"d Three little maids from school are we." "d Pert as a schoolgirl well can be." "d Filled to the brim with girlish glee." "d Three little maids from school." "d Everything is a source of fun, hahahahaha d Nobody's safe for we care for none, hahahahaha d Life is a joke that's just begun, hahahahaha d Three little maids from school" "d Three little maids who all unwary d Come from a ladies' seminary." "d Freed from its genius tutelary." "d Three little maids from school." "APPLAUSE" "Well done Miss." "I'll see you upstairs." " Miss Butler." "Jimmy." "I wanted to thank you for the ticket." "You enjoyed it?" "I enjoyed seeing you." "Aren't socialists allowed to have fun?" "Flynn Cork's apartment sis, Steven's waiting." "I'll be with you in a moment Harry." "Come on hurry up." "Would you like to come and join us?" "No, no, I'd better head home." "Okay." "For the next meeting, see you there?" "You will indeed Mr. Mann, goodnight." "Are you sure Frances?" " It's a great offer." "Won't the nuns want you to go back to Galway to teach for them?" "Maybe but I want to stay, things are happening here." "Well, if you're sure I'm sure." "Look forward together, the world and we are young." "Mr. Hammond." "I just wanted to congratulate you on your performance tonight." "To both of you." "No escape now sis." "Found her." "At last." "I want to talk." "Congratulations darling you were wonderful." "Wasn't she Edward?" "You're a credit to us at least." "Thank you daddy, Mummy." "I thought I lost you." "Steven, how are you?" "CLINK OF GLASS" "Ladies and gentlemen let us raise our glasses for our very own three Graces." "Miss May Lacey." "Miss Francis O'Flaherty." "And my beautiful fiancee, my very own Yum Yum." "That's my sister, you dirty dog." "LAUGHTER" "Miss Elizabeth Butler." "To the three little maids." "Three little maids." "DISTANT PEEL OF CHURCH BELLS" "That's it, it's war." "PEEL OF CHURCH BELLS" "Looking for company mister?" "There he is." "Howya Art?" "So it's war." "It's not our war." "Since when did we have a choice brother?" "Let us Irish show the king through our unfailing support that his trust in our loyalty has not been misplaced and when it is over we will welcome him to open our new Parliament here in Dublin." "d God save our gracious King." "d Long live our noble King, d God save the King." "d Send him victorious, d Happy and glorious." "d Long to reign over us." "d God save the King." "No conscription for Ireland." "No conscription for Ireland." "Let English men fight English wars, thank you sir." "No conscription for Ireland." "Nice to be home though." "Hello." "Fancy a fuck fellows?" "I would but I'm a family man." "No conscription for Ireland." "You should be fighting for your own country." "That's what we're doing, fighting for our King and country." "No you're a traitor." "Nobody calls me a traitor, especially not me own." "I am." "If you weren't a lassie..." " What, you'd shoot me, do it then." "It'll be the first bullet fired in the fight for Irish freedom." "Freedom my royal Irish arse." "No conscription for Ireland." "You boys should be at home, you shouldn't be fighting when it's not your war." "Drag her into the trenches with us." "Hello, how are you?" "I'd like to buy some flowers please." "Yes what would you like?" "Oh, these are very pretty, aren't they?" "Morning Constable O'Brien." "Morning Miss Lacey." "Don't let me interrupt your morning smoke." "I like your flowers." " Thanks very much, I couldn't resist." "Left, left, left, right, left." "Left, left, left, right, left." "Sure look at that lot!" "They're not hurting anyone." "Not with them sticks they're not." "Morning Miss." "Morning." "Secret orders for the immediate round up of the so-called Sinn Fein faction." "All their names, addresses and secret arms stashes, it's in cipher of course." "Since for some perverse reason many of the people treasonable to" "England are to be found in the lower ranks of the government service." "Such orders would have to be sanctioned by the chief secretary" "Mr. Birrell, who's currently in London." "Damn it Hammond, we must act!" "There's every indication some kind of attack is imminent!" "Your misgivings have been noted and shall be conveyed to Sir Matthew, but affairs in Ireland are delicately poised." "Yes they're delicately poised all right." "I've heard from a contact in the admiralty, messages have been intercepted from the Germans." "Guns, and who knows what else, for an attack here." "That's as maybe, but we've not been advised of that officially." "Good day to you sir." "DOOR CLOSES" "Do you think they're right?" "It does not matter what I think." "I'm a civil servant." "You better have someone decipher this for me, make a look like we're doing something, keep the general off my back." "Why don't we go to Corless' for lunch?" "That always cheers you up." "This cheers me up." "KNOCKING" "Is the Countess still here?" " You nearly missed her." "I'm sorry Dr. Lynn." "Elizabeth Butler, madam." "Point it at me." "LOUD CLICK" "You must do it like you mean it." "Here, practice with this." "Hmm?" "Drink up." "You'll be in my battalion, we'll be taking St. Stephen's Green." "This will be our rear operating base." "Forward march Lieutenant, lovely lines, eyes right." "There you are Harry, good of you to come." "And George what are you doing here, what happened to Belfast?" "Couldn't get enough of dirty old Dublin." "He's back devilling for his people master." "I'm acting as junior for Mr. Wiley." "What about your father?" " Joined the separates." "Big fall-out when daddy Wilson secured the war ministry contract through his friend Mr. Carson." "What about you, we've read about you in dispatches?" "Those who can be bothered to read such things." "Sounds like hell." "To the Arts Club for an eye opener?" "No there's something I have to do." " I'm needed in the office." "Spoilsports!" "Gentlemen." "Ah, howya Arthur?" " Howya?" "Haven't seen you in ages." " Glad to see you." "Go on hit him, hit him." "Enough of that now." "I said enough!" "I wouldn't do that if I was you son." "Da!" "Howya?" " Good." "Look at ya." "Bit taller and more freckles." "See you've been cutting your hair." " Yeah." "What is this?" "Uncle Jimmy made it for me." "Oh, did he now." "He said he'd get me a uniform like his when I'm older." "Hold that." "Why don't you try this on for size." "It's the real thing." "Have a look at this." "A Luger, I took that from a Turkish officer." "Did you shoot him?" "No, no, I won it in a bet." "Top of the pit isn't it?" "Come on, away home." "How's your ma and the girls?" "Liza where have you been?" "College." "Surgeons is closed for Easter surely." "Dr. Lynn has allowed us to rehearse there and to take some stage properties over to the theatre this afternoon." "I'm afraid that won't be possible." "Why not?" "You have a visitor." "Who?" "Stephen." "Stephen?" "He's waiting upstairs." "Go on, go see him." "Howya yis?" "It's been a long time, welcome home." "Thank you, great to be back." "Gentlemen." " Arthur, howya?" "I swear you've grown since yesterday." "Tomorrow we're not going to be able to get these on you at all." "You have an old pair of Minnie's to give her, Peg?" "I set aside a little to buy her a new pair." "Make sure they're big enough to fit a baby cart horse." "Uncle Jimmy, Ma, he's back." "Peg of my heart, come here to me." "Oh, I've missed you." "We've missed you too." "Who is this little lady?" "Isn't he the fine man in his uniform." "You've practically grown already." "There you go." "Da!" "And Sadie, look at the size of ya, come here to me." "Give your old man a hug." "Let me look at you, are you keeping your brother out of trouble?" "And you're growing fast." "Good girl, good girl." "Good girl yourself." "Jim, come here." "Why don't you run down to O'Hegarty's, get your old man some rashers, some eggs, a large bottle." " Yeah." "Where's Minnie?" " She's working." "Ah, yeah, where?" "Star of the Sea." "What, the laundry?" "It's something Art, and Jimmy's still blacklisted." "Why don't you have the separation money?" "Couldn't get by without it love, she's getting older." "We need the money." "I better go." "There's a job they want me down for at Liberty Hall." "Why don't I take the kids to Mrs. Lamberts and give you to two a chance to catch up." "That'd be great, thanks Jim." "Come on missy, let's go." "You're coming with me too." "I'm sure it takes time Stephen." "You've only got two weeks leave before you go back." "You must get some rest and see your mother and take some time in Wexford." "I spoke to your father." "He... he's given his permission for us to marry, next Monday." "It won't change anything, you must continue your medical studies and afterwards children and the rest and when the Parliament moves to Dublin you'll be closer to your parents." " Stephen don't." "You're mother is so, so pleased she's already sent to the dress makers and the shoe makers and the Lord knows who else." "Is it safe to come in?" "I'm sorry..." "Your father felt we should mark the occasion." "And your brother suggested we mark it with fizz." "Well done Stephen." "Liza." " Father." "Well done Stephen." "Thank you Sylvester." "I've talked to the Provost of Trinity, he says the college chapel could be used." "So shall all the Gods of Eireann, protestant and catholic be pleased with this union." "The toast is my duty I believe Harry." "Marriage of Stephen and my own Liza." "Is this the vintage Harry?" "Only the best for our Liz and best of luck to you Stephen, you're going to need it with us as your in-laws." "Don't over fill the jam tin Milo, it'll blow before you throw it." "That's a great job you're doing there Cormac." "No lover ever caressed his bride more fondly than I, my lovely long Lee Enfield." "I hope you can distinguish between it and your true love when the time comes, but for the moment we are soldiers." "DOOR OPENS" "Commandant Pearse." "We've had word from our Castle contact, Ms. O'Flaherty, another search." "Are we going out on manoeuvres Sir?" "Soon Cormac, manoeuvres from which not all of us will return." "Like Cu Chulainn, we'll welcome death in battle as a glorious thing." "And God grant we'll all live in eternal glory like him." "Right lads guns to infirmary and take as much ammunition as you can hide about yourselves." "Let's go, let's go." "This is an empire Hammond, its fate does not hang upon the word of a schoolboy or the fantasies of some crack brain school master." "I will not bother the cabinet with rumour and innuendo." "Yes, Sir Matthew." "Do you and Mrs. Hammond have plans for the Easter weekend?" "We hope to visit family friends." "I hope she has a pleasant stay but she should probably return to London soon, best we're not distracted, eh Hammond?" "Yes, Sir Matthew." "Carry on Hammond." "Hello." "Tea is on the table." "Fresh laundry in the hot press." "Don't be disturbing me, because I am going six spades." "That new bridge game is worse than the gin when it comes to the ruination of old ladies." "May?" "I've been seeing someone Frances." "That's good isn't it, courting?" "We're not courting." "He's English." "I'm sure some of them know how to court at least." "And I've nothing against them as individuals." "It's Mr. Hammond." "Isn't he married?" "Now he does sound like the kind of Englishman I object to, comes over here..." "It's not over Fran, he doesn't want it to be." "He's selling the cow instead of supping the milk." "Oh May, I'm sorry." "You've no reason to be afraid, but there is no future for you with a married English man, you'll always come off second best." "But Fran..." " No, you can't trust them." "Actually there was something I hoped you could do for me." "There's a document at the Castle, orders to arrest all the leaders of the volunteers and Sinn Fein." " How would you know about that?" "If we could get a hold of it and publish it, all the volunteers will think the organisation's going to be suppressed and they'll come out for us." "They'd never suspect you May." " I took an oath Fran." "But sure Mr. Hammond would protect you." "No Frances!" "This door here, Liberty Hall." "It's a fair weight miss." "Here, here let me." "I thought you believed in women's equality." "I do." " Good." "Thank you." "Not bad for a girl." "Are ye trying to show me up?" "You're doing all right for a fella." "I met the Countess." "Oh yeah, madame herself." "She's said we're taking Stephen's Green, it must be soon." "This Sunday's mobilisation I'd guess." "Volunteers have been called out on route marches too." "Perhaps it would be for the best if it was this Sunday." "You're an impatient revolutionary." " Stephen's home on leave." "We're to be married next Monday." "Congratulations." "Will it be any different after we go out?" "Everything is going to be different isn't it?" "English are going to be driven out." "High windows of the rich pulled down." "Including my father's." "He's welcome to join us if he wants, as long as he's prepared to share his wealth." "I'll ask him so." "Are you up for this for real Liz?" "The English have treated this country shamefully, and the rich, my father included, have treated the poor worse." "The worst slums in Europe they say." "I know I live there." "I'm up for this." "I should be going." "What if you didn't?" "What if this wasn't a bed in a hotel room but our own bed?" "And where is that bed?" "In a house by the sea." "West Sussex." " West Cork." "Of course." "And you'd have a desk, where you'd sit and write your books." "You'd have a garden where you grew flowers." "And have children." "How many?" " Three." "That all?" " Five." "Two boys and three beautiful girls like you." "And I'd insist that they were all called May." "Vee?" "Over here." "Darling." "How pleasant to see you." "You didn't have to come all this way." "Oh yes I did." "Shall we?" "Well the paper's too big so we need a larger typeface, but the ink is good." "Print it in two halves." " Print what Jimmy man?" "I thought your rag was banned." "It's not going to stop us." "What's this?" "Irish Citizen Army." "Putting on a play are yis?" "Kathleen Ni Shuilbhean, Yeats." "I thought your socialists were against all nations and nationalists." "We're all against empires and the boot licking rats who work for them." "Joining our union, detective?" "I would put that away if I were you." "Get out." "Get out you puffed up buffoon, get out." "Your day will come Connolly." "Armed guard on both entrances until it's time." "So slender." "Slender as I was when I married your father, though they say men admire the fuller figure." "A sign of good health and child bearing potential." "Medically it makes no difference mother and does it really matter what men admire?" "What men admire and don't admire is important Liza whether you like it or not." "I don't know what you think you're playing at but once you're married it will all have to stop." "Gaelic culture, theatre, all very well but..." "I don't know what you're talking about." "A good marriage is the only way for a woman to secure her future Eliza." "Yes?" "For Ms Elizabeth Butler madam, for the performance, from Mr. Connolly the producer, to keep them safe." "I'm terrible sorry but we just don't have the space." "Good evening gentlemen." "We can put them in the provisions room out back mummy." "It's only for a few days, they'll be gone before Monday." "Right lads." "This way." "Mr. Hammond please." "I am afraid he's actually in a meet..." "Mrs. Hammond." "Yes." "Ms. Lacey, I'm Mr. Hammond's..." " I know." "I'll see if he's free." "These orders of General Lowe and I'll need to speak to Sir Matthew." "Darling." " Vee." "I thought I'd come and relieve you of the tedium of generals and Sir" "Matthew and stenography and we have the tedium of that damp little place in Dalkey." "Such a pity daddy couldn't find you somewhere more exotic." "I'm terribly sorry." "I just meant somewhere more different." "India or Africa again, you're practically the same as us dear, aren't you?" "What a splendid surprise and just in time for lunch." "You have a club don't you?" "It's full of tedious types like me." "Let's go to Corless'." "Proper local colour." "Sounds much more fun." "What about Sir Matthew Mr. Hammond?" "First thing after lunch if he's available." "How many?" " A couple of cases." "I hope Mr. Connolly and Mr. Pearse's proclamation isn't too long all the same, although I wouldn't bet on it with those two." "What about ornamentals, going to have to look proper." "The same ones the Lord Lieutenant used to sign his name with." "The drunken auld bastard." "Heard he used them for other things too." "Jesus, you can still smell the whiskey off it." "Something wrong sis?" "Wanted to ask you a favour." "Wanted you to ask you one too." "You first." "Well, the allowance pater keeps me on is simply scandalous." "I can barely keep body and soul together on it." "I get by fine on mine." "You're a fillie, you don't have to pay for anything." "And a socialist to boot, so you can embrace poverty." "Come on sis, you know I can't help myself." "So if you don't help me I'll have to find it elsewhere, Stephen's worth a bob or two." "I know it wasn't just the parliamentary seat his old man left him." "What's wrong?" "Second thoughts?" "No." "So what about your people's army?" "I'm not going to listen to you if you're going to be cynical." "In an age of excessive ideals the cynic is the true rebel." "I'm being serious." "So am I." "My cynicism hides my deep scepticism the potential for ideals to increase human happiness by one jot." "It's been decided Hammond." "But General Lowe's orders..." "Lowe's a soldier and soldiers want to act." "And the decoded German messages Sir." "I know about the decoded German messages, but our hands are tied." "I think it might be worth looking into Sir." "Well you look into it Charles and then you come and report back to me all right." "Yes sir." " Very good." "G Division left these personality files up for you." "Shall I leave a message at your home for Mrs. Hammond to say that you'll be late?" "No, I'll call her myself thank you." "May." "Yes, sir." "Is something wrong May?" "No, why would there be Mr. Hammond?" "You're free to leave." "Evening." " Evening." "Constable O'Brien." " Ms. Lacey." "May, I don't know how to thank you." "I don't know what I was thinking." " You're a brick." "I'll lose my job." "Go to prison." "We all must be prepared to make sacrifices for our nation." "Which nation?" "You're planning against my nation." "Has your English man so turned your head you can't see you're own people anymore?" "Has Mr. Pearse so turned yours that you don't know what's right from wrong anymore?" "So it's right to be fucked by a married English?" "I would rather be fucked by an English man than brainwashed by an Irish man." "Ms. O'Flaherty works for me gentlemen." "This is the document." "Thank you Frances and thank your friend." "I'm glad I could play my part." "You may go." "Minnie, are you all right?" " Yeah." "Where are you going?" " I'm going to Biddy's." "You'd want to watch too, he's in a rage with you." "There he is now." "Welcome skiver." "You forced me to take the king's shilling but you think I like fighting for the British army?" "While I'm away getting shot at by Turks, you live off of my shillings that the King pays me, you'll spend it gladly." "Yeah, with my wife and my young ones and now I know you've showed great consideration, you got my older daughter a job in a laundry." "I work when I can Art, just doing me best." "Yeah, yeah I bet you do, yeah." " Yeah." "And do they pay you really well down in Liberty Hall?" "Liberty doesn't have a price." "And all the rest it of it and I'm the one who gets called a traitor." "Art..." "Art please." "Don't defend him, get out of the way." "No, please." "What is this doing in my house?" "You brought a gun home." "I'm a soldier." " So am I." "The Irish Citizen Army and I suppose this thing here is for taking a pop at agents of British oppression, yeah, people like me." "How does it feel to be on the other end of it?" "Take it!" "Joke of a thing for a joke of an army." "I want it and you out of here now, you're not welcome here anymore." "But Art when you're away..." "When I'm away what?" "Jimmy's a great help with the kids is all." "Oh yeah I bet he is." "You're going to have to do without that help from now on." "You get your own wife Jimmy, get your own family." "You've overstayed your welcome, you and your workers revolution." "Jimmy, Jimmy, don't go." "What else has he been helping you with?" "What do you think?" " Sit down you." "Stop." " Move it!" "Art." "Jim, don't go Jim." "LOUD CRASH" "Yeah, yeah." "BABY CRIES" "May." "Hello Elizabeth." "So lovely to see you." " And you." "Gosh, it's been an age." "I know, sure I've been very busy in the Castle." "I'm sure you have with your studies." " Yes." "Come in." " Thank you." "How have you been May?" "Good." "You're almost a doctor now, aren't you?" "Nearly." " There's something I need to ask you." "Are you certain." "What will you do?" "Well, I can't go back to the Castle once I begin to show." "That might not be such a bad thing." "That was my life Elizabeth." "What about home?" "And shame my father?" "They're not very understanding of fallen women in Dublin, let alone small town Cork." "You could go to England." "Have the baby in secret and have it adopted." "I could lend you the money." "Thank you, that's very kind of you." "The father will be delighted." "We've been talking about marriage so we'll just have to do it sooner." "Thank you Elizabeth." "What was it like?" "It was amazing." "I hope you'll be happy too Elizabeth." "You always did everything right." "Oh, you didn't used to like whiskey Stephen." "I discovered its medicinal power when we were convalescing in Malta." "All better now?" "Enough to be sent back out again to France in ten days." "It's just a bit of shrapnel." "Big push coming they say." "I'll get through it knowing that Lizzy is there for me." "And what about your Ingrid, Georgie, are you going to make an honest woman of her?" "When I can afford it." "Are things still bad with your father?" "I wouldn't take his money if he offered." "Take what's on offer when it's on offer is my motto, because it mightn't be offered again." "The munitions he's manufacturing are for our side George." "And what is our side fighting for?" "So that the English will have to grant us home rule after." "And that the Ulster Volunteers are fighting so that they don't." "They've legislated for it." "Look all I'm saying is I don't think anyone believes that it's going to be brought in." "And what do people believe then?" "That we're sitting on a bomb." "And I believe we should be having a good time." "You two girls fancy a drink?" "What you are you offering?" "The hard stuff." "Want to watch you so." "Now, what pro quo do I get for my quid?" "Don't mind him, we're fine, thanks." "Speak for yourself." "Which one of you is going to sit on my knee?" "I don't know what you take us for mister." "I take you for a good time." "Don't be giving it away for free." "Who said I was giving anything away for free?" "You are not like that Minnie." "He smells nice." "See, at least someone's in the mood." "Now ladies, those drinks I promised you." "Barman, give me a few glasses here for the ladies." "How many?" " 20.000 they estimate." "A German ship and 20.000 guns escaped our naval blockade and made it to the coast of Ireland." "Well the admiralty knew but didn't act or the German's would have known we cracked their code." " They'd sooner risk a rebellion here." "Well, thankfully it was intercepted." "And where is this traitor Casement?" " Under arrest in Tralee." "Have him sent straight to London." " Yes sir." "And in secret, the last thing we want is a martyr." "And as for their collaborators in our administration, deal with them." "Yes, sir." "Once you go out with us there'll be no going back." "I'll be going out with you." "KNOCK ON DOOR" "Where are you off to at this hour of the day May?" "I'm going to England on the early boat." "You can't." "I'm paid up to the end of the month." "I don't care about the money love." "What's happened?" " I'm sorry Aunt Lilly." "Is it a fella?" "I'll have my trunk sent on, goodbye Aunt Lilly." "Ms. Lacy?" "Sergeant." "I've been asked to fetch you to the Castle." "It's Easter weekend." "What does it concern?" "Follow me." "Of course Sergeant."