Against the tide

Against the Tide is a story told with honesty and great emotion; the narrative of a life in which tragedy and good fortune succeeded each other with bewildering speed.                     Â

After training as a doctor, Noël Browne experienced at first hand the devastating ravages of tuberculosis both personally and professionally. Drawn to politics, he was appointed Minister for Health on his first day in the Dáil at the age of thirty three. His single-minded campaign for reform of the health system, especially the Mother and Child Scheme of 1951, encountered the strenuous opposition of both the Catholic Church and the medical establishment. Abandoned by his party colleagues, he embarked on a stormy political career over the following thirty years.

For nearly forty years, Noel Browne’s name has been synonymous with political controversy. He was idolised by his supporters; demonised by those who opposed him. Against the Tide was an instant bestseller on its publication in 1986. It has become a classic political memoir – subjective, passionate, controversial and beautifully written.