During her 31-year career as a soldier in the Irish Defence Forces, Karina Molloy achieved many firsts. First female to get promoted to Senior Non-Commissioned Officer (NCO) rank. First to attempt the Army Ranger Wing selection course - Ireland's SAS equivalent - when it was considered impossible for women. And, to date, Karina has the most overseas service as a female senior NCO.
But despite a pioneering career, she faced many setbacks in an institution rife with misogyny - from sexual assault to routine bullying to promotional glass ceilings. And yet she persevered.
From Lebanon to Eritrea to Bosnia, A Woman in Defence is the often shocking story of a determined soldier who forged her way in a man's world, and who continues to fight to make the army a safer and more equitable place for women. What emerges is a damning exposé of a venerable Irish institution which has failed to defend and protect its own.