Elaine Loughlin: The Church was wrong but condemning all those within it is not so black and white

It is easy to see the Church as a callous entity that continues to prioritise self-preservation over atonement but people are nuanced and multifaceted

The powerful documentary by Sinéad O’Shea features the story of Betty who, at the age of 18, was rescued from Sean Ross Abbey by the Randles.

It can be easy to view the pervasive culture that shunned women when they were at their most vulnerable as very clear-cut.

Ireland, in our not-too-distant past, was a place where Church and State governed through fear, fed off people’s shame, and colluded to ostracise those who didn’t follow a strict set of social rules.