COMEDIAN AND REPEAL campaigner in the Eight Amendment referendum Tara Flynn has said she can no longer accept the money raised for her in an online campaign.
A GoFundMe campaign set up for Flynn to take a holiday raised €7,812.
The fund was set up by Twitter user Shauna Scott (@sexsiopa) who said it was time for Flynn to have a holiday.
This afternoon Flynn tweeted to say that she could not accept the money raised after the GoFundMe page received backlash.
Flynn has asked the organisers to refund the money to the donors and said they are free to donate to any crowdfund they choose, giving the names of charities that she normally supports.
”I always try to support Abortion Support Network or Alzheimers Society if I have spare coins. It’s not my money and is up to them,” she told followers.
Flynn became one of the faces of the Repeal the Eighth campaign when she shared the story at Electric Picnic in 2015 of her crisis pregnancy and how she travelled to The Netherlands for a termination.
She wrote the play, Not A Funny Word, based on the experience of having to travel for an abortion in 2006.
Flynn has spoken online about receiving a lot of abuse from trolls on Twitter.
In a series of tweets today she said that the criticism had taken its toll and she is now taking time out after three years of campaigning.
I’m not very well at the moment, it’s been a huge three years, to be honest. Now I have to try and take some time and rebuild my work and my life. Again, thank you from the bottom of my heart. But I’m not in a position to say any more on this. Thank you.
The GoFundMe page for Flynn has been closed and is no longer accepting donations.
Flynn declined to comment further for this article.
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