Was Ireland a “deeply misogynistic society”?

Emphatic no. If anything, Ireland was a deeply philogynistic society which sought to protect women. Feminists now view old world philogyny as patriarchal condescension, but more troublingly have created a body of false history to curry pity and promote an agenda of victimhood. In reality, women were treated with a respect which was not afforded to men and boys. For example, women who killed their infants were often let off by judges and juries on the lesser charge of ‘hiding a pregnancy’.  When this was not possible either by the mother’s admission of guilt or unambitious evidence – juries had to produce a verdict or murder but nearly always pleaded for mercy. Judges had to impose the mandatory death sentence, but again were benevolent in their comments. Despite the passing of several death sentences, all were commuted, the women released after serving a short sentence. Any man or boy with the same conviction would have faced the hangman. Of that there is no doubt.