It's spring 1912, and 14-year-old Mollie Carberry lives in Drumcondra with her loving but distracted parents, her older sister Phyllis, her spoiled older brother Harry and her saintly little sister Julia. Mollie's convinced that her life is boring - until she discovers that Phyllis is a secret suffragette. After attending a suffrage meeting, Mollie wants to do something for the movement too – and she soon convinces her best friend Nora to join her. At last, they have some excitement in their lives!

While some of their classmates approve of their new cause, others can't see the point. Their timid schoolfriend Stella worries that Mollie and Nora are going to get into trouble. And their classmate Grace, who also happens to be Nora's cousin, disapproves of anybody who steps out of line. Despite this general apathy, as the weeks go by, Mollie and Nora become even more determined to do something for the cause. Even though nobody in the cause seems to particularly want their help.