He had a
song about your grandmother.

ANNE
Was grandmother a great beauty, father?

CONN
Honor Gilroy had good looks, and indeed she made the most of
them.

MAIRE
It's likely there was some to tell her that she was showing off.

CONN
No one was to her liking unless they praised her.

ANNE
Ah well, a fiddler ought to forgive that to a woman. MAIRE
Fiddlers and women are all alike, but don't say that to him.

_Anne goes to Maire and sits beside her_.

CONN
_(speaking to both)_ Well, Honor Gilroy wasn't the worst, maybe.

MAIRE
And fiddlers and women oughtn't be hard on each other.

CONN
Do you say that, Maire?

MAIRE
_(rising and going to him)_ I say it, father.

CONN
God forgive me if I vexed you, Maire.

ANNE
It's clearing up now, father, and you ought to go out to James.
_(Conn turns to the door. He remains in the doorway. Anne rises and
goes to Maire)_ What did you say to him?

MAIRE
_(looking at Conn)_ He doesn't feel it at all. Father will
always be the fiddler, no matter what we say.

ANNE
Maire. Come and talk to me. _(They sit at fire)_ I was talking
to James. He'll never be happy until we're under the one roof.

_Maire clasps Anne's hands passionately_.

MAIRE
_(with cry)_ Anne, daughter, I'll be very lonesome for you.

ANNE
But sure I won't be far off, Maire.

MAIRE
Ay, but it's terrible to face things alone.

_James has come to the door. Conn and James have been talking. They
turn in_.

CONN
But I'll be glad enough to have the scythe in my hands after it
all, James.

JAMES
Anne was telling me how you took the victory from Connaught.

CONN
Still I'm sorry for him! That poor Heffernan! He'll never hold
up his head again.

JAMES
Sure I'd have it in a ballad that would be sung in his own town.
It would be well worth putting into a ballad.

CONN
Well indeed, it would make a right good ballad, James.

JAMES
I'd like to make a ballad about it, that would be sung all
over Connaught.

CONN
And why wouldn't you do it, James Moynihan? Sure it would be
the making of you. It would be sung all over Ireland, and your name
to it. Do you hear that, Maire? Do you hear that, Anne?

JAMES
I'm saying that I'd like to do a ballad about your father's
victory.

CONN
Maybe you could have it this night week, James? ANNE Will it be
a poem or a ballad, James?

_Anne goes to him_.

CONN
If you had it this night week, we could bring the boys to the
place. What do you