The struggle around abortion in Ireland in the late 20th – early 21st centuries in the context of “culture wars”

Based on the memoirs of activists, documents of public organizations and government bodies, the evolution of the attitudes of Irish society towards the problem of abortion is considered. Discussions on reproductive policy in Ireland are analyzed by the author through the phenomenon of the socalled “cultural wars” – clashes over key value orientations. The author demonstrates how the success of numerous campaigns of activists, together with the tragic cases associated with the ban on abortion in the country, contributed to the transformation of the view of the majority of Irish people on the right of a woman to terminate a pregnancy. Using the results of the referendums of the 1980s – 2010s on the issue of abortion, the author demonstrates splits in society and their overcoming by 2018.