Pete Balloch

Hail Britannia!

Part 1 Arriving home after several post-protest drinks, Michael opened his window, stretched a condom over the Fire Alert Unit and lit a cigarette. He opened his laptop, put on, for what must have been the hundredth time in life, the Dubliners classic 50th anniversary concert. He reached for a small black box hidden at the back of his top drawer. Opening it carefully, he took out the heart-shaped locket held within. He looked at the picture inside and examined the Gaelic inscription, 'Fillean an feall ar an bhfeallaire'; 'What goes around comes around'. It had belonged to his great-grandmother Orla, who had served with distinction in the Cumann na mBan. He'd only known her through stories, as she died long before he was born, but he always felt connected to the idea of her resistance.