Irish Flames
By John Waller
Directed by Rosalind Scanlon
The play is based on John Waller’s book Irish Flames - Peter Waller’s true story of the arrival of the Black and Tans, which the Irish Post described as a remarkable account of the end of British rule. It focuses on two developing relationships: between Peter - Robbie in the play - and his older friend Con, who changes from gardener to IRA Volunteer; and Meli, Peter’s English mother, and Martin, the leader of the IRA, who she is in love with and saves when he is injured in an ambush on the Black and Tans.
"We were interested to read the adaptation, which is assuredly written. The play offers a powerful comment on wartime violence and retribution." Royal Court
Rehearsed Reading at the Irish Centre,
Hammersmith, London on December 5th, 2007
Act One - 1920
Scene 1: The kitchen of the Big House - April 16th, 1920
Robbie tells Con that his father is returning from the war
Meli and Martin discuss his father’s death and the play she has lent him
Scene 2: The kitchen of the Big House - next morning
Robbie wants to know about the war
Alec and Meli row
Scene 3: The kitchen of the Big House - a few weeks later
Martin and Meli discuss a pamphlet
Alec tells Meli that Robbie has been injured
Scene 4: The potting shed of the Big House - evening, end August
The volunteers discuss the British presence
They plan to torch the RIC barracks
Scene 5: The kitchen of the Big House - next evening
Robbie tells Mrs. Murphy and Con about his trip to Dublin
Scene 6: The potting shed of the Big House - early next morning
Robbie and Con discuss the previous night
Robbie tells Con about the man he found
Act Two - New Year’s Eve 1920
Scene 1: The kitchen of the Big House - 11.30 p.m.
Alec and Meli see the Black and Tans coming to gate crash the New Year’s Eve party.
Roberts and Johnstone discuss the food
Mrs Murphy confronts the Tans. The Tans leave and gun-fire is heard off-stage.
Scene 2: The potting shed of the Big House - evening next day
Meli, Martin, who is injured and Con discuss the ambush
Meli plans Martin’s rescue
Scene 3:The potting shed of the Big House - a few days later
Con, who has been interrogated by the Tans, tells Robbie he’s on the run. The Tans return and the play ends in horrifying tragedy
ROBBIE: Con, Con. Great news.
CON: Breakfast.
ROBBIE: No, not yet. There’s a letter from Daddy. He’s coming home in a few days.
CON: That’s great for you. You’ve missed him.
ROBBIE: Con. When he’s here, I want you to meet him. Alright he knows your brother but you were just a stable-boy when he was home last.
CON: Now, Robbie. The Master won’t want to meet the gardener.
ROBBIE: But you are not just the gardener. (With emphasis) You are my friend. (Pausing) You are my only friend. I insist. When he comes, I want you to meet him.
MELI: Now, now, Martin. You know it was the drink that did for him in the end.
MARTIN: And why was he drinking? Because Kernahan drove him to it.
MELI: You can’t say that.
MARTIN: My Da was his batman in India. Day in, day out Kernahan bullied him.
MELI: But that’s army life.
MARTIN: I reckon Amritsar was the end. He told me how ten thousand unarmed Indians gathered in a walled garden. They were protesting because they wanted their freedom. The troops were ordered to fire and hundreds were killed.
MELI: That was tragic.
MARTIN: He never forgave the British. On his death bed he told me Ireland must be free. He made me promise to fight for our freedom.
MELI: Oh! (Pause) And how was the play?
MARTIN: Ma’am. I’m not against you. A lot of the British are good people. It’s the government. They promised us our own country.
MELI: I know. Did you read Cathleen Ni Houlihan?
MARTIN: Indeed I did. (Pulling the book out his jacket pocket and giving it to Meli) It was brilliant. I’m Michael aren’t I?
MELI: And who is Cathleen?
MARTIN: The old lady.
MELI: But she’s more than that.
MARTIN: She asks Michael to help expel the strangers in the house who have stolen her four beautiful green fields. Sounds like the British and Ireland.
ROBBIE: Daddy, I want to hear all about the War. Was it exciting?
ALEC: No, Robbie. Most of the time it is very boring.
ROBBIE: Con told me the trenches were full of rats. Ugh. Is that true?
ALEC: Indeed it is. So this is Con?
ROBBIE: He used to work in the stables. Con also told me they were fighting for Belgium.
ALEC: That’s what people were told.
ROBBIE: And Belgium is like Ireland, it’s another small country. And when Belgium was free then Ireland would be too. Con tells me everything.
ALEC: So? Anyway, what’s this that you have been visiting the McCarthys?
MELI: What do you mean?
ALEC: Mrs Murphy has told me. (Laughing) You don’t fancy Martin, do you? All the other ladies do. Muscular with a big smile and beautiful white teeth.
MELI: Don’t be revolting. Anyway that’s the sort of thing your stupid friends would say.
ALEC: Then why have you been to see the McCarthys?
MELI: Because she’s been ill.
ALEC: And Martin?
MELI: He’s never there. Always on the Estate. Being chased by your friend, that boor, Colonel Kernahan.
ALEC: Now, now Meli. Show a bit of respect. Though I wouldn’t say Kernahan is exactly a friend.
MELI: Not like his sporty wife?
ALEC: Enough of that.
MARTIN: Ma’am.
MELI: Martin, what are you doing here? Why aren’t you at the regatta? You should be crewing, shouldn’t you?
MARTIN: The Master said I could have the day off. But Colonel Kernahan told me to return to the estate. So I picked up the pamphlet and came over.
MELI: Well, what a lovely surprise! What did you make of the United Irishmen?
MARTIN: Great! Really great! If only they had succeeded we wouldn’t be fighting now.
MELI: Did you have problems with the writing?
MARTIN: Only the French. Libert, egalite, fraternite.
MELI: (Laughing) Liberté, égalité, fraternité.
MARTIN: Liberty, equality and brotherhood or death! That should be our motto too.
MELI: It was the French Revolution that really influenced the United Irishmen. Anyway, enough of the death, Martin.
MARTIN: Wolfe Tone wanted Liberty – to break the connection with England, didn’t he? ‘The never failing source of all our political evils’, he said.
MELI: But he also wanted Equality. In those days the Protestant Ascendancy was running the country and the Catholics were mainly peasants.
MARTIN: And brotherhood?
MELI: The United Irishmen wanted to unite all Irishmen, regardless of religion. Wolfe Tone was Church of Ireland and there were many Presbyterians at the first meeting.
MARTIN: So Protestants and Catholics could be brothers. (Laughing) Like you and me?
MELI: Like the two of us.
MELI: He’s asleep. What happened?
ALEC: He was injured in the first race.
MELI: What do you mean first race?
ALEC: Well he was crew for the first time today.
MELI: I would never have let him race.
ALEC: If you had been at the regatta you could have had your say. But you never come these days.
MELI: (angrily) You are an idiot! You know he’s never raced before. How could you have been so stupid.
ALEC: He’s got to start some day.
MELI: So why did you take him out today, when I wasn’t there?
ALEC: We reckoned we could win. There was almost no wind and Robbie is so light. Also it helped our handicap.
MELI: And who was ‘we’?
ALEC: Etta.
MELI: Etta who?
ALEC: You know. Etta Kernahan.
MELI: Of course I know. How dare you sail with her!
KEVIN: This is a report we just received from Listowel in County Kerry: Colonel Smyth, the Divisional Police Commissioner for Munster, addresses the men of the RIC in Listowel as follows: ‘Well, men, I have something of interest to tell you; something that I am sure you would not wish your wives to hear. Now, men, Sinn Féin has had all the sport up to the present, and we are going to have some sport now.’
MARTIN: (angrily) The man’s an idiot. ‘Sinn Féin – and sport’ he says. This is not sport. This is our fight for freedom. Doesn’t he remember last year Sinn Féin won the General Election.
KEVIN: Con, Martin’s right. In the whole of Ireland, we took 73 out of 105 seats. And only last month we won every rural and district council in the country except for a few in Ulster. We can run the country. Republican courts are keeping the law and order. Hundreds of British magistrates have resigned and the British court-houses are empty.
MARTIN: Con, we’ve had 700 years of British rule; it will soon be over. Sorry, Kevin, please continue.
KEVIN: (reading) ‘The police are not in sufficient strength to do anything but hold their barracks. This is not enough, for as long as we remain on the defensive, so long will Sinn Féin have the upper hand. We must take the offensive. I am promised as many troops from England as I require.’
MARTIN: They say Dublin is crawling with them. How many do you reckon, Kevin?
KEVIN: 45,000. Let me go on. ‘Police and military will patrol the country at least five nights a week. They are not to confine themselves to the main roads, but make across the country, lie in ambush and, when civilians are seen approaching, shout “Hands Up!” Should the order not be immediately obeyed, shoot and shoot with effect. If the persons approaching a patrol carry their hands in their pockets, or are in any way suspicious-looking, shoot them down.’
MARTIN: What are the instructions, Kevin?
KEVIN: Martin, you’re in charge and the target is the Rynah barracks. It’s empty now, the RIC have left. We are to torch it so the Tans cannot occupy it.
Pause
MARTIN: Here’s what we’ll do. On the left behind the barracks is the old ruined barn. Tomorrow I’ll hide petrol cans under the straw. We meet up at ten; it’ll be dark by then. Each of us will take a can and some straw. I will torch the top floor, Con will take the first floor and, Kevin, you will set fire to the ground floor. Then I will stand guard in the entrance and cover your escape. Above all, lads, don’t get caught! If we’re surprised and surrounded, run for it. Hide where you can until the search passes. If they catch you, there’ll be any means used to get information out of you. The lives of all of us are at risk. Guard your tongue! Any questions, lads?
CON: The Master comes back tomorrow, what should I do?
MARTIN: They won’t be on the roads at night, if they can help it. But only leave after you’ve seen Master Robbie. And you remember what I said about the youngun, Con?
CON: What was that, Martin?
MARTIN: He talks too much. So say nothing about the plan to him or anyone. Then come to the Barracks. We’ll be waiting.
KEVIN: Then we meet tomorrow.
MRS MURPHY: Now, Con, wasn’t that some adventure? So you then drove on to Dublin, did you Robbie?
ROBBIE: Indeed we did, but we went through a town where a building was burning and all the men were standing around.
MRS MURPHY: (in concern) Where was that then?
ROBBIE: I don’t really know …
CON: What was the building, Robbie?
ROBBIE: … Oh I remember. It’s the same as your name. Maryborough. Daddy said THEY had burnt down a creamery. But he didn’t say who THEY were. He was very, very angry. He said THEY were ‘bloody murderers’.
MRS MURPHY: Now, Robbie, you shouldn’t use that word.
ROBBIE: But Daddy said all the men would have no work and how the creamery was used by all the farmers. He said something about ‘reprisals’, but I didn’t really understand.
MRS MURPHY: How was Dublin?
ROBBIE: Mary, there were so many people. And there were cars and lorries. Lorries with men with guns.
CON: Who were the men, Robbie?~
ROBBIE: Daddy talked about ‘the Military’ and ‘the Constabulary’, but I know about them. Then he said there were ‘Auxiliaries’ and ‘Black and Tans’. So I asked him why were there so many and he said it was to control the people who wanted their freedom. He said it was like the birds that could fly wherever they wanted. I didn’t really understand, but I know it’s a good thing that birds are free.
ROBBIE: Dear Con, what’s wrong?
CON: (coughing at length) Sure Master Robbie, I’m feeling terrible weak this mornin’. Didn’t I have a bad spell of coughin’. And my head hurts real bad.
ROBBIE: Did you see the fire last night, Con?
CON: What fire?
ROBBIE: The Barracks went up in flames.
CON: I was down in Raheen with my aunt.
ROBBIE: No you weren’t. You said you were not well and had to go home.
CON: Well, I did. When I got there, Ma said I must go and get some chickens from my aunt.
ROBBIE: Daddy said it was the IRA who torched the Barracks.
CON: How did he know that?
ROBBIE: Colonel Kernahan came by and asked Daddy to look out for the IRA. He said he’d been coming back from some shooting expedition of his and saw the flames. “Like shooting ducks” he called it. He claimed he had “winged one of the rats”.
UNWELCOME GUESTS
From behind them came the music of a small but efficient local band. Alec’s smoking room had, for the evening, become a well-stocked bar and, as the cars continued to arrive, soon became crammed and noisy. But this was New Year’s Eve when the world was celebrating and who knew better than the Irish how to celebrate.
In the distance, beyond the front gate, a bright light shone and this was soon joined by the roar of motor engines. As they drew nearer, a cold shiver went down the backs of both Meli and Alec. On the lonely roads of Ireland in the winter of 1920, that particular roar meant one thing: the Military, and more likely still the dreaded Black and Tans. As the lorries turned in at the main gate, Mary O’Toole felt the same shiver creep down her spine. This could not bode well for Merlin or its guests, for no one, no true Irishman, invited the Black and Tans inside their doors. To do so might bring disaster in reprisal.
As they turn to go in, a roar of a motor engine is heard off-stage. A searchlight blazes on Alec and Meli. The music stops.
ALEC: My God, it must be the Tans. Who else would be on the road at this time of night?
MELI: What are you going to do?
ALEC: I’ll get my service revolver.
MELI: Don’t you ever read the papers? The new Regulations came into force on the 27th. Possession of arms is now a criminal offence liable to the death penalty. For God sake, get rid of the gun.
ALEC: There’s no way that scum is coming into our house.
MELI: They’ll be drunk and be ready for a fight. On Boxing Day they broke into a dance in Bruff in County Limerick and killed five young men and wounded seventeen.
ALEC: Then I’ll talk to them.
MELI: Leave it to me, I’ll do the talking – at least I’m English.
A tall soldier, wearing a kilt and carrying bagpipes, steps into the beam and proceeds slowly to Meli and Alec.
ROBERTS: Come on Captain. Loads of grub.
JOHNSTONE: Fancy food.
ROBERTS: (Holding a snipe by its beak). What’s this? Ruddy sparrow, phew what a beak.
JOHNSTONE: Never seen one of them before.
ROBERTS: (Taking a bite out of a pheasant). Don’t they have proper nosh?
JOHNSTONE: That looks like pheasant. That’s what the gentry eat.
ROBERTS: Give me a chicken any day.
JOHNSTONE: You cockney’s know nothing about food.
ROBERTS: Look at this fish. Bloody whale.
JOHNSTONE: It’s a salmon. What a beauty.
ROBERTS: Not as good as a bit of cod and mushy peas.
JOHNSTONE: You’ll be going on about jellied eels soon.
ROBERTS: Nothing’s like London.
JOHNSTONE: You’re just a city boy.
ROBERTS: What a godforsaken country this is, Captain.
JOHNSTONE: It rains all the time.
ROBERTS: There are no proper roads.
JOHNSTONE: Only narrow lanes – and they’re full of mud.
ROBERTS: But the drink is good. (He pours Johnstone a glass of wine.)
JOHNSTONE: Do you ever think of anything but drink?
ROBERTS: Give me a few pints of Guinness and I’m happy. And we don’t have to pay for it. Every other house can sell it. (Laughing) We just walk in, shout at the owner they are hiding someone and we get a pint.
Mrs Murphy enters
ROBERTS: Good evening, Duchess. Come to the feast?
MRS MURPHY: It’s not for you, young man.
JOHNSTONE: Her Ladyship invited us to help ourselves.
MRS MURPHY: I’ll see about that.
ROBERTS: Going to join the dancing, then? She’ll be waltzing with the Major.
JOHNSTONE: Lovely couple they make.
Roberts picks up a snipe by the beak and takes a bite.
ROBERTS: What do you call this then?
MRS MURPHY: Snipe.
ROBERTS: Don’t like it. Too ripe if you ask me.
MRS MURPHY: I didn’t. (Roberts throwing it back onto the pile of uneaten birds.) You are disgusting putting it back on the other birds.
ROBERTS: (Picking up another bird, taking a bite and returning it to the pile) So. What are you going to do?
MRS MURPHY: (Advancing on Roberts, who stands his ground.) Throw you out of my kitchen.
Alec enters the kitchen.
ALEC: What’s going on?
ROBERTS: The old cow’s wants to spoil the party.
ALEC: Corporal. I’ve met too many of your type before. Drunken louts.
ROBERTS: And I’ve met too many of your type as well. Stuck up snobs. She’s going to throw me out of her kitchen. What are you going to do then?
Alec walks up to Roberts, who retreats. The music stops. Meli returns to the kitchen, leading MacTaggart.
ALEC: One more word out of you and Mrs Murphy won’t need to throw you out. I’ll do it for her.
MELI: Your Colonel Kernahan came today. He was in a fearful rage. His fine friend and leader of the Tans, Major MacTaggart, is dead …
CON: ’Tis deep out of the ground they came and isn’t that where they belong anyhow?
MELI: … and his headman is missing. He wanted to talk to the Master, but he was missing as well. He’s gone up to Dublin for a few days. So Kernahan rushed off to see the Tans. Probably to tell them everything.
CON: Ma’am, I’m sorry I brought Martin here …
MARTIN: You did a good job bringing up the donkey and cart.
CON: … but he would have died if he had stayed another night in the cavern. I knew the Master had gone, and Martin said you would know what to do.
MELI: You did the right thing. We don’t want any more dead. And you, Con, are in danger? Where you were last night?
MARTIN: And you have always been good to me. All those books. I’ve learnt so much thanks to you. What’s going to happen to me?
MELI: I’ll get you to Dublin somehow.
MARTIN: I’ll be a wanted man.
MELI: Then you’ll have to get over to America.
MARTIN: We may not see each other again.
MELI: Enough of this. We’ve work to do. I must go.
MARTIN: Please look after Con, he’s a good lad. He’s making a real man.
MELI: He’s reading some of Robbie’s books now.
MARTIN: Robbie’s been good for Con. He’s such a lively youngun’.
MELI: Oh! I didn’t tell you we’ve just received Robbie’s school report. (Laughing) He’s follows after me you know. ‘Brilliant’ in English Composition.
MARTIN: Then one day he must write the story of the Black and Tans. He can tell everyone what it was really like. People must never forget what the occupation has done to us or it will happen again.
MELI: And should he write about us?
MARTIN: Perhaps not. That’s our secret. Meli starts to leave. You’ve saved my life. I’ll never forget what you’ve done.
MELI: (pausing) And what a fine life it is to save!
MARTIN: (raising his hand which Meli takes) Me darling! If I pull through this lot, I’ll lay my life at your feet, for I owe it to you already.
Martin pulls Meli towards him and tenderly kisses her cheek.
CON: Tomorrow I will leave and hide myself somewhere else. I’ll be back to fight another day. And fight I will, until every Tan and traitor is dead or out of Ireland.
ROBBIE: What do you mean traitor?
CON: Kernahan.
ROBBIE: But he’s an Irishman.
CON: He’s a traitor. I’ll be back to get him.
ROBBIE: Don’t say that. Kill Kernahan? You don’t mean it.
CON: Indeed I do. And everyone like him.
ROBBIE: Con, what’s happened to you? You’ve changed. You are driven by hate. It’s because they beat you up, isn’t it?
CON: Robbie, this is war. You are too young to understand.
ROBBIE: (Angrily) I’m not. (Pause) I know about your war. About the Black and Tans being bloody murderers. Killing Kernahan would be murder too.
CON: Every Irishman has to stand up and be counted. Either you support the English or you support our fight against them!
ROBBIE: (Crying) But Mummy’s English. You don’t know what you are saying.
CON: Robbie, don’t cry. We will never hurt her as her heart is with us.
Pause
ROBBIE: And mine is too. I will help you escape.
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