I used to belong to this militant group of schoolgirls in my early youth. We were taken away from our families and brainwashed. We used to march around in military type uniforms and sing patriotic songs. We used to declare that we would die for the Catholic faith if necessary (Our fathers chained in prisons dark were still in heart and conscience free, how sweet would be their children's fate, if we, like them could die for thee!"). It's hard to believe now, really. Sounds dreadful, doesn't it? It was called the Girl Guides. The Catholic Guides of Ireland, to be precise. I learned a couple of useful skills there. I can tie a mean reef knot. I know my rosary backwards and forwards. I always feel guilty about being late and failing to be neat enough to pass inspection. But a free spirit like me couldn't be chained up for long and I escaped when I was around fifteen. Mind you, it was politics. Some young one called Treasa (that's the Irish for Te
An Irishwoman living an East/West Life