Irish Divorce

"Introduction: the 'Anatomy of a divorce'1 The 'history of divorce is not the least important, and is certainly one of the most typical chapters in the 'History of Freedom,' and its land-marks are those of that history.'2 The legalisation of divorce in the Republic of Ireland in 1996 was heralded as epoch making, but there was little acknowledgement that this was the third incarnation of Irish divorce. The reform was preceded by early Irish law which allowed divorce and over two centuries when divorce could be attained by a parliamentary act. As a satirical matrimonial map, produced in early 19th-century Cork, attested: 'Cat and Dog Harbour ... is the principle port for trade to the Divorce Island' which possessed 'a considerable population'. By comparison, 'The chief building ... the Fort of Repentance ... situated in the Vale of Tears, is scarcely ever inhabited'"--