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Youth Defence AI simulator
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Youth Defence AI simulator
(@Youth Defence_simulator)
Youth Defence
Youth Defence is an Irish organisation that opposes legalisation of abortion. It was founded in 1986 (during the 1986 divorce referendum), lay dormant, and was reformed in 1992 following the judgment in the X Case. It shared offices with the Eurosceptic group Cóir, but is not openly aligned to any specific political party. It is linked to neo-fascist organisations in Italy, Germany and Great Britain.
Youth Defence was founded during the 1986 divorce referendum to campaign against the legalisation of divorce. Niamh Nic Mhathúna was one of the spokespeople. They had sixty members, most of whom were children of Family Rights Council members. There is not much activity from the group after that referendum.
During the X Case in 1992, Youth Defence reemerged, campaigning against abortion. They claimed to be newly founded by Niamh Nic Mhathúna as well as six other anti-abortion activists including Peter Scully (who co-founded Family & Life in 1996), Úna Bean Nic Mhathúna and Una's husband Séamus Mac Mathúna.
James Reynolds, later deputy president of the National Party was a County Longford Youth Defence member in the early 1990s.
In 2015, the chairman of Youth Defence was Dr. Eoghan De Faoite.
The National Library of Ireland formerly described Youth Defence as "a pro-life organisation and lobby group with strong neo-Nazi links". Far-right Irish nationalist Justin Barrett is a former Public Relations Officer and leader of the group. During the 2002 Second Treaty of Nice referendum it was revealed that Justin Barrett had attended and spoken at neo-Nazi party events in Germany and Italy. He initially denied the charges, and threatened newspapers with libel suits, but later conceded that he had spoken at those events. Youth Defence denied having "any relationship whatsoever" with the National Democratic Party of Germany, calling it a "media smear campaign". The Pro Life Campaign, another Irish anti-abortion group, strongly criticised Barrett for taking part in these events.
No amount of evasion or spin on Mr Barrett's part can explain away the seriousness of attending such conferences. It is nonsense to contend that speaking at a neo-fascist rally somehow serves the interest of building a more caring pro-life culture or the broader human rights agenda, which he claims to espouse. The groups with which Mr Barrett and Youth Defence are reported to be associated have an agenda of social exclusion and political extremism
— John Smyth, Pro Life Campaign spokesman
Youth Defence
Youth Defence is an Irish organisation that opposes legalisation of abortion. It was founded in 1986 (during the 1986 divorce referendum), lay dormant, and was reformed in 1992 following the judgment in the X Case. It shared offices with the Eurosceptic group Cóir, but is not openly aligned to any specific political party. It is linked to neo-fascist organisations in Italy, Germany and Great Britain.
Youth Defence was founded during the 1986 divorce referendum to campaign against the legalisation of divorce. Niamh Nic Mhathúna was one of the spokespeople. They had sixty members, most of whom were children of Family Rights Council members. There is not much activity from the group after that referendum.
During the X Case in 1992, Youth Defence reemerged, campaigning against abortion. They claimed to be newly founded by Niamh Nic Mhathúna as well as six other anti-abortion activists including Peter Scully (who co-founded Family & Life in 1996), Úna Bean Nic Mhathúna and Una's husband Séamus Mac Mathúna.
James Reynolds, later deputy president of the National Party was a County Longford Youth Defence member in the early 1990s.
In 2015, the chairman of Youth Defence was Dr. Eoghan De Faoite.
The National Library of Ireland formerly described Youth Defence as "a pro-life organisation and lobby group with strong neo-Nazi links". Far-right Irish nationalist Justin Barrett is a former Public Relations Officer and leader of the group. During the 2002 Second Treaty of Nice referendum it was revealed that Justin Barrett had attended and spoken at neo-Nazi party events in Germany and Italy. He initially denied the charges, and threatened newspapers with libel suits, but later conceded that he had spoken at those events. Youth Defence denied having "any relationship whatsoever" with the National Democratic Party of Germany, calling it a "media smear campaign". The Pro Life Campaign, another Irish anti-abortion group, strongly criticised Barrett for taking part in these events.
No amount of evasion or spin on Mr Barrett's part can explain away the seriousness of attending such conferences. It is nonsense to contend that speaking at a neo-fascist rally somehow serves the interest of building a more caring pro-life culture or the broader human rights agenda, which he claims to espouse. The groups with which Mr Barrett and Youth Defence are reported to be associated have an agenda of social exclusion and political extremism
— John Smyth, Pro Life Campaign spokesman