Non-Irish people never believe me when I say this, but it’s true: you couldn’t get divorced in Ireland until 1997. Ireland also had a female President, Mary Robinson, as of 1990. A human rights lawyer, she had fought for women’s rights, for example legalising contraception in the Republic, which only became fully available in 1992. The role of President is largely ceremonial in Ireland, but there was no denying that this was progress, and I remember how inspiring it felt as a young girl to see a woman at the helm.
