Women's Introduction and BackgroundInternationally, women did not have the right to vote until the 20th century. The fight for women's rights would have been a fight for votes. This was linked to national aspirations for “home rule” (NiChonaill, 2014). Until the latter part of the 1990s, Ireland had a reputation as the most sexually repressed country in Europe, where women were second-class citizens and the Catholic Church ruled virtually unchallenged. But things changed quickly. Feminism has also become a dirty word within society. The Church was the main component of feminism, perhaps because women had children at home. Irish men opposed this because it challenged the primacy of men in the home and in the marketplace (NiChonaill, 2014). The Church was a male-dominated, patriarchal group. The roles of society are shaped by the Church. The Church was a staunch opponent of women's right to vote, as well as men's. Men were a huge adversary because they viewed women as a threat. Society also plays a major role in dictating gender roles, for example pink is associated with girls and blue is associated with boys. The decision regarding gender is seen when we are born. Women in Irish Society In the early stages of the state, it took a long time for women to obtain unemployment benefits. Ireland has a low percentage of female senators and TDs. This is evident in Fianna Fail; they don't have a female TD. This reflects the fact that women do not want to work in this field. Politics is the traditionally male-dominated environment. This may change in 2014; OConnor says there are many opportunities that can shift the balance of power between men and women. Profession of women excluded from unemployment compensation by the insurance law of 1920 and social protection of 1952...... middle of paper ......than men, they are always paid less, on average, than men and are more likely to be excessively characterized in the lowest paid sectors of the economy. Conclusion Things have changed, but not completely. It is evident that women's opportunities were limited in the early years of the state. There were times of arranged marriages and dowry. Women and men do not constitute homogeneous groups; we live in a society where people are socially disadvantaged. Societal norms have changed. In modern society, many successful women are honored for their achievements; Olympic gold medalist Katie Taylor, Maeve Binchy, whose work has captured the lives of Irish women over the past thirty years, Chief Revenue Commissioner Josephine Feehily, and Clare Loftus, the first female DPP. Gender equality and women's success have been hard-won and should be celebrated with aplomb..