It did not come as a surprise to see that the Republic of Ireland voted to repeal their relatively strict abortion ban. What was disturbing was the large margin by which the vote passed and the zealous celebration that followed. On social media and in the news, Irish citizens celebrated the vote that legalized abortion with the kind of pure joy usually seen in victorious sporting events or at concerts — not the approval of murdering babies in utero. The culture of abortion from the U.S. and the United Kingdom has permeated Ireland — sadly, the idea of abortion as a victory of choice, which surpasses any kind of moral compass, is both a facade and a path toward a demoralized Ireland.

Clare Comran watched the count come in and viewed the vote as progress. “She had always hoped Ireland would make the ‘leap forward’ and had recently noticed a shift in national attitudes. The Irish people, she said, were ‘really ready to embrace progress and trust themselves.’”