Fanny Arthur Robinson and Annie Patterson made important contributions to musical life in Dublin in the decades leading up to the twentieth century. They inspired and encouraged many of their female peers and this period saw a continuous growth in the involvement of women in music. Fanny Arthur Robinson worked as a performer and teacher. She had a style of playing that was admired by many. She also composed and her piano music illustrates a clear understanding of harmony and the possibilities of the piano. Annie Patterson idea to recreate the ancient Celtic F eiseanna was created in F eis Ceoil, a huge development in Ireland's musical culture. She was also one of Ireland's first music journalists and through her articles she provided her readers with knowledge of a variety of areas of music. This thesis examines the contribution made by women to music in the second half of the nineteenth century, particularly that of Fanny Robinson and Annie Patterson. It exaniines their role within Dublin's musical culture at that time and how their male counterparts and the public perceived them. It hopes to illustrate the contribution women in Ireland made to not only playing and composing music but also to developing and sharing an interest in the music with the public.