Between the early 1920s and the 1950s, Ireland was a newly established developing country. The state and its society were going through many changes, and many growing pains. The establishment and new politicians were anxious to present Ireland as a good catholic place, taking it’s place on the international stage as a beacon of wholesome goodness, newly independent and thriving.

But despite this, Ireland was still a country inhabited by people, with all their failings. Despite the bans on contraception and abortion, both services were sought and obtained by the citizens.

It was into this that 34 year old Mamie Cadden moved in 1925, when she left Mayo to become a midwife in Dublin. She would soon be successful, and soon find herself treating women with procedures that were on the wrong side of the law.

Join us this week for the story of the Notorious Nurse Cadden, Dublin’s backstreet abortionist.

Podcast Promo this week is from Mike Morford of Criminology’s new podcast, the most excellent The Murder in My Family. This unique podcast gives a voice to all the victims of a murder – including the families and those who loved the deceased. Check it out!

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Theme Music:

Quinn’s Song: First Dance by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

Sources:

Ray Kavanagh, Mamie Cadden: Backstreet Abortionist (Cork: Mercier Press, 2005).

Ann O’Loughlin, “Exploding the Myth about Abortion in ’50s Ireland” in The Irish Independant https://www.independent.ie/entertainment/books/exploding-the-myth-about-abortion-in-50s-ireland-26006313.html 29 January 2005.

Ray Kavanagh, “Backstreet abortionist delivers history lesson” in The Irish Timeshttps://www.irishtimes.com/culture/books/backstreet-abortionist-delivers-history-lesson-1.2941275 18 January 2017

Diarmaid Ferriter, “Abortionist Mamie Cadden was no Vera Drake” in tThe Irish Timeshttps://www.irishtimes.com/opinion/diarmaid-ferriter-abortionist-mamie-cadden-was-no-vera-drake-1.3369632 27 January 2018

https://www.irishtimes.com/life-and-style/people/solicitor-cultural-heritage-enthusiast-and-founding-member-of-irish-jewish-museum-1.1760441