Legalising contraception in Ireland

Published: May 11, 2021, 8:30 a.m.

Contraception wasn't easily accessible in Ireland until 1985. Activists spent years fighting for the right to control their fertility but faced opposition from the Roman Catholic church which traditionally played a central role in Irish society. Paul Moss has been hearing from Betty Purcell who was a teenager when she first started campaigning.

Photo: a woman holding up a condom and some contraceptive pills. Credit: Getty Images.