Repeal the 8th Anthology
By Una Mullally (editor)
A collection of stories, essays, poetry and photography around the movement for reproductive rights in Ireland
Publication date: Spring 2018
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Context: abortion is illegal in almost every circumstance in Ireland north and south.
Ireland is the only democracy in the western world to have a constitutional ban on abortion.
This is depressing and oppressive, but people are trying to change things.
The movement to repeal the 8th amendment, which is our constitutional ban on abortion, and make abortion legal in Ireland has been growing hugely over the last few years.
This movement is vibrant and urgent, coloured by righteous anger, people power, protest, and good old fashioned activism.
But it is also coloured by literature and art.
This fight for women in Ireland to rightfully claim their bodily autonomy in the eyes of the law stands on the shoulders of many people who have gone before us, many of whom are still fighting for women’s reproductive rights today.
This fight has created a new energised grassroots movement. All around the country and throughout the diaspora, Irish people and people who have made Ireland their home, are having conversations about how to change things. Protests are growing, groups are forming, for the first time women are opening up about being forced to travel for medical care en masse.
As this movement grows and develops, what’s becoming clear is the amount of amazing art and literature that is being created around it. There are poems and murals, essays and personal testimonies, photography projects and graphic design.
What I want to do with a book about this, is capture this movement, through the literature, personal stories, opinions, photography, art and design that is emerging from it so beautifully, and collect it in an anthology that has never been made before.
Here are three reasons that I think this anthology is worth making.
1. It will feature amazing writers, poets, artists and others that will stimulate and reflect a moment of huge social importance in Irish history.
2. These voices need to be heard. In newspapers and across broadcast media the debate around reproductive rights is a pitched battle. But we know that there is much more nuanced and smart writing there to be heard and collected.
3. In years to come when women in Ireland have bodily autonomy, we will have this book as an archive, a reference point for where the movement was, how it grew, and the dignity and beauty of the art that came from it.
You can help make it happen.
By pledging your support to this project, you’ll help make this anthology come into being, and your support will also earn you exclusive rewards detailed on this page.
You'll also be supporting The Coalition to Repeal the Eighth Amendment. Once the initial subscription has been raised, then I'll be donating 50% of my profits to them.
Thank you.
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Una Mullally
Una Mullally is an award-winning journalist with the Irish Times, author and broadcaster. She contributes opinion pieces to The Guardian, and has also written for Granta. She writes two weekly columns for the Irish Times covering areas including Irish and global politics, social justice issues, LGBT rights issues, feminism and technology, and also writes features and interviews. She co-founded the award-winning Irish Times Women’s Podcast, and presents and produces television programmes. Her first book In The Name Of Love was a critically acclaimed oral history of the movement for marriage equality in Ireland. She was named Journalist of the Year (2015) at the Irish GALAS LGBT Awards, was presented with the Praeses Elit Award (2016) from Trinity College Dublin, and the Foy-Zappone Award (2016) from University College Dublin. She co-founded the touring queer spoken word event Come Rhyme With Me and in 2016 was awarded a residency at Centre Culturel Irlandais in Paris where she worked on a long-form poetry project. She lives in Dublin.
Una Mullally (editor) has written 2 private updates. You can pledge to get access to them all.
5th August 2017 "Often the obvious explanations of how power is held and exercised over women are very basic.""Sometime I think that my explanation of it is very simplistic, because it’s so obvious. But often the obvious explanations of how power is held and exercised over women are very basic. Tell them what they can and can’t do with their bodies, don’t give them money - or very little, or control the amount they get - and if neither of these things work, there’s always violence. I almost feel like apologising…
6th June 2017 Update #7 100% funded THANK YOUHello nice people,
The Repeal the 8th anthology is now 100% funded! Whoop!
Thank you so much to everyone who pledged and supported this project and spread the word. If you know any people who were like "oh I must fund that book," they can still pledge as we continue the book's production, and earn themselves some sweet rewards.
I'm obviously delighted that we've reached 100%, and am so…11th May 2017 Update #6: We're at 76%, and risingHello kind contributors,
A lot has happened since I last mailed an update, so here goes!
1. The Repeal Anthlogy project has reached 76%. Thank you all so much for donating, we're nearly there, so a little bit more spreading the word and passing the project on to anyone you think might be interested would be hugely appreciated.
2. At the end of April, I took part in the amazing Repeal gig…
23rd March 2017 Update #5: Over 60% funded! Whoop!Hello funders!
This week, the project has tipped over 60% funded which is BRILLIANT. Again, thanks a million, and keep spreading the word. I really appreciate it.
Production-wise, the anthology is motoring along well. I've a bunch of contributors in place, including the amazing SINEAD GLEESON and LISA MCINERNEY who are contributing original pieces of writing to the anthology.
You will know…
6th March 2017 Update #4: Let's keep going!Hey everyone,
Thanks again so much for funding this project. Let's keep going! We're over half way there now, and I'm so grateful to all of you for supporting this. It's natural when loads of people jump on board that the momentum slows a little, but I'm hopeful that you will continue to spread the word.Behind the scenes, I've been busy recruiting some more amazing contributors for this…
10th February 2017 Update #3: Halfway thereGreetings funders,
Firstly, and always, thank you so much for supporting this project. Funding is moving along and we are just about at halfway after three weeks, which is fantastic. Please continue to spread the word to as many people as possible who may be interested in throwing a few quid towards getting this book made.
Since the last update, I’ve been speaking with people behind some of…30th January 2017 Update #2: We've hit 40% - thank you!Dear funders!
Thank you so much for supporting this project. In a week and a half, you have contributed so generously, and we are now 40% funded, which is fantastic.
Here's a little update about how the book is progressing, and other #repealthe8th-related things:
1. If you're an Irish Times subscriber or picked up Monday's newspaper, you can read my column about the #Strike4Repeal campaign…23rd January 2017 Update #1. And we're off!Hello everyone!
What an amazing start to the funding of this book! Just three days in and we're over 20% already. I can't thank you enough for pledging, tweeting, and posting about the project on Facebook and Instagram, telling people about it, and just in general being so supportive and brilliant about this anthology.
I'll have some more details on the anthology in the next update, but first…These people are helping to fund Repeal the 8th Anthology.
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Sanna Haavisto
Ceire Broderick
Boriana Alexandrova
Emilie Dick
Orla donnelly
Sarah O Donovan
Caitlin Moran
Tria Rooney
Anna Crilly
Deirdre O Beirne
Rachel O'Brien
Niamh Shields
James Brunton
Cath Reeve-Jones
Rachel Macaulay
Zoe Comyns
Alex Eccles
Alan Wallace
Mary Gallagher
Caitlin Harvey
Helen Swain
David Kenny
- Please Sign in to ask a question to join in the conversation
Hello, I was wondering if you could explain how the works will be selected? Is there an open submission or is it by invite from the editor?
Hi Maureen, thanks for getting in touch! Currently it's on an invite/request basis, but that may change as the project progresses, so I'll keep you in the loop. Una
Hi, can you advise which formats the ebook is available in?
Hi Rosemary, Thanks for getting in touch. We create our ebooks in 3 formats: ebup. (for Apple and other ereaders), mobi. (for kindle) and PDF. These are DRM free so you can download them as many times as you like. Best wishes, Caitlin - Community Manager
Hiya! I'd like to pledge 45e but get the front dedication to someone else. Can't quite see how to put that into the order... Am I missing something obvious? Thanks (and best of luck with the book)
Hi James, Thanks for getting in touch. We ask for the dedications closer to the time of publication. If you want to change the name that goes in the back of the book in the meantime, please see here: http://help.unbound.com/unbound-for-readers/managing-your-subscriptions/changing-the-supporter-name-thats-printed-in-a-book Best wishes, Unbound Support