Three Plays | Page 3

door) Many's the day I put in with the
scythe in Ireland, and in England too; I did more than stroll with the
fiddle, and I saw more places than where fiddling brought me. (Brian
MacConnell comes to the door) I was just going out to you, Brian. I
was telling the girl here that it's not right to neglect the boy that's giving
you a day's work out of his own goodness.
BRIAN I'm only coming in for a light.
CONN As you're here now, rest yourself.
_Brian MacConnell comes in, and goes over to the hearth. He is dark
and good-looking, and has something reckless in his look. He wears
corduroy trousers, and a shirt loose at the neck. Anne comes to Brian.
Conn stands at entrance, his back turned_.
BRIAN (lighting his pipe with a coal) When do you expect Maire
back?
ANNE She'll be here soon. Shell give you a call if you're outside,
BRIAN How is it you couldn't keep James Moynihan?

ANNE It's because you didn't say the good word for me, I must think.
Be sure you praise me the next time you're working together.
BRIAN Will you do as much for me?
ANNE Indeed, I will, Brian. Myself and another are making a devotion
to Saint Anthony.
BRIAN And what would that be for?
ANNE That the Saint might send us good comrades.
BRIAN I thought it was Saint Joseph did that for the girls.
ANNE Sure we couldn't be asking the like from him. We couldn't talk
to Saint Joseph that way. We want a nice young saint to be looking at.
Conn turns from the door.
CONN (bitterly) It'll be a poor season, Brian MacConnell.
BRIAN The season's not so bad, after all.
CONN God help them that are depending on the land and the weather
for the bit they put into their heads. It's no wonder that the people here
are the sort they are, harassed, anxious people.
ANNE The people here mind their own business, and they're a friendly
people besides.
CONN People that would leave the best fiddler at the fair to go and
look at a bullock.
ANNE (to Brian) He's not satisfied to have this shelter, Brian.
CONN (to Brian) I'm saying, Brian, that her mother had this shelter,
and she left it to go the roads with myself.
ANNE That God may rest my mother. It's a pity she never lived to

come back to the place. But we ought to be praising grandmother night
and day, for leaving this place to Maire.
CONN Your grandmother did that as she did everything else.
ANNE (to Brian) Now, Brian, what would you do with a man that
would say the like?
Anne goes outside.
CONN (to Brian) It's small blame to the girl here for thinking
something of the place; but I saw the time, Brian MacConnell, when I
could make more playing at one fair than working a whole season in
this bit of a place.
BRIAN Girls like the shelter, Conn.
CONN Ay, but the road for the fiddler. I'm five years settled here, and I
come to be as well known as the begging ass, and there is as much
thought about me. Fiddling, let me tell you, isn't like a boy's whistling.
It can't be kept up on nothing.
BRIAN I understand that, Conn.
CONN I'm getting that I can't stand the talk you hear in houses, wars
and Parliaments, and the devil knows what ramais.
BRIAN There's still a welcome for the man of art, somewhere.
CONN That somewhere's getting further and further away, Brian.
BRIAN You were not in the town last night?
CONN I was not, Brian. God help me, I spent the night my lone.
BRIAN There's Sligomen in the town.
CONN Is there, now? It would be like our times to play for them.
(Anne comes in with some peat) Anne, would you bring me down my

spectacles? They're in the room, daughter. _(Anne goes to room. Conn
turns to Brian eagerly) I_ suppose the Sligomen will be in Flynn's.
BRIAN They were there last night.
CONN Listen, Brian, I've a reason for not going to Flynn's. Would you
believe it, Brian, Flynn spoke to me about the few shillings I owe him?
BRIAN That was shabby of him. He got a lot out of you in the way of
playing.
CONN It's just like them. Besides, Maire keeps us tight enough, and I
often have to take treats from the men. They're drovers and rambling
labourers and the like, though, as you say, they've the song and music,
and the proper talk. Listen, Brian, could you leave a few shillings on
the dresser for me?
BRIAN To be sure I will, Conn.
Brian goes to the dresser, and