In autumn 1968, the General Army Convention of the IRA carried a motion to allow membership of women. This decision was reconfirmed following the republican split in 1969 by the Provisional Army Council. The move was heavily criticised by members of the republican women’s organisation Cumann na mBan themselves. Based on 25 interviews conducted with former female activists of the Provisional Republican Movement between 2009 and 2011 the reasons why Cumann na mBan opposed the decision are examined from the perspective of the female activists themselves. The findings show that those women who vigorously opposed the move came from a traditional republican background and held conservative social and religious views. Whereas those women who were in favour of joining the IRA were young and new recruits who joined the Republican Movement following the outbreak of the armed conflict in August 1969.