Round The Turf Fire - Part 2

Round The Turf Fire continued - Part 2

 
Paddy '" Da . I'm old enough now to marry ."

Barney ' " You are son ."

Paddy - I'm old enough now to have a pint ."

Barney '"I hear you son ."

Paddy '" Da , I'm old enough to make my way in the world ."

Barney '" What is it that you're trying to tell me son ."

Paddy-"The thing is cutting turf is ok for a while . I mean its fair work and all that as is picking spuds but that's really all there is around here ."

Barney '" Sure enough and we're getting by ok aren't we ?

Paddy '" Well that's the thing like . You see I want to get a little more from life that picking spuds and cutting turf ."

Barney '"I don't get your meaning son ."

Paddy-I want to do more than just get by . I've decided I want to emigrate.

Barney '" That's an awful word .

Paddy '" No its not . It's a brave and exciting word .

Barney - Do you know what that word means Paddy ?

Paddy-' It means going to settle down in another country .."

Barney '" No it doesn't . Let me explain to you what emigration means son.
It means leaving your Mother and Father and your sisters and your brother and everyone here on this earth who cares about you . It means leaving the land that is part of your blood and leaving your heart and soul . Your family is your home and your home is in Ireland . Now Paddy , do yourself a big favour and stop this silly talk about emigration . Put it out of your mind son . Emigration is not for you .

Paddy-" I knew that's what you would say ."

Barney-"Well then you shouldn't have bothered bringing it up .

Paddy-"It's too late for that Da, you see the reason that I've brought this up is because I have a chance of a job and a ticket . There's a boat that leaves next week and I'd like to be on board . "

There is a raise in volume to the voices . Barney is getting upset .

Barney-"So like it's just that simple ? "

Paddy '" That's just the way it is .

Barney-"I'll tell you what . The boat will be leaving , but you'll not be on it . That's how simple it is .

Paddy '" You can't stop me . I'm leaving ."

Enter Maisy who comes in with her arms full of washing .

Maisy '" Barney come on now ,settle down . Don't be getting yourself worked up . (Barney gets up from his chair and walks straight out the door .)
Barney , where are you going ?"

Paddy-'You told me he might understand Ma ."

Maisy-"Well son . It was to be expected . He does love you son .

Paddy '" Does love make a prisoner of its own ? "

Maisy-"Give him time to think things through "

Paddy _' Ma . I have to make a go of it while I'm still young . I need to make a life for myself .

Maisy-"Sure don't I know . Don't worry about your Da . He'll see it your way .

Paddy '" Do you think so ?

Maisy '" Just wait and see . He will walk back in that door in five minutes a different man ."

Paddy-" I hope so ."

Maisy bursts out crying .,
Molly runs in to see what's wrong . She holds her Mothers hand .

Molly - Ma what's wrong ?

Maisy- Nothing . I'm all right .

MollyWhere's my Da ?

Maisy-" He's just gone for a walk . He'll be back soon ."

Molly looks over and gives Paddy a concerned glance .

Molly-"What's going on Paddy ?

Paddy '" Molly , I have been offered a job in America ."

Molly-"You're not taking it on Paddy ."

Paddy '"Who do you think you are telling me what I can and can't do with my life . I'm leaving and that's the end of it .

Molly-"Well I just happen to be your sister . You're not going to get away that easy from me because ..(The door opens and in walks Barney )

Paddy '"Because what Molly ?

Molly ' "Because I'm getting married . "

Everybody '"What ?

Molly '"I know it has come as a surprise but I wanted to tell you at the weekend but I think now's as good a time as any . I am to be married early in the month of June ."

Maisy has stopped crying now and gets up to hug her daughter .

Maisy- " My Molly . A summer bride .

Molly '"Isn't it great ?

Maisy starts to cry again . Barney turns and walks straight back out the door without saying a word . The door slams after him

Maisy '"First to loose a son and then a daughter .. What next ?

Sean and Kate come in dressed in their pyjamas .

Sean-" What's all the noise about ?

Kate- " Where's my Da ?

Maisy '"He's gone for a walk and Molly's getting married and Paddy's leaving home .

Kate '" Oh sure we know all about that . Is there any thing else wrong ?

Molly gets a hair brush and starts to run it through her Mothers hair .

Maisy ' 'You have all grown up so fast .It only seems like yesterday when you came into the world and now look at you . "

Barney returns with Hughie the local storyteller at his side .

Barney '" Well now . As you can see , it's Hughie , man of many words and heir of tales big and small . "

Hughie '" T'is a fine breath I feel in the evening there . Can you feel it ?

Barney-" Sit yourself down by the fire there lord Hugh . Stay a while with us this fine evening . ( Pointing to Paddy ) Here's the lad I was telling you of .

Hughie '" So them Paddy me boy . It's a wanderlust you have then ?

Paddy '" A wonder what ?"

Hughie - Let me make it clear .You want to be leaving the land Paddy ?

Paddy-That's about right I'd say . Sure enough I'm going to make a better life for myself .

Hughie '"And tell me Paddy , what's wrong with the life that you have ?

Paddy '"This is no life . All I'm doing is working away and getting nowhere ."

Hughie '" So that's not good enough then ?

Sean- " Paddy you didn't say anything about leaving Ireland . All you said was you were moving out from home ."

Paddy_I was going to tell you next week Sean ."

Sean '" Right . That's it . You're not leaving Paddy ."

Paddy-" Hey . I can do what I want . I'm a big boy now .

Barney '"You're not leaving Paddy ."

Paddy 'I am ."

Barney '"You're not ."

Father Michael comes in

Fr Michael -: When I got home I found this message in my pocket . It says a matter of life and death .

Maisy-" Yes , life and death . It was me Father . I slipped it in your pocket when the chair collapsed on you . I knew the kind of night we were in for and I wanted you to come and talk a bit of sense into Paddy ."

Fr Michael ' What's the problem Paddy ?

Barney-" He's wanting to leave Ireland and emigrate Father .

Fr Michael ' "Is that true son ?

Paddy '"Well Father it is . I want to be making a new life for myself .

Fr Michael ' "A new life ?

Paddy ' ' That's right .

Fr Michael ' "And tell me Paddy . Just where would this new life be ?

Paddy '" Why in America of course Father .Sure I thought everybody knew that . That's where I'm going to . America , the home of the free .

Fr Michael - "In the name of God Paddy . Where did you ever get the money to go to Ameriac ?"

Paddy " Well Father I saw this advertisment in a magazine . They were looking for apprentice cooks in a fine restauraunt . Anyway you'll never believe it . I wrote to the owner of the place and he sent me the price of the fare ."

( Father Michael blesses himself )
Fr Michael ' Good Lord did you hear that . Even the ticket is free . What's the catch ?"

Barney-" I'll tell you the catch Father . He's not going ."

Paddy - "The owner of the restauraunt told me half the fare would be taken from my wages after I started working for him ?"

Kate -"Why only half ?"

Paddy -"Its like an encouragemnt for me to come over Kate ."

Kate ' "Forget it Paddy . You're not going .

Fr Michael-"Listen to me Paddy . America is a big place , full of traps ."

Kate -" Yes that's right ."

Maisy '"Let Father Michael talk Kate .

Fr Michael '"So if it's freedom and a better life you're after, I can get you into the priesthood . There lots of travel involved and new people to meet everywhere .

Paddy '" When I said a better life Father, I meant comfortably well off ."

Fr Michael '"Holy Saints preserve us . So then poverty is wrong then ? "

(He blesses himself again . Everyone else blesses themselves as well )

Paddy '" It's not being poor Father that I don't like it's just I've heard so much about America Father . There are millions of Irish over there . It would be like home .

Fr Michael -Listen to what I'm going to tell you Paddy . America is a desperate place son . It would destroy an innocent lad like yourself "

Barney ' Tell him how it is Father ."

Hughie '" l can tell you a story about America ."

Kate-"Oh good . Tell it Hughie ."

Barney-"Come on tell us ."

Hughie '"Well now I was told a long time ago about this town called Lost Identity . It is full of old homes and cottages . People said it was home for the lost souls and each home and cottage was and still is haunted by the ghosts of innocent children who had come to make their fame and fortune but instead of finding their fortune they lost their souls instead . Now this place called Lost Identity is everywhere . Its all around us . Its in our hearts and its in our fields its in the turf burning in the fire . "

Paddy '" Why is it lost then ?

Hughie '"Because we take it for granted . It's often left to one side because we decide to walk away from it . Many have left the land Paddy and have forgotten their way home . "

Barney '" Tell him about the punishment Hughie .

Hughie '" They say that once you leave Ireland , there's a strange curse on all those who go . They are never the same again . There is no way back once you leave Paddy . Many are still searching for their lost identities . They will never find them because they've been away too long .

Paddy ' "Just how many have lost their identities ?

Hughie '"I know at least ten . They left not that long ago to make a better life for themselves or so they thought .

Paddy '"Where are they now ?

Hughie '" Lost . No one knows .'

Paddy ' People can't just get lost .

Hughie -Don't you believe it .

Paddy '" There must be some one who knows where they are .

Hughie ' "I'm telling you once you leave the land, there is no protection for you . Especially the innocent and young ."

Father Michael ' Especially men on their own like you ,Paddy "

Hughie ' "You would be eaten up and spat out by the criminals on the streets . You would end up on the street a victim of drugs and alcohol . There is no help for the innocent Irish once they have left their home . No one will have anything to do with you . You will be worse than a leper there .

Kate '" What's a leper ?

Fr Michael ' "It is a person who is afflicted with a terrible contagious disease .and treated as an outcast of society ."

Kate '"Please don't go Paddy ."

Paddy '"I hope you don't expect me to believe all this talk ."

Fr Michael '"We have no reason to tell lies to you son ."

Paddy '" (looking very worried now ) Maybe I could think about the prieshood Father ."

Barney '" what do you think Father ?

Fr Michael ' "I'm thinking there should be no problem .I could have a word with the Bishop . I do have a bit of pull upstairs as well you know ."

Hughie ' "Now you're talking Paddy boy . A wise decision ."

Barney-" Son it's better that you stay here with your own ones who love you and care for you . One day you'll look back and Thank God for this decision ."

Paddy '"When did you say the wedding was again Molly ?

Molly ' "Early June ." ( She gives Paddy a big hug and kiss )

Sean '" I'll tell you what , now you're staying I'll even promise to look where I'm going and put my boots away from now on .

Barney-"Everyone to bed now . We have a lot of potato picking tomorrow ".

All exit but Father Michael ,Hughie and Barney . With a gentle Pat on the back Barney ushers them to the door .

Fr Michael '" Well I think That worked out very well . What do you think ?

Hughie- "It went down a treat like .'

Barney '"I knew we could persuade him to change his mind .'

Fr Michael ' "I'll see you Sunday then .

Hughie ' " You will ."

Barney '"I'll put an extra few shillings on the plate Father ."

Fr Michael- "You will ."

Hughie '" I'll see you Saturday Barney ."

Barney '"You will ."

Hughie '" That was two pints you said wasn't it ?

Barney '"It was ."

Hughie '" Right then good night .

Fr Michael '"God bless .all here ."

Barney closed the door and returns to the chair by the fireplace

End Of Play

Round The Turf Fire

By Paul McCann