1985 revisited: When festering tensions between the State and Church finally came to a head

‘Moral civil war’ was fought in abortion and divorce referenda and contraception legislation, writes TP O’Mahony

David Norris, right: His challenge to the law banning homosexuality failed in the High Court in October 1980, and his appeal to the Supreme Court was rejected in April 1983 Picture: Independent Newspapers Ireland/NLI Collection

In the mid-1980s, the battles in Ireland’s “moral civil war” (a term used by journalist Gene Kerrigan) were intensifying, pitting a reactionary Catholic Church against reformist forces in Leinster House.

In Irish society, the demand for change in areas of sexuality and human reproduction had been gathering momentum since the historic ruling by the Supreme Court in December 1973.