Villanelle in memory of Margaret Broderick

by Bern Butler

Prospect Hill, Galway, Cuman na mBan 1917-21

‘Before concluding I would like to say the job I hated most was enticing British soldiers down the docks in order to have them relieved of their arms by the Volunteers, one of whom, an officer, happened to be my brother.’

The job she hated most she said,
enticing British soldiers down the docks.
From Prospect Hill she came and went,

smoked a proffered cigarette
acted smooth, tried not to cough
the job she hated most she said.

While hidden purpose flashed and leapt
untamed as salmon in the lough
from Prospect Hill she came and went

her face a mask of death itself.
Despite close quarters, did not baulk
at the job she hated most. She said

she did it for the sisterhood,
for John, her brother, hiding round the block,
from Prospect Hill she came and went,

prayed for him and for herself,
took no time to mourn ‘bobbed’ locks
from Prospect Hill she came and went
to do the job she hated most, she said.

This poem was composed during a series of creative writing workshops for Comhrá na mBan Centenary Writers Group led by Emily Cullen at Westside Library, Galway during September – December 2023, as part of the ‘Reflections – A Commemoration of the Irish Women of 1923.’ This project was presented by Galway City Council, Galway Public Libraries & Galway City Museum & supported by the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sports and Media.