Last night, Niall Boylan aired an intense recording of a regular caller stuck in a sticky situation, live on Ireland's Classic Hits Radio.
John defines himself as a 'pro-life activist'. He's a regular on the Niall Boylan show. He was protesting last night about the latest debate around abortion, in front of the Cork University Hospital.
In Ireland, under the Health (Regulation of Termination of Pregnancy) Act 2018, people seeking an abortion up to 12 weeks must wait three days between their initial consultation and receiving the abortion medication — and doctors cannot legally waive this wait. This is intended as a “reflection period,” but critics say it has no medical basis and creates unnecessary delays. The independent review of Ireland’s abortion law (chaired by Marie O’Shea) recommended making the three-day wait optional rather than mandatory, arguing it can act as a barrier to timely care, especially for those near the 12-week limit or with limited access to providers. Pro-choice organisations such as the Irish Family Planning Association say the waiting period causes stress and practical difficulties (like extra time off work and childcare issues) and “undermines pregnant people’s capacity to make autonomous decisions,” noting that 99 per cent of people proceed with the abortion after the wait anyway.
John doesn't see it that way. Hence his protesting in front of the University Hospital. In Ireland, under the new Health Act 2024, it’s a criminal offence to 'protest, harass, obstruct or attempt to influence people seeking abortion services within 100 metres of a hospital' or clinic that provides those services — and offenders can face fines and even imprisonment if they continue after a Garda warning. That's exactly what happened.
As Niall was chatting to John on air, the Gardai showed up. Niall later found out that a concerned passerby called the police to flag this issue. This made for quite an intense show, live on air. As Niall puts it, "when you're dealing with live radio, anything can happen." Listen to the full extract below.
