The Battles Go On. Mary Barbour’s Army – A Dialogue
My army they said, ‘Mary Barbour’s army.’ It’s no ma army, but, oor army. Ah called, you answered. We fought the peaceful fight shoulder to shoulder, on the side of justice. We have done oorsel’s proud. Those architects of fear and bullying are men born by the product of their mother’s hard labour, they should have known better.
Who, said we are the weaker sex? Shame on them, we haven’t even started. They thought, when they saw a bunch ah us wummin it would be too easy for them to break us, they know better noo. I’m telling ye whit I told them, we are the peace crusaders of 1915.
Whilst oor men are used as fodder for the whims of the Aristocracy, we fight for them as they fight for us. We fight for the right tae a decent hame for oor families and God willing the safe return eh oor husbands, faithers and sons. Right here, right now these greedy, negligent landlords’ prey on the weak and the vulnerable. We fight on.
They should look into the eyes of the bairns they condemn to a Hawker’s midden or the Barnhill poorhoose. Who the hell dae they think they ur? Did ye see the looks on their smug, arrogant faces when we said ‘No’? Well, they’re going to be hearing a lot more of that till they gain a sense of decency and compassion. We have much to do, but I know we shall make a difference. Strength is in our numbers, oor sense of justice and a common bond. So, lets hold firm on oor journey towards protecting the poor, the weak and the down trodden. Oor people, oor weans and oor salvation.
