Irish Abortion Journey, 1920–2018

Lindsey Earner-Byrne is Senior Lecturer in Modern Irish History at University College Dublin, Ireland. She has published widely on gender, health and welfare in modern Ireland. Her books include Mother and Child: Maternity and Child Welfare in Dublin, 1922-60 (2007) and Letters of the Catholic Poor: Poverty in Independent Ireland, 1920-1940 (2017). Diane Urquhart is Professor of Modern Irish History at the Institute of Irish Studies, University of Liverpool, UK. She has published widely on gender, class, women and politics, and marriage. Her books include Women in Ulster Politics, 1890-1940 (2000), The Ladies of Londonderry: Women and Political Patronage, 1800-1959 (2007) and her forthcoming monograph on the history of Irish divorce will provide the first comprehensive history of the subject.

“The Irish Abortion Journey, 1920–2018 holds a potential for intersectionality. … The authors make an outstanding connection between the history and politics of the last hundred years and the social and economic reality of women and Irish life on both sides of the frontier. Adding feminism as the core of the debate, they also pay a debt to many women. The richness of their debate must be extolled because it will serve as the basis for subsequent analysis.” (Cristina Díaz Pérez, Gender, Issue 2, 2020)

• Chapter 1. Introduction.- Chapter 2. Maternity and Moral Migration, 1920s-1960s.- Chapter 3. Legality and Irish Abortion, 1920s-1960s.- Chapter 4. Contraceptive Mentalities, 1960s-1980s.- Chapter 5. Pro-life States of Mind?, 1967-2000s.- Chapter 6. Abortion in Exile, 1967-2018.- Chapter 7. Trusting Women, 2000-2018.- Chapter 8. Conclusion.