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The two issues that dominated Irish politics in 2018 were, perhaps surprisingly given their nature, not contentious. One was all but settled by the year end, while the other continued to drag on. Abortion, which had made Irish politicians squirm in fear for three decades, was put to the people in a referendum asking them to repeal an earlier amendment prohibiting it, and this was passed comfortably. The other issue that dominated politics in 2018 was Brexit. The European Union, partially at the behest of the Irish government, had secured a political commitment from the British government in late 2017–the so-called backstop. This sought to ensure that there would be no hard border on the island of Ireland as a result of the UK’s exit deal, and that the UK would not put in place any arrangement that would necessitate one. This became controversial in the UK, where it was seen for the restrictions it placed on the UK to …