Monologue Project

The Price of Northern Ireland 
by Heather Campbell

Setting: Starts out a a day before July 21st of 1972, in Belfast in Northern Ireland.  Some of the locations of the monologues are in a British Army Base, an Protestant Family’s house, a Police Station, a Catholic pub, Sinn Fein Government Headquarters, and Outside near a graveyard. The monologues end in 2002 in Ireland. 

Characters:

Jack Maxwell, a young British Army member.  Has a family back home and is eager to help stop the troubles.

Lewis Ward, a 14 year old protestant boy.  Doesn’t really consider the troubles and danger.

Ruairi Flynn, a old Catholic police officer.  Wants an independent Ireland, but is tired of all the violence.

Stephen Kelly, a middle aged Irish Republican Army member.  Wants an independent Ireland and will do anything for it.

Catherine Ward, Lewis’s mother.  A strong protestant and a busy mother, who is always working. 

Johnathan Moore, government worker for the the Nationalists.  Doesn’t like to be associated with the British.

Sophie Griffiths, a 16 year old catholic girl.  Middle child in a large poor family, whose mother was killed in the bombings and her sister was severely injured.

Gerry Adams, Sinn Fein member, ex-IRA member, and now holds a commons seat for Northern Ireland.


Act 1, Scene 1

JACK MAXWELL (Writing a letter to back home in some form of building, sitting on a bed/cot)

 I’ve been in Northern Ireland for three weeks now.  For the first few days I was stationed in Belfast, but then I was sent over to Londonderry.  The people of Londonderry were still distraught over Bloody Sunday. After a week in Londonderry I was sent back to Belfast.  You wouldn’t believe it, but when I arrived in Belfast, I got to our station and guess who was there!  Gavin Moore and Charlie Johnston, they haven’t changed a bit.  Gavin told me that during his first week of patrol in Belfast, some one pushed a washing machine out a top story flat as he was patrollin’ beneath, narrowly missing him.  He’s fine, but he admitted after that, he was a wee bit shakin’ up for a while.  In my first few days in Belfast, I was just patrollin’ around Belfast.  I would just make sure no problems started and occasionally “chat up” some of the lorry drivers for any intelligence that might be given away.  One time, Charlie and I were patrollin’ by the harbor where all the shippin’ were comin’ in, and we saw a car looking suspicious; hidden in the boot were a good three or four pounds of supplies for bomb making.  After we had confiscated the stuff, I had to admit, it felt really good knowing that I might have saved some innocent lives.  Shortly after that, Charlie and Gavin were sent to Dungannon. Occasionally we would see some Dickers.  Their what we call the lookouts of the IRA.  There have been many exchanges of fire between the IRA and us. On the surface you can tell that the Protestants are glad we are here, but underneath it all you can see that they’re still hesitant.  They lead such different daily lives then we do back home.  Imagine having to open up your handbag to check for bombs and weapons every time you go into a shop.  That’s their reality.  On the contrary, there are murals and graffiti painted onto the walls in the Catholic area of Belfast, promoting the IRA.  We’re tryin’ to make peace, but sometimes it feels very one sided.  It’s time for this IRA rubbish to end. 


Act 1, Scene 2

LEWIS WARD (Talking to his mum in the kitchen in the morning before school)

Mornin’ Mum... Aye, I know I have te pick up some sugar and eggs after school... I’m not going te stop by his house, I told ye, the oul fella’s batty... No, I still want the cake Mum... But the oul man’s batty and his caretaker’s just as mad, and they live all the way by Oxford Station, I’d have te take the bus... Aye, okay Mum, I’ll dander down te tha oul fella’s house after school... Aye, I’ll make sure te give him some eggs... Ack! Mum, I just wanta be with meh mates, do I have to do all these chores today?... No, I wont wander off this time... I just wanta go te Johnny Moore’s house for a wee bit... Ack!... I know... Aye, I know... He lives near Woodvale Park, just a wee bus ride from school... Ack! Please Mum!... I know... Ack, I’ll go te Johnny’s house another day then... No, Mum. I’m not trying to be a nuisance... I know Mum... Okay, okay. After school, I’ll go te the store, buy eggs and sugar, then go te oul Paddy’s house and give him some eggs... Aye, after that I will come straight home...Aye, Mum...Mum, can ye pass me a scone please...Cheers Mum...No butter?... Aye, I’ll get some butter as well... Cheers Mum. I ought’ te be gettin’ to school now...My glasses are on the table by the door, I’ll grab them on ma way out...Ack! I’ll fix my tie before I get to school Mum... Bloody hell... What?... No, I didn’t say anything Mum... Nothin’, I didn’ say anythin’...I just mumbled muddy shoe, thats all... Nye, its only a smidge, it’ll come off before school... I’m goin’... I’m not goin’ te be late... I know Mum. Eggs, sugar, and butter, oul Paddy, then straight home...Matches?... Aye, I’ll get some matches as well... Cheerio Mum. (Leaves)


Act 1, Scene 3

RAUIRI FLYNN (Reflecting about today’s event in police office)

Nightmare I tell you... It was thee definition of bloody hell...You could hear people screamin’, cryin’ and moanin’. The first thing that caught my eye was a torso of a human being in the middle of the street.... It all came very sudden. I was just makin’ meh rounds about town. It was around 2:17 when I got word that a bomb detonated on a footbridge over the rail line at Windsor Park. Luckily, there were no injuries at that location...But it was bloody scary...I was told te go down by the Oxford bus station, so I got in meh car and started te drive on down there...I reckon I was pretty lucky te have gottin’ there the time I did... I was drivin’ down Hamilton Street, when I heard the bang.  It was exactly 3:10 when it was detonated. There were smoke and debris everywhere I swerved down Mary Street, but when I got te Oxford Street, there were so much debris I had te get out of meh car. Just by looking at the scene, it was impossible for anyone te feel safe... I saw meh mate cowerin’ by the side of his car. I rushed over te him te see what was happen’.  It took him awhile before words would come te him... He told me...Him and some of the boys from the British army were trying to clear the area...He said that...they tried te get everyone safe...but there were too many people...and the bomb exploded. I helped meh mate get up, he had many minor injuries from all the debris. I looked around... There were blood, debris, and body parts scattered everywhere...It was chaos... The hospital personnels came soon after... I had te help them...gettin’ people te the hospital... and cleaning up the remains. There were so many casualties all with in two seconds...I’m a Catholic... I want an independent Ireland...Te be honest, I think these troubles would all go away if the Brits just left...I heard that the Brits got a warnin’ that the bombs where goin’ te go off today... I was talkin’ te some of meh mates in the pub yesterday...talkin’ bout the incident... They’re convinced that them Brits had deliberately disregarded those warnings, all for strategic policy reasons...I’m not sure whether I quite agree, but... I don’t disagree either... I mean, the British army were there, tryin’ te help evacuate people from the area... But I’m not sure whether I would be surprised if they delayed the evacuation, just so they seemed like they tried, and make the PIRA seem like the bad guys. Whats the PIRA?...Provisional Irish Republican Army...they want an Independent Ireland too...I just want it in a less violent way...(Pause) Later that day, a fella came down, te look for his wee boy... He identified him among the dead... The wee boy was so bloody and deformed, his father could only tell it was him ‘cus of the things he’d been carryin’, cracked eggs, spilt sugar, melted butter, crushed matches, bits of his glasses, and singed photo en his pocket...Two of the other policemen in meh unit escorted the fella back home te tell his wife...They said she broke down cryin’...was complete mess...The worst part of the day was that... that explosion on Oxford street was only one of twenty-two within’ an hour an’ a half... All these victims were just innocent people caught up in it. With Bloody Sunday, they were out on a march – a peaceful march, but still a march...I’ve been apart of the Police service since I turned eighteen...That’s thirteen years ago...I’ve seen a lot in those years...Dealt with a lot too...It’s rare te find people in the police service who get along civilized enough than me and some of the other policemen.  Most of the policemen are Protestants, most of them like being apart of the UK.  As much as I would like a Independent Ireland, I don’t like dealin’ with all the victims of brutal crimes and havin’ te tell their families...I’ve known too many people who have died and too many people charged with murder...Some days you canna help but wonder, when will it be over?...Is it worth it?


Act 1, Scene 4

JACK MAXWELL(Taking medicine and talking to other army members in a “common room”)

(Enters room)

Hi

(Take some pills)

 I’m okay, which is more than most can say 

(Swallow the pills)

I was down at Oxford Street, tryin’ to clear the area.  Almost had the area cleared before the bomb went off...Nah, I didn’t even hear the bomb... I just saw everything cave in around me...Some debris must of hit me... I didn’t even realise it was broken at first...It was chaos...Bodies everywhere...I tried my best to help, but then they sent me to the stations doctor...It’s only broken...I have to go home to get it fixed properly...There wasn’t much to help there.  There were so many injured and and bodies everywhere.  There was no way for there to be any order.  No order, no control, it was horrible...Yeah, I go home in a few days...Pardon?... Oh, why do I have to go back home to get it fixed?  I guess there are too many people here in worse condition, so they straightened it out and just wrapped it up, and I’ll be home in a few days...They gave me medicine. 

(Shows the medicine)  

Keep the pain from being to unbearable...As soon as my arm heals, I’ll be back...I heard the first bomb was detonated at around 2:09 by the rail line at Windsor Park and last bomb went off at 3:30...There was another bomb set for after that?...oh, well, good thing the bomb squad got their first...Yeah, I’m looking forward to going home. See my family...I’ll be taking a ferry...Yeah; as soon as they fix it I’ll be on my way back here.


Act 1, Scene 5

STEPHEN KELLY (Reflecting on the IRA and Bloody Friday in a pub)

(Sits down) 

Before I begin, lets pay homage to a good oul’ Irish proverb “A drink precedes a story.” 

(Take a large sip out of a large beer mug)

Why?... Well, it’s quite obvious isn’t it? We want our independence. 

(Sip out of the mug)

Why am I apart of the PIRA? 

(Takes a sip)

It began when a group of nationalist was marching around the town. The numbers of the group kept escalatin’ and at one point it was up to around 3,000 people.

(Takes a sip)

British troops were brought in to disperse the crowd.  Roadblocks were set up to prevent the marchers from gettin’ te certain sections of the town.  Them Brits say that the crowd was becomin’ more and more lively and that the troops had te start makin’ arrests.  They said as they were arrestin’ people, they came under fire, all they were doin’ was defendin’ themselves. 

(Takes a sip) 

The results of this day led te the death of 13 at the hands of the First Battalion.  The IRA wants their revenge.  There were no peaceful arrests and et was nie the marches fault.  The only violent people there were them bloody Brits... That’s where it all started for me. 

(Takes a sip)

They, the British army and them protestants...They think they were shootin’ for self defense...No, self defense requires some thinkin’...There was no thinkin’ involved there. 

(Takes a sip)

As a Catholic, we have no say here...Them Brits and Protestants think they’re better than everyone else.  We have poor housin’, no benefits, no rights, and are always bein’ discriminated against...Why wouldn’t I be mad? 

(Takes a sip)

We’re second-class citizens in our own country! And when we try te get our messages across peacefully, we’re beat up and our houses set a blaze!  

(Takes a sip)

That’s why I joined the PIRA.... What’s the difference between the IRA and PIRA?...Irish Republican Army and Provisional Irish Republic Army.  The PIRA is branched off from the IRA.  We’re all fightin’ for the same freedom. 

(Takes a sip). 

And the Sinn Fein and the IRA and PIRA are going to get us that freedom...Sinn Fein? Well that’s our political party, for an Independent Ireland. No more bloody Brits and feckin’ protestants dictating our lives. 

(Takes a sip)

Now ‘bout last Friday...Te put it plainly, It required only one man with a loud hailer to clear each target area in no time.  All we were tryin’ te do was make daily life impossible.  Cause financial devastation from all the wrecked buildin’s.  That’s all we had te do.  And short after, all the Republicans were convinced that the British had deliberately disregarded the two warnings we sent out for strategic policy reasons.  The Brits had their warnin’s but they took to long to take action. 

(Takes a sip)

We had some casualties...But sometimes ye have te give before ye receive.  We gave lives up, and we expect te receive our freedom.  The PIRA is committed unequivocally to the search for freedom, justice and peace in Ireland.  We’ve done part of our job, for now.

(Takes a sip)


Act 1, Scene 6
JACK MAXWELL (Talking on the phone)

(Dials phone) 

Hello...Emm..Yeah, I’m okay. I made it through with only a broken arm...I’ll be home soon...They wrapped it up and gave me some medicine...Yeah, soon as I get off the ferry I’ll be on my way to the doctor’s to get it mended...How it at home?...Good...

(Chuckle)

How’s wee little Sophie?...Good...Well, I can’t tell you too much information, but apparently the British talks to the IRA failed and the IRA began its campaign again...Yeah...It was quite shocking...I didn’t know what to do...You got my letter?...Good..I have to go...I’ll be home soon..Give Sophie a hug for me...Bye. 

(Hangs up)


Act 1, Scene 7

CATHERINE WARD (In her living room, holding pictures of her son, his glasses, and remains of school bag.)

My wee little Lewis...

(Sniffle)

He dinneh even make it past his fifteenth birthday...And it’s all my fault...

(Sniffle)

Had I not told him te go te Oul Paddy and give him some eggs, he may still have been with me...

(Burst of tears)

It seems just like yesterday, I was donderin’ down te the cafe down by the train station with him in his wee pram for tea and biscuits... And now, he’s dead...

(Sniffle)

I knew somethin’ was wrong when meh husband came home with the Bobbies. I thought meh husband had gotten into some trouble with the IRA...Our family bein’ strong protestants...But then I saw the look on meh husbands face...He looked like he was in anguish, like somethin’ happened...  Somethin’ more than him just gettin’ into some trouble... Then one of the fellas, he told me I may want te sit down... At that moment, I knew somethin’ was wrong.  Meh eyes darted te the clock...

(Sniffle)

I was so busy tryin’ te get mey wee boy’s birthday supper sorted out for the next day, that I hadn’t realised that he should have been home by then...The bobbies told me that nineteen bombs had gone of just an hour and a half ago. Then... I collapsed...I had already known what had happened...Meh wee boy was just doin’ what I asked...

(Sniffle)

He was on his way to oul Paddy’s home at 3:10...About te get on the bus at Oxford Street...I should have had him come straight home after school. With all these bombings and officers and the likes...I knew it was too dangerous...I had a feellin’ bout today...I told him te be careful, he just kept replyin’ “I know”

(Sniffle)

The bobbies, both bein’ protestants, told me that them and the brits are tryin’ to get all this te come te an end...I’ll forever remain loyal te the queen...The British government, they’ve done so much for our country... And with their military here, these troubles are bound to stop some time soon...But thats not goin’ te bring my wee little Lewis back now. 

(Burst of tears)



Act 1, Scene 8

JONATHAN MOORE (Talking to a journalist in an office)

(Sitting down) 

When did this all start?... That was a long time ago.  I was twelve when Ireland split up.  It was in 1920 when the British government decided to split up Ireland, after they had ruled for centuries.  An Independent state was created in the south, mostly made up of Catholics.  The northern district, Ulster being mostly Protestant, remained part of the UK. That split up was caused by an uprising led by Michael Collins in 1916...There was a civil war in the south after the split.  Michael Collins among many others lost his life during that civil war.  The end result of was the Rise of a new and independent Republic of Ireland, led by Eamon DeValera.  In the North, the Catholics were a minority.  They were the republicans and nationalists.  They were being discriminated against in jobs, housing, and law.  The Protestants were the unionists and loyalists; they were given government jobs and privileges alike for being loyal to the British crown.  Northern Ireland played a large role in the British economy because of all the shipyards, and mills.  But as I said before, the Catholics found themselves the minority and excluded from Northern Ireland’s success.  The Troubles really started three years ago.  The Catholic unemployment rate spiked, their housing became poor, and the riots began.  The IRA is the nationalists who carried out most of the violence in their quest for independence.  My job is te try and get the Nationalist message across, without the violence; te get a united Ireland in a manor that appeals to both sides.  For a while we were making some progress.  We had a truce with the British government...a truce between the loyalists and the nationalists.  There were te be talks. Talks put in place in order te cease fire.  But the British failed at talking, so the IRA and PIRA begun their campaign again...

(Pause)

That’s what yesterday was; the start of a new campaign. Why the violence?

(Pause)

I don’t think I can answer that question...I just communicate te people.  I’m behind the scene of these troubles...

(Pause)

Well, we want an Independent Ireland.  We want equal rights and equal opportunities. No, we want our own rights and opportunities.  The British government ruled Ireland like their ruled England, Scotland, and Wales...We’re not English, we’re not Scottish, and we’re not Welsh.  We are our own people...And it was time that we were treated that way.  That’s why the Republic of Ireland came to be...

(Pause)

Why the violence? Why bloody Friday? That’s a question for someone else...Yeah, I feel bad about the deaths...Quite a large number of them where Catholics...But think of the number of people killed by the British.  We’ve been oppressed and discriminated against...I know a lot of people died...I know...Violence delays peace...I know... Look, it isn’t my job te deal with the violence and deaths. My job is just te talk. 

(Gets up and leaves)


Act 1, Scene 9

SOPHIE GRIFFITHS (After her mother’s funeral)

We live in west Belfast; where most of the Catholics live...Et was me, meh dad, meh mum, meh four brothers, and meh two sisters all livin’ en a small house near Springfield road.  Meh dad is a fisherman; he works hard but we still struggle te live comfortably.  Meh mum taught at the primary school near our house, were meh littlest sisters, Amy and Eliza, and littlest brothers, Hugh and Jamie, go te school.  She always’d help meh with meh schoolwork.  Meh mum always wanted te be a writer.  If one of meh wee brothers or sister had a hard time goin’ te sleep she’d tell us all a story.  I liked her stories; they always had a nice ending.  She could make et seem like every ended happily. But she tolled a lie.

(Tearing up)

Meh mum was takin’ meh little sister, Amy, get a new dress...She’d been savin’ up money for Amys dress, and they went down te the store te pick et up.

(Sobbing)

That’s when the bomb went off...Meh mum and Amy were en the car...Meh sister was badly injured, but meh mum died...She worked so hard for our family, with seven children needin’ te be fed and educated...Meh eldest brother, Adam, hasn’t even gone back te school yet and he’s already gettin’ inte trouble...Meh brother, Sean, and I now have te do most of the chores and take care off wee brothers and sisters...Amy’s still en the hospital...and meh dad still has te fish te feed us all.  When he’s not workin’ he spends most of his time en the pub drinkin’ the black stuff.... Yeh canna blame him...Mum did everything

(More sobing)

She did everything...We need her...We’re good Catholics...We work hard...Go te church...Why us?... Why Amy?... Why meh mum?...We weren’t out causin’ trouble protestin’, and we weren’t out wavin’ the union flag...We want better lives just as much as the IRA do...Meh mum and dad work hard for meh family te have a better live...We didn’t do anythin’ wrong...So, why did they have te take meh mum away from meh family...But she’s in a better place now...away from the violence...Gone but never forgotten. 


Act 1, Scene 10

GERRY ADAMS (2002, conference, standing at a podium)

A month ago, I took office in the House of Commons, I had a press conference and I was asked a question...This woman, around 65 years old, she asked me for an apology. 

(Low spot light on woman watching a TV)  

She told me that thirty years ago, her son died.  He died when the IRA set off a series of bombs around Belfast.  She told me, he wasn’t protesting or causing a ruckus.  He was just dropping of some groceries like she had asked him to.  He was an innocent wee boy. Where’s the apology for her son’s death?  She said she’s been hearing about rights for the victims of Bloody Sunday.  But she wanted to know when it would be her son’s time to be remembered.  Before that I came across an article in the paper.  It was written in honor of the victims of Bloody Friday.  It was written by a woman whose mother had died during the bombings, and her sister severely injured. (Low spot light to woman writing in front of a TV) 

After her mother died, her family had to deal with countless of other struggles.  After thirty years her family is still hasn’t fully recovered from the death of their mother.  I have come here today, te make a public apology for those who died.  We offer our sincere apologies and condolences te their families. While it was not our intention to injure or kill non-combatants, the reality is that on this and on a number of other occasions that was the consequence of our actions. 

(Low spotlight to a few people huddled around a gravestone) In Belfast the IRA had set out to cause economic damage and had sought to avoid civilian casualties by providing at least 30 minutes’ warning in relation to each of the 21 bombs.  It is a moot point whether the IRA operations just stretched the British too far for them to be able to cope with the situation, or whether they deliberately failed to act in relation to two of the many bombs, but it is clear that the IRA made a mistake in putting out so many bombs, and civilians were killed who certainly should not have been killed. 

(Low spotlight on man with his family in front of a TV) 

This was the IRA’s responsibility and a matter of deep regret.  We hope that we can continue to push forward prospect of a peaceful Northern Ireland and Nation.  Thank you. 

(Leaves podium)






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