A century ago, in 1925, Ireland was a very different place. Most people lived in rural areas. A woman’s place was almost inevitably in the home (or nunnery). Very few had cars. Few went to university. Fewer had telephones. Religious practice was almost universal. And average life expectancy was just around 60 (compared to 83 today). In the intervening century, our species has made staggering technological advances. But, while each of these advances may make sense in its own terms, there is a risk that the cumulative effect of all these changes may be more than we can handle.
When my family moved house in 1970 from Banbridge to Castlebar, life had changed somewhat since 1925, but it was still recognisably similar. My bedroom window looked out onto Station Road where you would see people heading into and out of town, as many on their sturdy black bikes as by car or van. My late father, who as a hospital doctor was on call for medical emergencies every second weekend, immediately went to the top of the local list to get a phone installed: its number was “Castlebar 646”. Sunday masses were crowded affairs with badly besuited men congregating unwillingly at the back of the church waiting for mass to finish so that they could go get a pint. Television was the big new technology but in Mayo back in 1970 you could only get RTÉ, in black and white.
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