizens' Assembly has pre-arranged outcome}} and has spoken in favour of keeping the Eighth Amendment on newspaper,{{cite news|url=https://www.irishtimes.com/opinion/head-to-head-cora-sherlock-argues-against-repealing-the-eighth-amendment-1.2277880|title=Head to head: Cora Sherlock argues against repealing the eighth amendment|first=Cora|last=Sherlock|newspaper=The Irish Times|date=9 July 2016}} radio,{{cite episode|station=FM104|url=https://soundcloud.com/user-268048055/2016-08-03-cora-fm104|date=3 August 2016}}{{cite episode|series=Monrning Ireland|url=https://soundcloud.com/user-268048055/2016-07-28-cora-morning-ireland|date=28 July 2016}}{{cite episode|series=Irish Times Inside Politics|date=3 August 2016|url=https://soundcloud.com/irishtimes-politics/battle-lines-are-being-drawn-debating-the-8th-with-cora-sherlock-and-kate-oconnell}}{{cite episode|url=https://soundcloud.com/user-268048055/cora-sherlock-on-newstalk-2016-05-12|date=12 May 2016|network=Newstalk}} and TV.{{cite episode|title=Late Review|url=https://www.facebook.com/prolifecampaignireland/videos/vb.224615650378/10153528526815379/?type=2&theater|access-date=17 September 2016|series=Late Review|station=TV3 (Ireland)|date=20 August 2015}}{{cite episode|url=http://prolifecampaign.ie/main/portfolio/detail/15-09-15-cora-sherlock-debates-repeal-the-8th-on-tonight-with-vincent-browne/|title=Tonight with Vincent Brown|date=15 September 2015|station=TV3}}
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 Sunday Business Post, the Irish Examiner and The Irish Catholic.
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.{{cite news|url=https://www.thejournal.ie/last-tv-debates-referendum-campaign-4028203-May2018/|title=She wasn't allowed on the RTÉ debate, and now Maria Steen has pulled herself out of the TV3 one|last=Hosford|first=Paul|publisher=The Journal|date=22 May 2018|access-date=12 September 2019}}{{cite web|url=https://www.her.ie/news/cora-sherlock-confirms-not-decision-drop-prime-time-debate-405242|title=Cora Sherlock confirms it was not her decision to drop out of Prime Time debate|last=Hayden|first=Jade|publisher=Her.ie|date=26 May 2018|access-date=17 September 2019}} RTÉ refused to agree to the proposed change, and instead, Peadar Toibin TD was asked to debate on behalf of the Pro-Life side.{{cite web|url=https://www.buzz.ie/news/cora-sherlock-explains-didnt-agree-pro-life-side-pulling-rte-debate-286516|title=Cora Sherlock explains that she didn't agree with pro-life side pulling her from RTÉ debate|last=Feeney|first=Oisin|publisher=buzz.ie|date=26 May 2019|access-date=12 September 2019}}{{Dead link|date=December 2024 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}{{cite news|url=https://www.irishtimes.com/news/politics/cora-sherlock-pulls-out-of-tv-abortion-debate-1.3504737|title=Cora Sherlock pulls out of TV abortion debate - Love Both spokeswoman says she is unavailable; RTÉ declines Steen as replacement|last=Bardon|first=Sarah|publisher=Irish Times|date=22 May 2018|access-date=17 September 2019}}
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.[https://theliberal.ie/author/corasherlock/ Author Cora Sherlock], TheLiberal.ie
See also
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [http://corasherlock.com/ CoraSherlock.com official website]
{{Abortion in the Republic of Ireland}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Sherlock, Cora}}
Category:21st-century Roman Catholics
Category:Conservatism in Ireland
Category:Irish anti-abortion activists
Category:Irish women activists
Category:Irish Roman Catholic writers
Category:Abortion in the Republic of Ireland
Category:Alumni of University College Dublin