WHENEVER modern life feels rubbish and current events weigh heavy on the soul, I bolster myself with uplifting tales of strength and verve from bygone years.

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has spoken about how she is proud to be called a "dangerous woman" – a label often given to those who push boundaries in their chosen field.

To mark International Women's Day on Tuesday, here's my pick of pioneering and fearless Scots through the centuries.

AGNES OF DUNBAR, SIEGE VICTOR

IF I could meet anyone from history? It would have to be the indomitable Lady Agnes Randolph, who successfully defended her home, Dunbar Castle, from a siege led by the Earl of Salisbury in 1338.

Her husband, Patrick, 9th Earl of Dunbar and 2nd Earl of March, was off fighting elsewhere, leaving "Black Agnes" – as she was known for her dark hair and olive complexion – with only servants and a few guards.

The Earl of Salisbury, an English commander, didn't expect much of a fight. But he would leave five months later, with tail firmly between his legs.

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His troops were frequently taunted by Agnes, who ridiculed their efforts and would employ her maids to dust down the ramparts with dainty white handkerchiefs after an attack. A battering ram driven into the doors was smashed by a boulder Agnes had dropped from above.

Almost 700 years later the story of her bold triumph over an army lives on. Bravo.

MAIRI CHISHOLM, NURSE

ON days I find myself fretting about trivial matters, I cast my mind to Mairi Chisholm who, at 18, volunteered as a frontline nurse and ambulance driver during the First World War.

In 1914, Chisholm, from Nairn, and her friend, Exeter-born Elsie Knocker, set up a first aid post in a cellar on the Western Front in Belgium. Together they braved heavy bombardment, sniper fire and gas attacks as they sought to save the lives of thousands of soldiers.

"One sees the most hideous sights imaginable, men with their jaws blown off, arms and legs mutilated," wrote Chisholm in her diary.

The Herald: First World War frontline nurses Mairi Chisholm (right) and Elsie Knocker (left)First World War frontline nurses Mairi Chisholm (right) and Elsie Knocker (left)

Yet, the duo stayed, enduring unimaginable and perilous conditions, moving locations after two houses being using to treat the wounded were destroyed. The pair became known as the "Madonnas of Pervyse", and were often mentioned in soldiers' diaries, poems and songs.

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In 1918, both women were seriously injured in a gas attack and returned to the UK for treatment. Their courage saw them awarded the Order of Leopold II, Knights Cross by King Albert I of Belgium, as well as the British Military Medal.

MARY SOMERVILLE, SCIENTIST AND ASTRONOMER

THE achievements of Mary Somerville remain impressive almost two centuries later. The Jedburgh-born polymath jointly became the first female member to be elected to The Royal Astronomical Society in 1835 – at a time when women remained largely absent in scientific circles.

Somerville also played a key role in helping to discover the planet Neptune. She published several books, including On The Connexion Of The Physical Sciences, which became one of the best-selling textbooks of the 19th century.

The Herald: The RBS £10 banknote featuring Scottish astronomer Mary Somerville. Picture: RBS/PA WireThe RBS £10 banknote featuring Scottish astronomer Mary Somerville. Picture: RBS/PA Wire

In 2017, a £10 banknote bearing Somerville's image was sent to the edge of space in tribute to her remarkable work. Not all heroes wear capes. Sometimes they peer through telescopes and change the way we see the universe.

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