OVERVIEW

• Playwright

  Rutherford Mayne 

• Setting

  The action takes place in the bog lands in the West of Ireland, in the present day [1911].

• Synopsis

  A one-act tragedy telling the story of a fatal feud between neighbouring Galway families over a piece of land. Martin Burke and wife Mary are outraged to find their ownership of a portion of bogland, which Mary brought it to her marriage as part of her dowry, disputed by neighbour Michael Flannigan. When it is found that the land must be divided between the parties, Mary goads Martin not to accept the decision. He declares bloody war between the families and in a fit of rage, rushes to avenge himself on his neighbour with a gun. Mary's attempts to stop him fail, and the play ends with the sound of a shot off stage.

• Play Type

  Plays General
  

  Number Of Acts

  One Act

Cast size

• Male

  4

• Female

  1

• Total

  5

Original Production

• Date of First Production

  05 December 1911

• Producer

  Produced by Ulster (Literary)Theatre

• Original Venue

  Grand Opera House
  

Source Of Information

Information for this entry came from Margaret McHenry's 'The Ulster Theatre in Ireland', Wolfgang Zach's introduction to 'Selected Plays: Rutherford Mayne", and from the published playscript (1912 edition).