This book investigates the historical trajectory of Irish women and their evolving influence on the political and social landscape of Ireland. Author Roger Sawyer utilizes a biographical and organizational framework to analyze how women navigated the competing ideologies of unionism and nationalism. By examining specific figures and movements, the text argues that women were not merely peripheral observers but active participants in shaping the resolution of the Irish Question.

Scholars and readers recognize this work as a balanced contribution to the study of gender in Irish political history. It is frequently cited for its objective approach to complex sectarian and social divisions within the region.