Set in 1970s Dublin, Brigid Carrick’s The Belfast Express follows Brianna Robinson, a young nurse whose work brings her face-to-face with the realities of women’s lives in Ireland.
Before she became Nurse Robinson, Brianna was simply a young Catholic schoolgirl with dreams of escaping to London to train as a nurse. She came tantalisingly close to achieving that dream, but her family and local community intervened, lobbying for her to complete her training closer to home. Instead of a glamorous life in London, Brianna remained in Dublin.
Dublin in the 1970s was far removed from the cosmopolitan image of London. Catholicism permeated every aspect of Irish society, shaping both public life and women’s bodies. Contraception was illegal, abortion was considered a grave sin, and the priesthood was held in the highest regard. For much of her sheltered upbringing, these realities barely touched Brianna’s life.
That changes when she begins nursing in Dublin’s poorest communities. There, she encounters women raising families of eight or more children in a single room, with poor sanitation, limited education and barely enough money for shoes. They have little access to healthcare, no control over their own bodies, and few choices beyond simply enduring.
The women Brianna later meets in the “secret clinic” live very different lives. They have money, supportive families and homes with modern comforts, yet privilege offers little protection from the restrictions imposed on women in 1970s Ireland. In many cases, they are forced to risk not only their health, but also their standing within their faith and communities.
Then one weekend in Belfast changes everything. What begins as a carefree trip across the border becomes the catalyst for something far greater, opening Brianna’s eyes to a different world and setting in motion events that will shape the rest of her life.
The Belfast Express is one of the most surprising novels I have read. What begins as the story of a young woman pursuing a nursing career evolves into a powerful exploration of women’s rights, faith, class and political change in Ireland. It is a novel about ordinary women who, together, find extraordinary courage.
Author Brigid Carrick draws on her own experiences as a nurse in 1970s Dublin, lending the novel an authenticity that makes its characters and their struggles feel profoundly real. Told through the eyes of Nurse Brianna Robinson, the story is intimate and profoundly moving. As a reader, you are right beside these women, every heartfelt step of the way. Â
At its heart, this is a story about family, friendship and the pursuit of justice. Carrick deftly weaves together a rich portrait of womanhood, infused with unmistakable Irish wit. Despite tackling deeply confronting themes, she balances the novel with warmth and humour, making the emotional moments all the more powerful. It is fearless, feisty and feminist in all the best ways.
This book made me laugh, it made me cry, and it left me incredibly proud to be all three of these things: a woman, a nurse and Irish.
Rating: 5/5 starsÂ
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