what's his due after all, honour and respect.
MAIRE
Both of us would like to see our father earn the same.
CONN
I could earn the same, ay, and gold and silver cups besides, if
I had the mind to earn them.
He puts fiddle on table and prepares to speak impressively.
CONN Let ye listen to me now; I've a scheme to put before ye. When I was going over the oul tune, I remembered that I'd heard of a Feis [2] that's coming on soon, the Feis of Ardagh. I'm thinking of going there. There will be great prizes for some one; I don't doubt but I'd do at Ardagh better than I did at the Feis of Granard, where people as high as bishops were proud and glad to know Conn Hourican the Fiddler.
[Footnote 2: Feis, pronounced Fesh, a musical or literary gathering, with competitions.]
ANNE
Father, you've a place to mind.
CONN I'm tired of that kind of talk; sure I'm always thinking of the place. Maire hasn't little notions. What do you say to it, Maire, my girl?
MAIRE What do I say? I say you're not a rambler now, though indeed you behave like one.
CONN
You have something against me, Maire.
MAIRE
I have.
CONN
What has she against me, Anne?
MAIRE
All the promises you broke.
CONN
You were listening to what the town is saying.
MAIRE What does the town know? Does it know that you stripped us of stock and crop the year after we came here? Does it know that Anne and myself, two girls of the roads, had to struggle ever since to keep a shelter?
CONN (bitterly) It knows that. It couldn't help but know it, maybe. But does it know all the promises you made and broke?
CONN (angrily) Hush now; I'll hear no more. I went my own way always, and I'll go my own way always.
He goes to the entrance, and remains with his back turned. Maire goes to Anne.
MAIRE (raising her voice) Ay, he'll go his own way always. What was the good of working and saving here?
ANNE
Be quiet with him.
MAIRE He'll go his own way always, and it's foolish of us to be fretting for him night and day.
Maire sits on stool and puts her hands across her face.
CONN (turning his head) Fretting for me. It was too easy that I reared you.
ANNE God help Maire! She kept the house together at the worst, and she is always fretting for us.
CONN
I'm oul' enough to mind myself. Let her remember that.
ANNE
It's you that ought to remember that.
CONN (going to Maire) Did I ever give the harsh word to you, child?
No answer.
CONN There, there; I never could see tears in a woman's eyes; there, there, colleen. I'm an oul' man; I won't be a trouble to you long.
MAIRE (rising) Why need you play in Flynn's? You're as good as any that goes there.
CONN I know that. I'm disgusted with Flynn. May hell loosen his knees for him! I'll go in and throw his money on the counter.
MAIRE Some one else can do that. Promise me you won't go near the place.
CONN
You'll have me promise. I promise.
MAIRE Take this in your hand and promise. It's a medal that belonged to mother.
She takes a medal from her neck
CONN (taking the medal) I'm disgusted with Flynn. I promise you, Maire.
MAIRE
Now you've honour and respect.
CONN
And what about Ardagh, Maire?
MAIRE
Sure, you're not the rambling fiddler any more.
CONN That would be the good rambling. I see the trees making shadows across the roads.
MAIRE
We'll talk about it again.
ANNE
Brian MacConnell will be coming in now. CONN I'm going out to
Brian MacConnell.
He goes to the door.
ANNE
Tell Brian to come in now.
Conn Hourican goes out. There is a pause. Maire hums a tune as she goes to the mirror.
MAIRE
Am I looking well to-day?
ANNE (rather distantly) You're looking your best, I think. (Seriously) Maire, I didn't like the way you talked to father.
MAIRE (petulantly) What have you against it?
ANNE
You're becoming a stranger to us, Maire.
MAIRE (as an apology) I'm out often, I know, but I think as much as ever of the house, and about you and father. You know we couldn't let him go to the Feis at Ardagh. We couldn't let him go off like a rambling fiddler.
ANNE
We couldn't let him go off by himself.
MAIRE
You're going to Moynihan's.
ANNE
Maybe I'll go.
MAIRE
Anne, honey, do something for me.
ANNE
What will
