The rebellion against the Church
Before the 1990s, the Catholic Church was the predominant religion in Ireland, and it worked closely with the ruling political parties to exert its authority. The main irony is that the church stressed holy matrimony in its teachings. However, Ireland recorded the lowest number of married couples compared to other European countries where Catholicism was not dominant. Instead of people remaining in their marriages, most divorced, and many others decided to remain single as a rebellion against the church. In addition, the church prohibited the use of contraceptives but over 250,000 women crossed borders to look for abortion services.
The irony of the Church on education
The Catholic Church in Ireland was the leading single-handed institution with the highest number of learning institutions and healthcare facilities. The church advocated for education for all. Ironically, when the government proposed building about 500 new colleges under the state, the church opposed this move, arguing that the church's authority in the education sector would be compromised.
