Duty, and Other Irish Comedies

Set in the back kitchen of a modest Irish public house, the play opens with two regulars, Micus and Padna, nursing their pints as the night drifts toward curfew. The weary publican, Mrs. Cotter, arrives to enforce the new temperance edict, warning that any further drink will cost the licence. Through quick‑witted banter the characters sketch a vivid picture of rural life under the watchful eye of the Royal Irish Constabulary.

When the constabulary’s presence looms, the pair launch a spiraling dialogue about authority, justice, and the absurdities of enforced sobriety—each quip a small rebellion against the draconian rules. Their satire mingles with a genuine yearning for simple pleasures, revealing how humor sustains a community in a time of political tension. Listeners will be drawn into the lively rhythm of Irish colloquy, feeling the tug between duty and desire that defines the era.