The Drone A Play in Three Acts

In the spacious kitchen of a Downshire farm, the daily rhythm is set by clattering plates, stale soda‑bread, and sharp‑tongued exchange between a veteran labourer and a no‑nonsense servant girl. John Murray’s daughter, Mary, arrives from boarding school with a tray of tea, instantly sparking playful accusations about her lazy uncle Dan and his proclivity for grand talk. The household hums with familiar chores, yet the air is charged by rumors of a mysterious new contraption the engineer Donal has been bragging about.

As the friends and family gather, the conversation turns to Dan’s latest “invention,” a device that promises to overhaul the old threshing routine—but only if a missing spanner can be found. The ensuing scramble reveals a comedy of misunderstandings, stubborn pride, and the inevitable clash between tradition and progress. Listeners will savor the witty dialogue and vivid rural atmosphere, all while wondering just how the farm will cope when the promised gadget finally whirs to life.