Jimmy's Hall Page #2

down in Gowell about a year ago,

- so we decided to build our own.

- With, er, what money?

I had some savings from the States,

and a few friends, too.

So, if it's your money and your land,

does that mean that it's your hall?

No. It's built by the voluntary

labour of the community,

and it's run by an elected committee.

I'll teach art, and Molly and

Oonagh will teach the music.

And Mossie the boxing, gymnastics,

woodwork. Literature.

And every penny'll go back

into the hall to buy materials.

Musical instruments, books...

And we'll have the best damned

dances in the whole country.

I just spoke to your parish priest.

Not best pleased.

Even said that all the horses

that dragged the sand here

will die within a year.

Is he a priest or a witch doctor?

Our opposition is still the same,

the masters and the pastors.

Come in, Father. You're welcome.

Gralton, you come out.

It's Mr Gralton to you, Sheridan.

Who in the hell do you think you are,

running classes in my parish

without my permission?

No permission required.

That's the point, we built it ourselves.

Education is the exclusive

reserve of Holy Mother Church,

not semi-illiterates.

- Don't patronise me.

- No, Jimmy, don't...

I will not have a communist

on my turf defy the Church.

Now, days of tugging

the forelock are gone.

Oh, bare arms.

Hardly becomes you.

Does your father know you're

here, Oonagh Dempsey?

If you'd like to enroll in our dance class,

Father, you're more than welcome.

It doesn't cost a penny,

and we're all volunteers.

I'm here to represent my

neighbour, Rory McManus,

who is the rightful tenant.

That land has been in their

family for over thirty years,

but, due to ill health,

he fell behind on the rent.

That landlord wouldn't give

him the time to catch up,

and he threw him off his land.

My name is Seamus Clarke.

I am the new tenant.

I rented this land in good faith and

for a fair price from the landlord.

Shame on you, Clarke.

You've had your beady eye on

that land next door for years.

Silence in the court.

This court has reached

a unanimous decision.

The tenant, Rory McManus, is entitled

to the recovery of the land in dispute.

And the cattle belonging

to Seamus Clarke

will be removed immediately.

Jimmy. Jimmy.

It's O'Keefe. He's up

there with his army.

Doherty's there with his thugs, too.

And the priest is just after arriving.

- You're not gonna get by.

- Good work, son. Good man.

- The Holy Trinity.

- Bastards.

Take it easy. It's not the

Tans we're fighting now.

It's feckin' worse.

Open up, Clarke.

Here's your cattle back.

Keep them off your neighbour's land.

Gralton, you pay attention to me.

You sow nothing but conflict

in a peaceful community.

Go and join the commies

in Siberia. Leave us alone.

You join the British.

I'll tell you whose land it is.

Where's Rory? Come here, Rory.

McManus, you took advantage

of a tenant in trouble.

This is a statement from the

acting OC of the IRA in this area.

Now, listen up if you

know what's good for you.

We fought the British too, Doherty.

Look at him having

to read for Doherty.

Let him have his word. Read away.

"Whereas certain evilly disposed

and unauthorised persons

"in certain districts within

the area of South Leitrim

"have commandeered and taken

forcible possession of lands

"to which they are not entitled..."

- Yeah, back in 1690.

- Silence, silence, silence!

"We do hereby order that

anyone found commandeering

"or interfering with lands to

which such a person has no claim

"shall be severely dealt with."

Are you threatening us?

We intend to implement the

decision of the Republican court.

- Yes!

- Now stand aside!

Any man goes through that gate

gets a bullet in the head.

- Put those guns away!

- You'll be the first to hit the ground.

Put those guns down immediately!

Put it down! Put them down!

I don't want any

innocent blood spilt.

Bide your time.

There's a time and a place.

Do as I say now. Now!

- Open that gate.

- Sean. Mossie.

Put your guns away.

- Guns away?

- Yes.

- Bring the cows in.

- Bring them through.

Stand aside. Stand aside.

Go on, stand over.

Stand aside.

Dessie. Dessie, usher them in.

Stand by them, stand by them.

Let them through.

Siil, siil, siil a rin

Siil go socair agus siil go ciin

Siil go doras agus alaigh lim

Is go dt t mo mhirnn sln

I wish, I wish, I wish in vain

I wish I had my heart again

And vainly think I'd not complain

Is go dt t mo mhirnn sln

Siil, siil, siil a rin

Siil go socair agus siil go ciin

Siil go...

- I want Gralton! He's under arrest!

- What for?

There'll be no more anarchy in Leitrim.

No more of your kangaroo courts.

Show us the warrant!

You've got to get out! Get out!

Go! Go!

Get out! Get out!

Get out of here!

Get away with you!

- What are you gonna do?

- I'll head to the States.

Oh, that looks a sore one. I'm sorry.

It's nothing.

It was worth it to see the

expression on his face, the bastard.

Will you say goodbye to Mam for me?

They're watching the farm.

How long are you gone for, Jimmy?

Till things calm down.

There's a few pistol boys keen

to make a name for themselves.

I've a few good comrades over in

New York who'll help me find work.

Mossie's waiting for me.

What if I asked you to

come with me, Oonagh?

What if my mother wasn't fading?

What if I wasn't the only daughter?

What if my dad wouldn't fall apart?

What if I wasn't so trapped, Jimmy?

What if, Oonagh?

And follow you around?

From one battle to the next?

Can I take that?

Are these the only clothes you have?

I hear they sell clothes in New York.

I suppose so.

Jimmy...

You'll be in my heart, girl.

No matter what.

Till the day I die.

Well, Jimmy... I think

you lost your bet.

Couldn't stay away.

Like a moth to a flame.

More like a dog to a post.

That feckin' gable's

never been right anyway.

- I wonder who built that, Tommy.

- Dessie did.

Are you ready for this again, Jimmy?

Jeez. Life's too short.

- We've no choice, do we?

- No.

- Come on, there's work to be done.

- Aye.

It's a beaut, eh?

Is that what you had in that trunk

that near broke my back, is it?

It'll be well worth it, Mossie.

- What the hell is it, Jimmy?

- His pet.

Looks grand, but I don't know

what we're gonna feed it on.

We'll have music while we work now.

It's a beautiful sound, isn't it?

Nice, Jimmy.

Jimmy, did you ever go to a jazz

club when you were in Harlem?

I did, aye. The Savoy Ballroom.

Aye, grand musicians.

The only place in the United States

where black and white

dance together in peace.

- Really?

- Aye, marvellous.

Did you ever dance with

a black woman, Jimmy?

You know what the most

amazing thing about it was?

They've two legs like everyone else.

Go on there, Jimmy.

Show us a few steps.

- Go on!

- Honestly...

- Please, go on.

- Please, Jimmy, come on.

All right, all right, all right!

All right.

- If I can only remember them.

- Ah, go on, Jimmy, son.

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