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DUTY AND OTHER IRISH COMEDIES

[Illustration: FROM THE DRY POINT STUDY BY P. GRASSBY]

DUTY AND OTHER IRISH COMEDIES

BY

SEUMAS O'BRIEN

1916

CONTENTS

DUTYJURISPRUDENCEMAGNANIMITYMATCHMAKERSRETRIBUTION

DUTY

A COMEDY IN ONE ACT

CHARACTERS

HEAD CONSTABLE MULLIGAN A Member of the Royal Irish Constabulary
SERGEANT DOOLEY A Member of the R.I.C.
CONSTABLE HUGGINS A Member of the R.I.C.
MICUS GOGGIN
PADNA SWEENEY
MRS. ELLEN COTTER A public-house keeper

DUTY was produced for the first time at the AbbeyTheatre, Dublin, December 17, 1913, with the followingcast:

Head Constable Mulligan, R.I.C. ARTHUR SINCLAIR
Sergeant Dooley, R.I.C. FRED O'DONOVAN
Constable Huggins, R.I.C. SYDNEY J. MORGAN
Micus Goggin J.M. KERRIGAN
Padna Sweeney J.A. O'ROURKE
Mrs. Ellen Cotter UNA O'CONNOR

DUTY

Back kitchen of a country public house. Micus and Padna seated at atable drinking from pewter pints. Mrs. Cotter enters in response to acall.

PADNA (pointing to pint measures)
Fill 'em again, ma'am, please.

MRS. COTTER (taking pints, and wiping table)
Fill 'em again, is it? Indeed I won't do any such thing.

MICUS
Indeed you will, Mrs. Cotter.

MRS. COTTERDon't you know that 'tis Sunday night, an' that the policemight call any minute?

MICUS (disdainfully)
The police!

PADNA
Bad luck to them!

MICUS Amen!

MRS. COTTERThis will be the last drink that any one will get inthis house to-night.[Exit.

MICUS'Tis a nice state of affairs to think that dacent men,after a hard week's work, can't have a drink in paceand quietness in the town they were born and rearedin, without bein' scared out o' their senses by thepolice!

PADNA'Tis the hell of a thing, entirely! I don't see what'sgained be closin' the pubs at all, unless it be to givethe police somethin' to do.

MICUS
The overfed and undertaught bla'gards!

PADNAAs far as I can see, there's as much drink sold as ifthe pubs were never closed.

MICUSThere is, an' more; for if it wasn't forbidden to drinkporter, it might be thought as little about as water.

PADNAI don't believe that, Micus. Did you ever hear of apint or even a gallon of water makin' any one feellike Napoleon?

[Mrs. Cotter enters and places drinks on table.

PADNA (handing money)
There ye are, ma'am.

MRS. COTTER (takes money)Hurry now like good boys, for forty shillin's is a lotto pay for a pint o' porter, an' that's what 'twill costye if the police comes in an' finds ye here. An' I'lllose me license into the bargain.[Exit<