A Woman in Defence: A Soldier's Story of the Enemy Within the Irish Army by Karina Molloy
Synopsis
Karina Molloy is a remarkable woman and an outstanding soldier. During her 31-year career in the Irish Defence Forces, she gained many firsts.
First female to get promoted to Senior Non-Commissioned Officer (NCO) rank in the Irish Defence Forces. First to attempt the Army Ranger Wing selection course – Ireland’s SAS equivalent – when it was considered impossible for female soldiers due to their status as non-combatants. And, to date, Karina has the most overseas service as a female Senior NCO, with a total of eleven tours of duty in five different mission areas under her belt.
But despite her pioneering career, Karina faced many setbacks as a woman in an institution rife with misogyny – from sexual harassment and assault to routine bullying.
And yet she persevered. A Woman in Defence is the often shocking story of a pioneering soldier who, through dogged determination, resilience and talent, forged her way in a man’s world, and who continues today on a mission to make the Irish Army a safe and equitable place for women.
Reviews
Molloy's recollections are delivered with an arresting mix of in-your-face military precision and an emotional intelligence that provide an absorbing, poignant and often shocking account of her time in the Defence Forces ? Irish Times
Clear-eyed and unsentimental, A Woman in Defence is a sobering and timely testament ? RTÉ Guide
About the Author
Karina Molloy grew up in Donegal and fulfilled her dream to enter the Irish Defence Forces as a young woman, in 1981.
She retired after a thirty-one-year career, where she claimed many first achievements for a female recruit, including Senior Non-Commissioned Officer rank.
She is part of the Women of Honour group which set up in the wake of the military #metoo movement, detailing allegations of sexual abuse, harassment and discrimination in the Irish military, and advocating for change and accountability.
A Woman in Defence is her first book.