BETTY CUSHLA DAVY DISCO_PEELER EAMONN FIDEL GERRY GINA JIMMY MAN MANDY MARTIN_GALLAGHER MICHAEL
MINISTER MINTY POLICE_OFFICER PRISON_OFFICER RADIO REPORTER TOMMY VICTOR WOMAN

REPORTER 
Man, who was shot dead shortly before eight this morning has been named Michael Agnew, a high-profile barrister, was killed in his own home, in front of his wife.
EAMONN
What�s going on?
CUSHLA
I was just on my way to see him.
EAMONN
No. No way.
CUSHLA
But how can he be dead?
EAMONN
Who exactly knows, Cushla?
CUSHLA
Nobody.
EAMONN
They�d fucking better not. Now, pull yourself together and get back behind that bar.
CUSHLA
I really think that I need to go home.
EAMONN
Are you joking me? Are you joking me? You�re gonna walk in there as if someone you barely knew died.
CUSHLA
I can�t do this.
EAMONN
You can and you will. Come on. You can and you will
MICHAEL
I love you.
GINA
Is there something you wanna tell me, Cushla?
CUSHLA
Argh!
GERRY
Hi. 
GERRY
It was him, wasn�t it?
CUSHLA
They shot him.
GERRY
Easy, hey. There�s nothing you can do about any of that now.
CUSHLA
Just, justI keep playing it over and over in my head. I remember everything. I remember the first time we looked at each other. And I poured him a whiskey. 
GERRY
Hey, hey, hey.
CUSHLA
You�re so good to me, Gerry.
GERRY
It ain�t me, babe.
GERRY
I tried to kiss you that night because� I thought it was what I was meant to do.
CUSHLA
The man at the lough.
GERRY
I couldn�t believe you saw me. You know, I�d nearly done it a thousand times. I hoped that the feelings would go away, but they never did. That night you saw me; I�d finally found the courage to just go and meet someone.
CUSHLA
Why didn�t you just tell me?
GERRY
Same reason you never told me.
CUSHLA
Michael said, �We must find the courage to choose freedom over fear.�
GERRY
And look where that got him. Sorry.
CUSHLA
We must be true to love, otherwise hate wins.
GERRY
I don�t wanna be lifted, Lavery, or have the shite kicked out of me, or lose my job. Argh. How about we be free, in a kingdom of two? Sure, everyone thinks we�re a couple anyway.
DAVY
Miss Lavery!
DAVY
Mammy.
BETTY
You still don�t look a bit well.
CUSHLA
I�m okay. Just, um I�m sorry I couldn�t collect him yesterday.
BETTY
Mr Harkin got him. He�s nice.
MANDY
I have the kettle on.
BETTY
Come on in and have a cuppa. Oh, he turned up out of the blue with a bag of washing, sitting upstairs with a bake on him, smoking fags.
CUSHLA
Sorry I missed your last day, Davy.
DAVY
I wish I could be in your class again next year, Miss.
CUSHLA
I wish I could be your teacher again.
BETTY
Are you alright?
CUSHLA
I think I might call another time.
BETTY
Anytime. Isn�t that right, Davy?
TOMMY
I�ll lock up after her.
TOMMY
I was thinking. I have a few days off work. Maybe we can meet up for a couple of drinks, since you�re not our kid�s teacher anymore.
CUSHLA
Um I dunno. Maybe.
TOMMY
Okay. I have your number.
POLICE OFFICER
Hold it right there, McGeown. You�re under arrest for the murder of Michael Agnew. You do not have to say anything
BETTY
What are you doing? Tommy! Tommy! Get off of him, you fucking �
CUSHLA
Gerry, is this something to do with me? Tommy heard me say Michael�s name on the phone, and now he�s being lifted for his murder.
GERRY
The RUC have to be seen to be doing something, so they lifted a load of likely lads. Tommy being lifted has nothing to do with you.
CUSHLA
How can you be sure?
EAMONN
Who else knows? I need the truth, now.
CUSHLA
I was teaching him and four of his friends Irish.
EAMONN
Are you joking?
CUSHLA
I�m not.
EAMONN
Where?
CUSHLA
One of their houses on the Malone Road.
EAMONN
Fuck me. Is that it? Anyone else?
CUSHLA
I think Jimmy knows.
EAMONN
Well, if that eejit knows Cushla, I�m warning you, no tears, not one fucking drop.
RADIO
Man shot dead by
GINA
Are yous right?
CUSHLA
Yeah.
GINA
I hate being late for that lot.
REPORTER
The Provisional IRA has claimed responsibility for the murder of prominent barrister Michael Agnew, whose funeral takes place later today.
GINA
There you go. Bloody mortifying, so it is, having to show up to a funeral knowing our lot did it.
CUSHLA
Move in there, Fidel.
MINISTER
Michael was best known for the work he was a man. surpassing his love for rugby and the arts was his love for his son Dermot, his wife Joanna. He was of course loved by them
EAMONN
Are you okay?
GINA
Right. Will we pay our respects?
EAMONN & CUSHLA
No.
GINA
No?
EAMONN
We have to get back to the pub.
CUSHLA
Actually, I�m just gonna talk to them. I need to talk to them for one minute, okay?
EAMONN
Like fuck you do.
CUSHLA
Eamonn, let go. Eamonn, let go.
EAMONN
Calm down.
CUSHLA
I�m calm.
EAMONN
Just calm. How do you know that journalist?
JIMMY
I�m sorry for your troubles.
GINA
What did you do? Oh, for Christ�s sake.
EAMONN
Watch you don�t get it on the seats.
GINA
You got egg all over it!
FIDEL
Tell you what, you�d need a drink after that. Poor missus was in rag order.
MINTY
We used to help him with the crosswords, remember?
JIMMY
He�ll be missed.
EAMONN
What was all that carry on about between you and Victor McIntyre? How the fuck do you know him?
CUSHLA
He was at the Irish classes.
EAMONN
Christ the night, this keeps getting better.
MARTIN GALLAGHER
Hello again, Miss Lavery.
CUSHLA
Mr Gallagher.
MARTIN GALLAGHER
Haven�t seen you since that wedding. Little Luke says hi. Big lad now, but he kept that wee egg he painted in your class for ages.
CUSHLA
Why are you here?
MARTIN GALLAGHER
Thought I�d offer my condolences. Michael Agnew liked this pub. But Michael always had poor taste.
CUSHLA
Is Tommy McGeown one of yours?
MARTIN GALLAGHER
The stink of Brits in here. This whole place needs cleaning up.
CUSHLA
Please don�t hurt my family.
GINA
You alright?
CUSHLA
Mummy, I have to tell you something.
GINA
Aye. I think I need something stronger in my tea.
CUSHLA
No, no. I really need you not to be drunk.
GINA
Lord have mercy. Michael Agnew? I mean, I wouldn�t blame you. He was gorgeous. You know, Gerry�s a nice enough wee fella, but he�s no match for Michael. Lovely hands. Eat. Nothing will happen today. They�ll want to keep us stewing. I�ll warn Eamonn tomorrow. Tell him what Martin Gallagher said.
CUSHLA
Can I just go to bed, Mummy?
GINA
Aye.
CUSHLA
Michael?
GINA
Cushla? Cushla! Phone!
CUSHLA
What?
GINA
It�s that wee lad.
CUSHLA
Gerry?
GINA
No, Davy.
DAVY
Miss, it�s Davy.
CUSHLA
Davy! Davy!
DAVY
Miss Lavery!
CUSHLA
Everyone in the car! Everyone in the car! Get in the car!
WOMAN
Murdering Fenian bastards!
BETTY
Get in, Seamie, get in! Get in here!
WOMAN
Get the fuck out of here, you fucking �
BETTY
The window broke and the bottle smashed on the hearth. The flames went all across the carpet. They went up the side of the settee, where Davy and Mandy were sitting. We had to tip Seamie�s chair back to haul him away. And all the while I could hear them cheering. Can you believe they�ve charged Tommy with shooting that barrister?
GINA
That�s why they burned you out?
BETTY
It�s not like they needed much of an excuse. 
CUSHLA
They�ve, um� they�ve charged him? For the actual murder?
BETTY
Aye. Well, a quick win for the RUC looks good. It doesn�t matter whether he did it or not.
GINA
Right. Let�s get everyone to bed. Betty and Seamus, you can have Eamonn�s room. The kids can be in the spare room. You must be exhausted. Cushla, come on, Let�s get them upstairs.
GINA
What is everybody gonna think when they hear we�ve taken in that family?
CUSHLA
What was I supposed to do, Mummy? I didn�t know Tommy had been charged. Why would he want to kill him? Michael was helping boys like Tommy.
GINA
Did Tommy know about you and Michael? Cushla�
CUSHLA
Maybe, I don�t know.
GINA
Oh, dear god.
GERRY
Give Davy a hug from me when he wakes up and tell your mummy I was asking. Look, I have to go get this ferry, but here, follow me out as soon as possible.
DISCO PEELER
Tell me about your relationship with Michael Agnew.
CUSHLA
He came into the bar sometimes.
DISCO PEELER
You ever meet him outside the bar?
CUSHLA
He asked me to join an Irish language conversation group, so I went a few times.
DISCO PEELER
To the home of James and Penelope Fielding?
CUSHLA
Yeah.
DISCO PEELER
Did you ever meet him elsewhere?
CUSHLA
No. Who took those?
DISCO PEELER
Were you in a sexual relationship with Michael Agnew?
CUSHLA
Why don�t you show me a picture? I presume you�ve got a really good one. Jesus Christ.
DISCO PEELER
Did you ever visit his family home? Your car was seen outside the house on the night of May 27th. Michael Agnew was shot dead at his family home.
CUSHLA
Yeah. And why didn�t you stop him getting shot if you were fucking following him all the time?
DISCO PEELER
What was the nature of your relationship to Tommy McGeown?
CUSHLA
I don�t have a relationship with Tommy McGeown. His wee brother Davy is a pupil of mine.
DISCO PEELER
Did you give him your number?
CUSHLA
Yeah, I 
DISCO PEELER
He�s written something here on the page opposite. �I actually talked to her today, about books and real stuff. I couldn�t stop looking at her.�
CUSHLA
He was looking at me, so what?
DISCO PEELER
There�s another one here, an account of a phone call in March. �She called me Michael. Who the fuck is this Michael?�
CUSHLA
Michael phoned me in the evening sometimes and I presumed it was him, but I didn�t 
DISCO PEELER
You spoke to Tommy after the murder. You were seen conferring closely with him by his arresting officers.
CUSHLA
You are twisting everything.
DISCO PEELER
How did the McGeown family come to reside in your house?
CUSHLA
Their, their house was on fire.
DISCO PEELER
It doesn�t look great.
CUSHLA
You don�t seriously believe that I have anything to do with this.
DISCO PEELER
You are the connection between the victim and his killer.
DISCO PEELER 
You are the connection between the victim and his killer.
DAVY
[COUGHING]
CUSHLA
Here. Sip this for me. What�s up?
DAVY
I can�t sleep.
CUSHLA
Any wonder? Look, I�ll stay here for a wee while. That�s what my Mummy used to do for me. Did Tommy ever mention that barrister?
DAVY
Our Tommy would never kill anyone.
CUSHLA
I know, Davy. I know. But did he ever mention the name Michael? I need you to think really, really hard for me.
CUSHLA
Nothing? Did he ever mention me?
DAVY
Where are we gonna live?
MANDY
All our stuff is there. Are we gonna be able to get any of it back?
CUSHLA
Something is gonna be sorted so soon. Just you wait and see. Enough chat.
REPORTER
Assesse the damage � no one has claimed responsibility. The man charged with the murder of Michael Agnew has been named as Thomas McGeown. An eyewitness has come forward.
BETTY
He�s just a boy.
EAMONN
You need to get rid of them, now.
CUSHLA
Listen.
EAMONN
Want us to get burned out?
CUSHLA
Eamonn, please.
EAMONN
You�ve already been lifted by the peelers.
CUSHLA
Eamonn, I didn�t know Tommy had been charged.
EAMONN
I don�t care if you didn�t know, they have to leave now.
CUSHLA
Eamonn, would you just listen to me? I just found the number for the housing executive. They�re not gonna be here long, just a couple of days.
EAMONN
They leave now you stupid cunt.
GINA
We need them gone. Just do what he says. Eamonn doesn�t need to know about Gallagher. We�ll go to the barracks, get the soldiers barred.
CUSHLA
They never found a house. He�s gone into foster care, so has Mandy.
GINA
Oh Jesus.
CUSHLA
I did that. I asked Bradley to help them, and he reported them to the social.
GINA
It is not your fault. Come here. Enough of this.
CUSHLA
Feels like it�s all my fault. That peeler was right. I�m the connection between the victim and his killer.
GINA
If that sleekit wee bastard wanted to arrest you, he would�ve done it already. As Eamonn said, they like to leave you rattled.
CUSHLA
But I�m the reason Michael�s dead. I loved him, Mummy.
GINA
Oh, I know you did, pet. I know you did. But you can�t take to your bed for the rest of your life. You�ve got to carry what life throws at you.
CUSHLA
How did you ever get out of bed when we lost Daddy?
GINA
Eamonn ran me a wee bath. Can you believe it?
GINA
Shall we throw that cardigan in with you? It�s walking around by itself.
GINA
[HUMMING] Do you want a wee tea? I�ll bring it to you over there.
SGT. REID
Cushla. I was wondering how you were.
CUSHLA
Thank you for dropping that rhubarb round, Sergeant Reid.
SGT. REID
Well, I promised your Daddy I�d keep an eye on you. But I didn�t want to intrude.
CUSHLA
What would he make of me now?
SGT. REID
I remember him saying to me, �Our Cushla can be as bold as brass, but you can�t be angry at her for long.� I heard that Special Branch bastard gave you a hard time. Heard it irked him no end that you were just in love, and not some IRA honey trap.
CUSHLA
Look, I�m really sorry to ask. I just feel like I�m never gonna rest until I know the truth of it all. Could you help me?
PRISON OFFICER
You�re grand, Sergeant. This way.
CUSHLA
My god, Tommy.
TOMMY
Ta tu i do mhuinteoir. Ta Gaeilge agat.
CUSHLA
Don�t!
TOMMY
Ni labhraim ach i mo theanga goidte 
CUSHLA
An mar gheall ormsa a bhi s�?
TOMMY
Ni hea
CUSHLA
Ach bhi a fhios agat fa Michael �s mise?
TOMMY
Nuair a chuir siad na ceisteanna orm.
CUSHLA
An oiche sin,
Nuair a duirt m� Michael ar an ghuthan.
TOMMY
Ta na milte Michael i mB�al Feirste. Ni raibh a fhios agam. 
CUSHLA
Ni raibh ann ach
�happenstance�?
TOMMY
Ta seo nios tabhachtai na mise n� tusa.
CUSHLA
Did Gallagher put you up to this?
TOMMY
No. Bhi m� ag obair ar an bh�thar.Thosaigh s� ag cur. Ghlac s� m� isteach.
Chonaic m� a phictiur. Bhi s� ina wig.
Shil m� go raibh s� ina judge
CUSHLA
Jesus Christ, Tommy! He was, he was fighting the judges, he was fighting the peelers, he was risking his life for wee boys like you.
TOMMY
I know that now. Ach go f�ill, bhi s� ina willing agent de ch�ras lofa.Labhair Gaeilge.
CUSHLA
An bhfuil a fhios agat ca bhfuil
Davy? 
TOMMY
An t-aon duine a bhfuil isteach
na Daidi
An chuid is m� den am ta Mamai s�againne as a cloigeann ar Valium. Ta m�e ag l�amh nios m�. Tuigeann na daoine istigh anseo an tabhacht lel�itheoireacht.Duirt tusa ma l�im, ni chaillfear rud ar bith.
GINA
Did you see Tommy?
CUSHLA
It had nothing to do with me.
GINA
Oh.
CUSHLA
He didn�t know, so just the sort of shitty thing that happens here all the time.
GINA
Aye, there�s no shortage of them. I�m sorry.
CUSHLA
Come here.
GINA
Oh, ignore it. It�s probably Eamonn reporting on Marian�s constipation.
CUSHLA
Let me give you a hand with these.
GINA
There. Daddy loved the bluebells.
CUSHLA
Eamonn, what�s going on? Is everyone out? 
EAMONN
I told yous not to come.
CUSHLA
Jesus, Eamonn.
MAN
Get out of that, go on, clear off.
CUSHLA
I am so sorry. This is all my fault.
EAMONN
Not really, it�s this fucked-up place. Where else does being kind get you bombed?
CUSHLA
What?
EAMONN
At least Fidel gave us enough warning time to get out.
CUSHLA
Fidel?
EAMONN
Aye. Jimmy told me earlier; it was that lot.
CUSHLA
So, not IRA?
EAMONN
No. I wouldn�t be standing here if it was. No deaths is a gift, right?
CUSHLA
For taking in the McGeowns. Fuck.
EAMONN
Sorry I called you a cunt. And anyway, you probably done us a favour. At least now there�s insurance money. 
CUSHLA
Have you a plan?
EAMONN
Put the place on the market, move the fuck away from here. Down south maybe. You and Mummy could come with us. I�ll be outside.
VICTOR
Any chance of a drink?
CUSHLA
They questioned me. Special Branch was following him.
VICTOR
They were leaning on him to drop the police brutality case.
CUSHLA
With all that going on, he probably could�ve done without me.
VICTOR
I thought that at first. But he was happy, the last few months. You made him happy.
CUSHLA
I loved him. But I couldn�t tell him. I don�t know why the fuck I�m telling you.
VICTOR
I�d say he had a fair idea.
CUSHLA
Davy? Wee Davy McGeown, all grown up. 
DAVY
Miss Lavery.
CUSHLA
I haven�t been Miss Lavery for a long while. Where did you end up?
DAVY
All over. Had a rocky few years, but making a proper go of things now. I work with foster kids, and I�ve a grown kid of my own who�s talking to me again