OVERVIEW

• Playwright

  Winifred M. Letts 

• Setting

  Interior of a cottage on the outskirts of a small Wicklow village

• Synopsis

  The widow Doyne and her daughter Theresa are discussing a murder that has taken place in a nearby bog and the subsequent arrest of an innocent man. Lawrence Shaughnessy arrives at the cottage but he is out of spirits. Blind Phelim then arrives at the door. Phelim is aware of Shaughnessy's presence, in spite of the fact that Shaughnessy does not speak. Phelim converses with a figure only he can sense. This causes some alarm amongst the women so Phelim explains that he is speaking with the murdered man who identifies Shaughnessy as his killer. Overwhelmed with guilt, Shaughnessy confesses to the crime and decides to turn himself in. Theresa begs him to reconsider but he admits that the murder occured in a fit of passion and that God's mercy is great.

• Play Type

  Plays General
  

  Number Of Acts

  One Act

Cast size

• Male

  2

• Female

  2

• Total

  4

Original Production

• Date of First Production

  01 April 1907

• Producer

  Produced by Abbey Theatre/Amharclann na Mainistreach

• Original Venue

  Abbey Theatre/Amharclann na Mainistreach
  

Source Of Information

The information for this entry was taken from the original production programme and Ireland's Abbey Theatre: A History 1899-1951 by Lennox Robinson, with additional information from press cuttings of the time.