Ignorance was reinforced by fear. Ireland in the 1960s had one of the lowest rates of children born out of wedlock in Europe. But like so much else about the country, this was deceptive. Young women who were unmarried and pregnant took the boat to England. As early as 1955, London County Council had so many Irish babies left in its care that a dedicated children’s officer was appointed to spend six months each year in Ireland to try to find homes for them.20 Alan Bestic reported in 1969 that ‘So many girls who find they are going to have a baby go to England that social workers and almoners
...more
