1995 Divorce referendum 50.3 % voted Yes

I suppose we all experienced some form of slagging going to school, but I think as far as young adults were concerned in Shannon they were pretty much ahead of time. I remember there was always a bigger lad who stood up for anyone being slagged off or picked on. Shannon was like an American suburb back then, even the houses we're slightly American looking. Look at Tullyglass hill and Tullyvaryagga and those house's on Drumgeely hill. You might as well have been in Hollywood or somewhere in LA. All the latest video tapes and cool stuff for teenagers was brought in through Shannon Airport. And people working in the airport had cheap flights so if you seen something cool on a movie, your Dad or mum just ask your friends parents and they'd bring it back for you. We were so ahead at the time we didn't know any better. Growing up was like living on the Goonies set or ET . Because we had American style suburbia.

They were teaching it to the people who'd listen to them or were teachable. Our family and friends didn't listen or go along with that bullshit. We didn't fall in with the status quo or fall for the latest thing. Even to the present day, we are all quiet savvy at at nonchalantly rejecting what the man in the suit tells us is right. We just pretty much mind our own business and if we get into a spot of bother it'll be sorted out or just get on with it. **** happens.

My mum and dad encouraged us to be critical thinkers, and we never fell for the bullshit of keeping up appearances. Our social circle was similar.

As for the Catholic church, they didn't hold as much sway with everyone. People had a choice. You either go along with the current thing or make up your own mind and reject it .

Obviously where you were brought up was different and you're still holding onto resentments and feel guilt shamed about other people's lack luster for tolerance.

We had 1 particular priest that was Old School Fire and Brimstone. 12 O'clock mass on a Sunday was best aIvoided and he dragged the arse out of it for longer than any other mass. Later in life I discovered that Protestant churches have cushions on seats. I felt very cheated having had to sit on hard wooden church pews for years. Why does the Catholic church need people to have bottom ache during services? I don't think pain gets you closer to God.

Seriously it wasn't as bad as you think it was. Maybe if one's sensitive and always obedient to the current thing they'll go along with it but hate it at the same time. Going to mass to impress their peers.

But most working people could afford a house or apartment back then. And a lot of us almost have our mortgages paid off and we're not even 50 how bad huh.

So what's your idea of a liberal society, sometimes I think some of these liberals are getting more depraved in their liberalism, cutting off food supplies, trying to spread democracy where it's unwelcome, creating division and stress to people. I think conservatives are more liberal nowadays than the new wave of half baked fruit cake liberals.

For better or for worse the introduction of divorce legislation did bring about a dramatic change in fortunes for modern Irish family life.

I think it is worth pointing out that people who believe that divorce introduced some sort of a legal solution to domestic abuse are kind of reaching for some sort of idealistic reasoning behind the purpose or existence of divorce in modern family culture. Legal separation had been around for the previous 6 years and indeed there were other options available for dysfunctional marriages prior to that, not many, but there were nonetheless.

I think what the referendum did indicate, and quite possibly initiate, was a movement by Irish people, away from their inherent reliance on the church, which had been fairly rammed down our throats since the 1930's and more? A previous poster touched on Father Ted and subsequent referenda, which more than anything showed a strong resolution amongst voters to enable their power of choice and to reach out from the regressive sheltering of conservative catholicism. It had tremendous power and influence prior to the 90's, people lived in fear of the pulpit, that fear was genuine and existed.

It is far too easy to scoff at now, but you daren't dis the church back then. I member Gay Byrne patronising Annie Murphy on the Late Late, almost as if it was all her fault that the Bishop of Galway had a child with her? It sounds crazy, but Gay Byrne attacked her like a pariah that night, like she was some sort of force of evil meddling in Irish affairs, the devil's daughter kind of shight.... But that's how people who acted outside of church rules were often ridiculed and spoke of in society at the time, it was chronic.

I remember getting a detention in school for buying Mates condoms in the Virgin megastore and bringing them into class one day. Many chemists wouldn't stock them and there was outrage in UCD when a dispenser was installed in the Students union. It was polarising stuff. Women who had sex before marriage were looked down upon as some sort of harlots, I am not joking either. Ireland was phucking crap for anyone trying to have a ride or a even have a laugh trying. You couldn't buy johnnies in the middle of an AIDS epidemic, that happened btw!!!

But.....

I do think that divorce has disabled modern marriages from the power that healthy marriage unions once held. Prior to divorce getting married meant devoting your heart and soul to someone else till your dying day... and the whole country did it, for better or worse. Every marriage is different but I cannot help holding the belief that divorce has weakened the reason and message of a marriage. Really strong marriages prevail though thick and thin, they understand that they are more than just one of life's cakewalks? Divorce has introduced options which undermines the values of why humans have been devoting themselves to each other for centuries. The concept of modern marriage is more about a day out and white dresses and the photographer and the phucking venue and honeymoon and on and on. Many marriages have not survived the 7 year itch and the reality of their failures leave former partners crippled with debt and financial woes.

The day of marriage being a lifetime commitment is over and to be frank and honest I think that is to its' detriment. I think that whilst divorce has given couples more options for their future, I lament over how it has devalued and dare I say it demeaned the sanctity and solaces any strong honest marriage was designed to provide. That is either a failing in marriage or a failure in divorce, I just cannot decide.