Maura is a young woman working as a sales assistant at Switzer's department store in 1968 Dublin. Initially aspiring to a traditional life as a wife and mother, she marries a charming junior doctor and settles in the Rathmines neighborhood. Her conventional worldview is challenged as she endures domestic abuse behind closed doors and discovers the restrictive reality of her societal role. Through new friendships, she gradually questions the expectations placed upon Irish women.

Saoirse is a 35-year-old pediatric nurse living in contemporary Dublin. Her daily exposure to sick children at the hospital leaves her terrified of the uncertainties of motherhood, putting her at odds with her partner. Seeking space after a heated argument, she impulsively boards a Belfast-bound train where she encounters an elderly woman willing to share a piece of history.

Bernie is an outspoken, working-class woman raising three daughters in a cramped flat above a butcher shop. Experiencing a difficult fourth pregnancy, she faces the exhausting physical and financial demands of 1970s motherhood with blunt honesty. She embraces Maura with immediate warmth, offering practical advice and a judgment-free space to discuss the unspoken realities of marriage.

Christy is a highly respected junior doctor in Dublin who projects an impeccable public image of charm and professional competence. Beneath this polished exterior, he is a tyrannical and violent partner who demands absolute control over his household. He uses his elevated social standing and medical authority to isolate his wife and shield himself from any accountability.

Geraldine is a rebellious young sales assistant at Switzer's who openly defies the conservative expectations of 1960s Ireland. She reads banned British tabloids and closely follows international feminist movements, advocating for women's rights in a deeply traditional society. She serves as a critical bridge between private domestic struggles and organized political resistance.

Dan is a hardworking local butcher in Dublin who deeply loves his family. He represents a sharp contrast to other men in the neighborhood through his gentle demeanor and his ambition for his daughters to pursue higher education. His fear of losing his wife to a dangerous pregnancy drives him to make drastic, heartbreaking decisions regarding their marriage.

Josie is a 15-year-old girl who seeks refuge after an assault results in an unplanned pregnancy. Disowned by her father to protect the family's reputation, she wanders the streets of Dublin desperately looking for help. She relies on the kindness of women in the community for temporary shelter and guidance.

Miles is Saoirse's fiancé in the contemporary 2023 timeline. He holds a strong, traditional desire to start a family and struggles to understand his partner's reluctance. His insistence that all women naturally want to be mothers causes a significant rift in their relationship.

Nuala is a passionate and determined organizer working to build the Irish Women's Liberation Movement. Driven by the memory of her own mother's difficult life, she dedicates herself to challenging the inequalities facing Irish women. She recognizes the strategic value of having respectable, married women advocate for controversial rights.

Sharon is a combative journalist and an early member of the Irish Women's Liberation Movement. She uses her media connections to secure a platform for the group's message on national television. Her blunt communication style often challenges the more conservative members of the public.

Marie is the eldest daughter of Bernie and Dan McCarthy. In the 1970s timeline, she is a responsible six-year-old who helps care for her siblings and endures strict discipline at school. In the 2023 timeline, she is an adult who boards the Belfast train to continue a long-standing family tradition.

Elizabeth is the energetic middle daughter of the McCarthy family. She frequently needs new clothes and rides in the family pram during outings. Her childhood is shaped by the bustling environment of the butcher shop and her parents' protective care.

Alice is the infant daughter of the McCarthy family during the primary events of the 1970s timeline. She is a constant presence in her mother's arms or the pram, representing the daily physical demands of child-rearing in a busy household.

Mrs. Stitch is a local dressmaker who uses her business as a front to provide dangerous, illegal abortifacient services. Operating in a legal gray area, she maintains a cynical view of the options available to pregnant girls, justifying her dangerous methods as the only alternative to church-run institutions.

Timmy is Geraldine's brother and works as a barman. He provides a discreet, safe space in a male-dominated pub for his sister and her friends to meet, actively supporting their efforts to secure banned reproductive materials.

Regina is Josie's mother, constrained by her husband's concern for social standing. Though she initially hopes to pass her daughter's baby off as her own, she ultimately lacks the power to defy her husband's decision to banish Josie from their home.

Mrs. Johnson is a neighborhood gossip in Rathmines who keeps a close eye on the activities of the local residents. Her tendency to monitor the street eventually shifts from an annoyance to a strategic advantage for the women protesting domestic tyranny.

Agatha is Christy's younger sister. She participates in family gatherings and acts as a supportive presence for her brother during his wedding to Maura, fitting comfortably into the conservative social expectations of their class.

Grace is Christy's sister. She shares her brother's demanding standards and does not hesitate to verbally criticize her sister-in-law's housekeeping abilities, reinforcing the intense domestic pressure placed on young wives.

Tilly is a young girl living in the Rathmines neighborhood. She observes the daily activities on her street alongside her mother, serving as an extra set of eyes in a community that watches its residents closely.