Main description:

Contraception was the subject of intense controversy in twentieth-century Ireland. Banned in 1935 and stigmatised by the Catholic Church, it was the focus of some of the most polarised debates before and after its legalisation in 1979. This is the first comprehensive, dedicated history of contraception in Ireland from the establishment of the Irish Free State in 1922 to the 1990s. Drawing on the experiences of Irish citizens through a wide range of archival sources and oral history, Laura Kelly provides insights into the lived experiences of those negotiating family planning, alongside the memories of activists who campaigned for and against legalisation. She highlights the influence of the Catholic Church's teachings and legal structures on Irish life showing how, for many, sex and contraception were obscured by shame. Yet, in spite of these constraints, many Irish women and men showed resistance in accessing contraceptive methods. This title is also available as Open Access.

Contents:

Introduction; 1. Access to contraception and family planning information in Ireland from the 1920s to the 1950s; 2. Sexual knowledge and morality from the 1940s to the 1970s; 3. Birth control practices and attitudes to contraception in the 1960s and 1970s; 4. The pill, women's agency and doctor-patient relationships in the 1960s and 1970s; 5. The Catholic Church, 'sympathetic' priests and religious influences on family planning after Humane Vitae; 6. Family planning clinics and activism in the 1970s; 7. Feminist campaigns for free, safe and legal contraception in the 1970s; 8. Campaigns against contraception in 1970s and 1980s Ireland; 9. Family planning after the Family Planning Act: access to contraception in 1980s and 1990s Ireland; Conclusion; Appendix.