A Guarded Life
In 1984, Majella Moynihan was a fresh-faced young garda recruit when she gave birth to a baby boy. Charged with breaching An Garda Síochána’s disciplinary rules – for having premarital sex with another guard, becoming pregnant, and having a child – she was pressured to give up her baby for adoption, or face dismissal. It forced her into a decision that would have devastating impacts on her life.
Majella left the force in 1998 after many difficult years and, in 2019, following an RTÉ documentary on her case, she received an apology from the Garda Commissioner and Minister for Justice for the ordeal she endured as a young garda. Here, for the first time, she tells the full story.
From an institutional childhood after the death of her mother when she was a baby, to realising her vocation of becoming a guard only to confront the reality of a police culture steeped in misogyny and prejudice, A Guarded Life is both a courageous personal account of hope and resilience in the darkest times, and a striking reflection on womanhood and autonomy in modern Ireland.
About the Author
Majella Moynihan was born in Kanturk, Co. Cork and raised in St. Joseph’s Industrial School for Girls, Mallow. She served in An Garda Siochana for fifteen years, from 1983 to 1998. In 1984, she gave birth to a son, whom she was forced to give up for adoption, having been charged with breach of Garda disciplinary regulations for having sexual intercourse and giving birth outside of marriage. In 2019, on foot of an RTÉ Radio 1 documentary about her story, Majella received an official state apology. She lives in Dublin.
The LitVox Bookshop
Our bookshop’s range grows by the day. Moreover, we pride ourselves on being able to track down and obtain any book our customers want. Our recommendations service is open for all to use. If we recommend books to you through this service, we’ll can gather those books and send them to you no matter where you. If you’re buying books as a gift, we can gift-wrap them and send them wherever in the world you wish! We can even hand-write your greetings card with your personal message.
Remember that if you’re buying books as a gift, we also offer a wide-range of book prints, gifts and greetings cards for readers of all ages! Check out our print studio and gift-shop today. If you have any special requests for your order or need further gift inspiration, just contact our team at hello@litvox.mystagingwebsite.com, we’re ready and waiting to help!
