Louie Bennett (1870-1956) was one of the most prominent female public figures of the Irish twentieth century. A suffrage campaigner, an advocate of peace, and an important trade unionist, she was an influential personality on the international stage as well as in Ireland. Despite this Bennett has not previously been the subject of a serious biographical study. The writer, RM Fox, produced a popular anecdotal biography following her death but many areas of her life remained unresearched.