Contraception was the subject of intense controversy in twentieth-century Ireland. Banned in 1935 and stigmatised by the Catholic Church, it was the focus of some of the most polarised debates before and after its legalisation in 1979. This is the first comprehensive, dedicated history of contraception in Ireland from the establishment of the Irish Free State in 1922 to the 1990s. Drawing on the experiences of Irish citizens through a wide range of archival sources and oral history, Laura Kelly provides insights into the lived experiences of those negotiating family planning, alongside the memories of activists who campaigned for and against legalisation. She highlights the influence of the Catholic Church's teachings and legal structures on Irish life showing how, for many, sex and contraception were obscured by shame. Yet, in spite of these constraints, many Irish women and men showed resistance in accessing contraceptive methods. This title is also available as Open Access.

Long-listed, 2024 John Pickstone Prize, The British Society for the History of Science

Winner, 2023 Book Prize, British Association for Irish Studies

Winner, 2024 Book Prize, British Association for Irish Studies

Runner-up, 2025 Book Prize, The Social History Society

‘As reproductive rights emerge with visceral relevance on the international stage, Laura Kelly’s intervention with Contraception and Modern Ireland provides a timely reminder that playing politics with people’s bodies ends in bedrooms, bathrooms and backstreets of fear. This is a history which finds its rhythm in women’s words and those of the first interviewee sum up much of the paradox of Irish society’s response to contraception in the twentieth century. ‘We were awful innocent’, Deirdre, a mother of six recalls, ‘We were awful innocent’. Indeed, the awfulness often sat in deadly proximity to that innocence causing, until Kelly’s book, untold misery, fear, and anxiety. This impressive book charts the history of the last generation in Ireland to live without access to legal contraception. It explores the implications of that legacy, the shifting ground of the 1960s, 70s and 80s, the development and impact of reproductive activism, and, through oral history, accesses for the first time the quiet, private and everyday ways women and men negotiated the realities of ‘awful innocence’ in the bedroom.’

Lindsey Earner-Byrne - University College Cork

‘Laura Kelly has masterfully captured the interlocking spaces of religious, political and health expertise, activism and sexual practices that have shaped the circulation of contraception in modern Ireland. This beautifully written and thoroughly researched book is a key contribution to the history of contraception and, through the personal narratives of Irish men and women who advocated for, prescribed, used, desired and rejected birth control, uniquely illuminating.’

Agata Ignaciuk - University of Granada

‘In this fascinating study of contraception in Ireland between the 1920s and 1990s, Laura Kelly provides us with a nuanced narrative that fully captures the complexities of sexuality in modern Irish society. Her use of oral histories to illuminate the experiences of men and women negotiating family planning and contraception makes for a rich and valuable study of those whose stories would otherwise be lost. This book is sure to become the definitive history of reproductive rights in modern Ireland.’

Wendy Kline - Purdue University, Indiana

‘Eloquently and thoughtfully written, this book offers a ground-breaking, original and significant contribution to our understanding of contraception in twentieth century Ireland. The mix of archival and oral history methodologies offers a unique perspective on the subject and is an exemplar of how to use oral testimony in an effective and engaging way.’

Leanne McCormick - Ulster University

‘This important book is full of testimony of [women’s] endurance … Built on the back of the personal experiences of 103 interviewees born in Ireland before 1955, the book also provides dense detail about the wider history of contraception as reflected in numerous archives. It is absorbing, disturbing and revealing …’

Diarmaid Ferriter Source: Irish Times

‘… a stunningly remarkable achievement [that] will certainly prove to be a powerful force in enhancing our understandings of Irish history and culture in the modern age.’

Cara Delay Source: Women's History Association of Ireland

‘This is an outstanding book. … it will be the key text on its subject. It captures moral complexities, competing needs and beliefs, lived experience and crushing religious and political controls, and important acts of agency and resistance. The oral histories are enlivening and enlightening, and Kelly’s range and blended methodologies provide a model for histories of Ireland’s recent past.’

Sandra McAvoy Source: The English Historical Review

‘A tour de force of feminist history … a spectacular book that deserves wide readership. Kelly’s awe-inspiring oral histories humanize the people who resisted reproductive coercion with public activism as well as small acts of rebellion. May they remain a source of strength and inspiration for the global reproductive freedom struggle.’

Elizabeth O’Brien Source: Journal of the History of Medicine and Allied Sciences

‘Kelly is to be commended for this engrossing study, which represents the most comprehensive history of contraception in modern Ireland.’

Fionnuala Walsh Source: The British Journal for the History of Science