After the Train: Irishwomen United and a Network of Change

A glimpse at the long and winding history of Irishwomen United reminds us how far we've come.

The vast accomplishments of modern Irish feminism would look very different without the courageous, yet often overlooked, efforts of Irishwomen United (IWU) activists in the years following the Contraceptive Train of 1971. This phenomenal collection of nineteen essays offers firsthand, historical accounts of on-the-ground activities during this period, shining a light of neglected truth on the history of how Ireland was changed. In this book, writer and IWU member Evelyn Conlon, with the academic and editorial support of Rebecca Pelan, ensures the impact of the organization will no longer be forgotten.

The collective memories of these women describe everything from pickets to sit-ins, self-questioning to dancing, the development of feminist ideas, and publishing despite the restrictive laws and attitudes surrounding them. Through relentless, difficult discussions, publications, marches, and allyship with the global Feminist and Civil Rights Movement, the ideas of IWU were transformed into action for the sake of reproductive rights, sexuality, representation, and rape crisis work.

A foreword from former Irish President Mary McAleese contextualizes the collective labor of IWU within a not-so-distant past in Ireland. This book also features an archive of original art, flyers, photographs, and memorabilia of the movement, many appearing for the first time in print.

Irishwomen United and their allies set the precedent for change for the next generation. The stories of these women campaigners are not only representative of past movements but also a call to action for future social justice activists in the fight for liberation and equality for all.