Ireland has been lost for decades. Ever since the 70s at least.
The Eighth Amendment was voted in back in 1983. So it wasn’t utterly lost in the 70s or even early 80s at least. The influence of the EU took a heavy toll on the island, morally speaking.
Life = Life was the position that passed by 66.9% back in 1985, when Ireland was a "modern, democratic society" and the Irish enthusiastically marched, cheered and voted for their pro-life Amendment 8. So it's not true that Ireland was "lost" from the 1970's. Pro-Life was, until very recently, a principle that expressed the proud Exceptionalism of the Irish nation, one that could win. It was, and it did.
Something disastrous has happened in Ireland in just the last 35 years.
Right in line with the timing of Vatican II.