Act 1 Summary

Michael Evans narrates the story of his childhood spent growing up in Ballybeg, a small town in County Donegal in northern Ireland. The tale begins in the summer of 1936, when he is eight years old. Michael is the illegitimate son of Chris Mundy and Gerry Evans, a ne'er-do-well from Wales. Chris and her son live with her four sisters Kate, Agnes, Maggie, and Rose, and her brother, Jack, a Catholic priest.

Kate is a schoolteacher and the wage earner for the family. Agnes knits gloves to bring in extra money. Rose, who is slightly retarded, helps around the house and seems to be especially attached to Agnes. Maggie tends to the chickens and prepares meals.

Father Jack had a significant career as chaplain to the British forces in East Africa and then stayed on in Uganda to work as a missionary. He has...