An Triail

During the winter "term", we'll be focusing most of our attention on the play An Triail, by Máiréad Ní Ghráda. This separate section of the site will allow you to quickly see what you have missed on any given night.

06/0605

Synopsis

Triail Start | Ní Ghráda | Maude | Back to Will's Class

• Scene 1
• Scene 2
• Scene 3

• Scene 4
• Scene 5
• Scene 6

• Scene 7
• Scene 8

Setting

Action

• Attorney 2 questions the Manager about the work Máire did, and what she received for it. The Manager is a well-meaning kindly man, who does his best for his workers (and pays them above average).
• Questions reveal that Máire's job was to clean the bathrooms, washing the floors and rinsing the basins every day. She worked ten hours a week for three pounds' salary. Attorney 2 suggests that that wasn't much pay for a woman with a child, but the manager is doing his best.
• The manager also reveals that she portrayed herself as a widow, and used the name Bean Uí Laoire. Both the manager and other workers donated money to help her out.
• The Attorney suggests that she was fired, but the manager says that Máire just stopped coming to work. He sent the matron to check on her, but there was no house at the address given. Gossip in the court reveals that the house had collapsed.

Setting

Action

Attorney 2 questions the Landlady.

• The Landlady quickly establishes that she didn't believe that Máire was a widow, and that she knew she had an illegitimate child.
• The Landlady used to take care of Máire's daughter, for a little extra money. The Attorney makes the point that Máire didn't have much money on which to raise a child.

• The Landlady is giving her account to a reporter. She noticed the wall buckle, and the ceiling starting to fall in, so she grabbed her kids and rushed them out of the house. Neighbors call the police and the fire brigade.
• Máire returns and finds that the Landlady forgot about Máire's daughter. She rushes into the building and brings her child our, safe.
• Seáinín an Mhótair comes along and asks what happened. The neighbors explain that the Landlady and her kids have gone to someone else's house -- but no one bothers about Máire, because she's a liar, unfriendly, has an illegitimate child, and so on.
• Seáinín goes over to Máire and recognizes her. He's very upset about the unChristian behavior of the neighbors. (It turns out that a heavy beam fell in the right place and saved the child.)
• Mailí comes along, so Seáinín takes Máire and her daughter to Mailís place.

Setting

Action

• The Attorneys reluctantly approach Mailí on the street to ask her some questions. They ask about her taking Máire into her own home.
• Mailí speaks bitterly about how the "reputable" women of the community would have nothing to do with Máire and her child. Questioned about the size of her home, Mailí replies that at least it isn't falling down, nor is it "an inhospitable house", like those of the "reputable" women.
• Asked about Máire's financial situation, Mailí tells them that Máire lost most of what little she had, clothes for her and her daughter, when the house collapsed. She also says that Máire won't go back to work, that after the house incident she just can't bear to have her child out of her sight.
• When Attorney 1 asks Mailí if her house is suitable for such a girl and her child, she tells them both to go to Hell.

Setting

Action

• Mailí tries to get Máire to pull herself together, and suggests that the father of her child should help, but. Máire is quite defensive.
• Mailí then asks about going back to work, but Máire can't separate herself from her child. Mailí says that Máire can't keep an eye on her forever, but Máire wants to stay close to her a little longer.
• Finally, Mailí says that the landlady would allow Máire to stay free, and the lodgers would chip in a little bit, if Máire did some cleaning around the place. Máire is delighted with the prospect.

Setting

Action

• Attorney 1 brings up the night of that fateful dance at the school house. Colm immediately says that it wasn't his fault, he just introduced them.

• Colm recognizes Máire and calls to her. He invites her into a café for a cup of coffee.

Setting

Action

• Small talk: Colm wondered what happened to Máire, saw her brother Seán and thinks he looks good as a priest. He reports that Liam is getting married, which she didn't know.
• Colm tries to invite her out, on a kind of date, but she puts him off, rather clearly. Colm is surprised to hear she doesn't have a boyfriend, and brings up Pádraig.
• On questioning, Colm tells her that Pádraig's wife died about a year ago, a month after Máire left. He reports that Pádraig was back in play, so to speak, pursuing, and being pursued by, the ladies. At that news, Máire leaps up, not having tasted her coffee, and dahses home.

• Máire is writing a letter to Pádraig. She is writing that she knows he will come to her, now that he is free . . . and we hear his voice outside.
• Mailí comes in to say she met a couple of fellows in the street, and she wants Máire to come down and chat with them.
• Pádraig comes in, somewhat drunk, and recognizes Máire. She mentions her daughter, Pádraigín, and tells him she's his daughter.
• Máire is very excited, telling him what a wonderful daughter they have, and she wants to wake her and bring her in, but Pádraig doesn't want to see her.
• Pádraig tells Máire that he re-married six months ago, the young schoolmistress who was after him. Máire realizes that he came to the house not for her, but for Mailí. She suggests that Pádraig probably seduced this woman as well, and had to marry her. Pádraig denies this -- and calls Máire a harlot!
• Colm and Mailí come in, in good spirits, and with a bottle. Colm praises Pádraig, for burying one woman and marrying another in the same year. He raises a toast to every fool of a woman who swallows his flattering words.
• Colm sees Máire and wants her to have a drink before he realizes who she is. Pádraig is finally embarrassed, and charges out of the house, with Mailí calling after the lads to stay.

Setting

Action

• Mailí tells the court that she smelled gas in her own room at the top of the stairs. She rushed down to see that cushions and rags were stuffed around the door.
• When she opened the door, she could barely breathe. She pressed a kerchief to her face, and went in to find the oven open, the gas flowing, the infant's head inside the oven, and Máire pressed against the child's legs. It was too late, there were both dead.
• Mailí concludes that Máire couldn't let her child go into eternal darkness without her mother at her side.
• We hear the voice of Máire, saying the same thing it did to open the play, that her daughter now would never grow up to be a woman, and thus was free.

Setting

Action

• Attorney 2 observes that the coroner's jury ruled the case a murder/suicide. He suggests that they only had the testimony before them, and asks the rest of the cast, who know more about Máire, who should be blamed for the deaths.
• Her Mother says not to look at her, that she raised her as a good Christian.
• Seán says that Máire brought them shame and forced him to leave the priesthood.
• Liam says that Beití broke off their engagement, because she couldn't stand the notoriety (of the suicide, etc.).
• The Manager of the factory just observes that he had her clean the bathrooms, because someone had to do it.
• The woman who employed her as a domestic (Bean Uasal) says the couldn't keep her, because what would the neighbors say?
• The Social Worker says she did her best, but that Máire was stubborn and wouldn't give up her child.
• Seáinín says that she broke the rules, and that whoever breaks the rules loses the match.
• A few random bystanders observe what a lonely grave it is, with both mother and child in the same coffin, calling for God to have mercy on her soul.
• Mailí says that Máire was faithful, she never said who the father was, taking the secret to her grave. Whoever he was, he should repent of what he has done. She asks for God's mercy on Máire and every sinner like her, and finally, for mercy on both Máire and her daughter.
• Mailí leaves, and we hear Máire's voice, singing "Siúil, a ghrá". Pádraig comes and stands silently by the grave. Then he pulls the collar of his coat up around his neck, like he's cold, and leaves.