Music
05 Dec 16

Liam Neeson steps down as president of boxing club after Repeal the 8th video

Liam Neeson has stepped down as president of All Saints Amateur Boxing Club in Ballymena, a club which he has been part of since the age of nine, after a row over an abortion video he narrated.

According to the Sunday Life (via the Irish News), it is understood that some locals were upset at Neeson’s support of the campaign to repeal the eighth amendment in Ireland, particularly in light of the boxing club’s close ties with the Catholic Church.

A member of All Saints Amateur Boxing Club told the Sunday Life that Neeson had stood down as president, but provided no further comment.

The video, released by Amnesty International Ireland in October last year, attracted criticism from some quarters for being anti-Catholic and from anti-abortion campaigners for being 'shockingly offensive'.

The narration in the video was written by Graham Linehan, the creator of Father Ted and a strong supporter of the Repeal the Eighth campaign.

Linehan defended Neeson on Twitter this morning, saying he stood by “every word he wrote for him”.

You can watch the full video here: