Synopsis

In 1981 rural Northern Ireland, the harvest celebration of the Carney family is upended by the resurfacing of a long-buried secret, igniting tensions between family, politics, and the ghosts of the past.

On the eve of the annual harvest, the Carney family’s festivities are interrupted by the discovery of Seamus Carney’s body – the brother of family patriarch Quinn, missing for 10 years. As Quinn’s wife Mary, sister-in-law Caitlin (Seamus’s widow), and their extended family prepare for the harvest, the IRA arrives with demands concerning the narrative around Seamus’s death. Long-held secrets, political tensions, and familial bonds are tested as the day unfolds, building to a devastating climax.

Jez Butterworth’s sweeping drama explores the impact of The Troubles on one family, interweaving themes of loyalty, love, and the weight of history. Through a large ensemble cast and rich symbolism, the play examines how the political becomes deeply personal, and the prices paid for both action and inaction in times of conflict.