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Inventing Divorce

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30/04/2010

BBC Radio 4 - Inventing Divorce

Olivia O'Leary tells the story of when divorce came to Ireland 15 years ago.

Fifteen years ago divorce in Ireland was still illegal. Olivia O'Leary tells the story of the fight to change this and asks if divorce is now accepted as part of modern Irish life.

As recently as fifteen years ago Ireland was the only country in the European Union in which divorce was still illegal. But the ban was overturned by the slenderest of majorities when the country voted in a referendum. In a previous vote in 1986, the result had been a thundering 'no'. In rural areas it was 8 to 1 against. Divorce had not only been illegal in Ireland but sternly frowned upon. Olivia O Leary tells the story of the fight to get the constitution amended and asks whether divorce is now accepted as part of modern life.

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