Mother and Child : Maternity and Child Welfare in Dublin, 1922–60

This fascinating book provides a detailed account of the history of maternity and child welfare in Dublin between 1922 and 1960. In so doing it places maternity and child welfare in the context of twentieth-century Irish history, offering one of the only accounts of how women and children were viewed, treated and used by key lobby groups in Irish society and by the Irish state. Mother and child is of critical importance to understanding the political and social history of modern Ireland as it examines the responses of the State, the church, voluntary groups and women to the emergence of the welfare State in Ireland. As such it makes a welcome contribution to Irish political, social, medical and gender history. Front matter Dedication Content List of abbreviations Glossary of Irish words List of tables Acknowledgements Introduction Maternity and child welfare pre-Independence Maternity and child welfare: setting the agenda, 1922–39 The Dublin mother: maternal welfare and child health, 1920–40 The Emergency: the war, the poor, the Church and the state, 1939–45 Cracks in the ‘cordial collaboration’: political reality and religious principle, 1945–56 Maternity on the ground: the Dublin experiment, 1945–56 Illegitimate motherhood, 1922–60 Conclusion Bibliography Index Irish women, as actual or potential mothers, were frequently the direct or indirect targets of much debate and welfare legislation during the first half of the twentieth century. This book provides an analysis of maternity policy and provision in Dublin. It also places maternity and child welfare in the context of twentieth century Irish history.