'Normal People' Sex Scenes Spark Outrage in Religious Middle Ireland

Normal People has been breaking hearts with its nuanced story of first love.

Based on Sally Rooney's bestselling novel of the same name, the Hulu and BBC adaptation has been generally hailed as a triumph, aided in part by the talents of its two young stars, Paul Mescal and Daisy Edgar Jones, who play Connell and Marianne respectively.

The series gained a huge following almost immediately, not only for its stunning landscapes, dreamy cinematography and deft depictions of class, but also for its sex scenes.

The scenes in question are frequent and explicit and definitely should not be watched with your parents.

But despite the excellent acting, focus on consent, and scenes expertly overseen by intimacy coordinator, Ita O'Brien, the drama has not gone down well with some viewers.

One of Ireland's most popular radio talk shows, RTE's Liveline, hosted by veteran broadcaster Joe Duffy, was inundated with calls from viewers outraged by the sex scenes in Normal People.

In a fascinating episode broadcast in Ireland on April 30, some callers condemned the show's sex scenes, resurfacing Ireland's complicated history of sexual repression.

The country's devout Catholic values shaped most of the 20th century, dominating many aspects of everyday life, and these beliefs still run deep in some communities. For example, sex before marriage was deeply taboo and women who gave birth out of wedlock were often sent to the Magdalene Laundries, institutions where so-called "fallen women" were incarcerated.

One caller, Mary, said: "It's like something you would expect to see in a porno movie."

Another caller said: "It's sexualizing our young people. It's not normal."

Another person was upset about the "fornication" being portrayed on screen, while another listener Tommy added: "I wouldn't like a daughter of mine to be engaging in sexual promiscuity before she was married" and that the show is giving the "wrong message" to young people.

Director Lenny Abrahamson responded to the Liveline episode with glee, saying he welcomes the controversy.

Speaking to another radio station, Newstalk, he said: "[Fornication] is a word I hadn't heard for a while."

Abrahamson added: "A controversy on Liveline is not to be sniffed at.

"There's some not absolutely insignificant minority of people who probably share views like that, or views which overlap with the views of the people who called.

"It'll never completely go away I'm sure, just like lots of other things."

Normal People is streaming on Hulu now.