Mrs. Ford:  Agnes, come here, love, until I look upon the sweetness of your face. (Agnes goes to her, kneeling by her side.) You’ll be in this place with Donagh.  It is a great inheritance you will have in the name of Donagh Ford.  It is no idle name that will be in this house but the name of one who knew a great strength.  It will be a long line of generations that the name of the Fords will reach out to, generations reaching to the time that Ireland herself will rise by the power of her own will.

Agnes (rising):  You will only sadden yourself by these thoughts.  Think of what there is in store for you.

Mrs. Ford:  I’m an old woman now, child.  There can be no fresh life before me.  But I can tell you that I was young and full of courage once.  I was the woman who stood by the side of Donagh Ford, that gave him support in the day of trial, that was always the strong branch in the storm and in the calm.  Am I saying any word only what is a true word, Donagh?

Donagh:  The truth of that is well known to the people. (He goes to door.)

Mrs. Ford:  Very well.  Gather up all the people now, son.  Let them come in about this place for many of them have a memory of it.  Let me hear the welcome of their voices.  They will have good words to say, speaking on the greatness of Donagh Ford who is dead.

Donagh:  They are coming out from the fields with Hugh, mother.  I see the young fellows falling into line.  They are wearing their caps and sashes and they have the band.  I can see them carrying the banner to the front of the crowd.  Here they are marching up the road. (The strains of a fife and drum band playing a spirited march are heard in the distance.  Mrs. Ford rises slowly, “humouring” the march with her stick, her face expressing her delight.  The band stops.)

Mrs. Ford:  That’s the spirit of Carrabane.  Let the people now look upon me in this place and let them take pride in my son.

Donagh:  I see Stephen Mac Donagh.

Mrs. Ford:  Let him be the first across the threshold, for he went to jail with Donagh Ford.  Have beside him Murt Cooney that lost his sight at the struggle of Ballyadams.  Let him lift up his poor blind face till I see the rapture of it.

Donagh:  Murt Cooney is coming, and Francis Kilroy and Brian Mulkearn.

Mrs. Ford:  It was they who put a seal of silence on their lips and bore their punishment to save a friend of the people.  Have a place beside me for the widow of Con Rafferty who hid the smoking revolver the day the tyrant fell at the cross of Killbrack.

Donagh:  All the old neighbours are coming surely.

Mrs. Ford (crossing slowly to door, Agnes going before her):  Let me look into their eyes for the things I will see stirring there.  I will reach them out the friendship of my hands and speak to them the words that lie upon my heart.  The rafters of this house will ring again with the voices that Donagh Ford welcomed and that I loved.  Aye, the very fire on the hearth will leap in memory of the hands that tended it.