Well into this century there was no difference in the life expectancies of males and females in Ireland. If there were equal access to food, health services, etc., then females should have much higher life expectancy figures. There is an eight year gap in the US today. Mothers gave preferential treatment to sons. They tried to cushion the strain for their sons.
Mothers stove to keep their sons from leaving.
It was not uncommon to find a farm house in which an aging mother and her unmarried son were living. Her lot was the hardest one by far. She had little hope of ever inheriting the farm. Her only hope was to stay until one of her brothers inherited and then, perhaps, she might be able to marry with the bride's dowry. Her lot was so hard that she was more likely to emigrate than even her brothers.