Abstract
The history of marriage as an institution in the Republic of Ireland cannot be looked at without understanding and appreciating its historical Catholicism and the role that the politically-systematised Roman Catholic Church in the public and private guardianship of marriage as both a religious sacrament and a contractual obligation carrying legal rights and duties. The sacrament of marriage in the Roman Catholic tradition contains spiritual and contractual elements, thus inviting conflict between goals and obligations encompassed in the two marriage perspectives. The sacramental qualities surrounding the marriage contract and its basis in canon law proffered the canonical foundations on which Ireland based its Constitution. In essence, marriage and the rights to it were (are?) a dual institution that creates a religious sacrament and legal contract and the subsequent overlap of Canonical and Constitutional doctrines in Irish marriage law. This Essay grapples with the issue of divorce and its significant role in impeding the right of marriage in Ireland. Prior to the 1996 constitutional amendment legalising divorce, individuals were effectively caught between the anvil of the Church and the hammer of the State.
Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
