Motherhood is a tapestry of lived experience, woven with love, uncertainty, joy, and plenty of challenging moments. Both women became mothers as single parents, though under very different circumstances. Emma was 18 years old, Rachel was 38. Emma remembers fearing how her mother might react; Rachel recalls the relief of finally meeting her mother’s expectations. For Emma, motherhood demanded steel.

Source: Irish Examiner March 10, 2026 01:30 UTC