A Skull in Connemara

Synopsis

A sparse, rural cottage in Galway, Ireland.

Mick Dowd, a man in his fifties living in rural Galway, is tasked with exhuming bodies in the local graveyard to make space for new burials. His grim occupation takes a personal turn when he is assigned to dig up the grave of his own wife, Oona, whose death he was once accused of causing in a drunk-driving incident. As Mick faces his own past and the suspicions of the villagers, the play explores the dark and often morbid humour found in their interactions. His neighbour Maryjohnny, a heavy-set elderly woman, brings a mix of gossip and moral judgments into Mick’s life, while Mairtin Hanlon, a young troublemaker, and Thomas Hanlon, a local guard, add to the chaotic and unsettling atmosphere. The tension builds as Mick unearths not only physical graves but also buried secrets and accusations, leading to a climax that challenges the boundaries of guilt, memory, and community justice.

The play delves deeply into themes of memory and guilt, as Mick wrestles with his past actions and the community’s perception of him. Death and mortality are ever-present, not just in Mick’s job but in the looming presence of his wife’s grave. The theme of justice is examined through the lens of personal and societal accountability, questioning whether true justice can ever be achieved in such a close-knit, judgmental society. Isolation and community are juxtaposed, showing how individuals are both supported and suffocated by those around them.