Contents
Chapter Twenty-One
Overview
Cal’s group confronts Tommy in his home about Mart’s death and Rachel’s. Eugene bursts in, details Tommy’s late-night movements, his lies about a suicide note, and an effective admission that he silenced Rachel; Tommy strikes Eugene. The men leverage Eugene’s account to force Tommy to halt the megafarm and any compulsory purchases, or they go to the Guards. They end the night in the pub, grieving Mart and organizing next steps for his farm and funeral.
Summary
At dusk, Cal, Senan, Francie, P.J., and Bobby enter Tommy Moynihan’s house and seat themselves opposite him. Cal presents photos of the dug hole that flipped Mart’s tractor. Tommy feigns concern, dismisses the evidence, threatens legal ruin, and demands they leave.
Cal claims they also have video of Tommy carrying a spade to Mart’s field. As Tommy tries to dominate, Eugene quietly listens, then bursts in, demanding the truth about Rachel. Cal invites him to talk; Tommy orders him out. Under pressure, Eugene begins recounting the day before Rachel’s death: he told Rachel about Tommy’s political-megafarm plan, she was distraught, and he arranged to meet her at the bridge to resolve it.
Eugene explains Tommy extracted the situation from him, raged, then took Eugene’s phone and went to the bridge himself. Tommy later returned agitated, lied he’d only walked towards Kilhone. Tommy counters with a new story: he found a heartbreaking suicide note from Rachel and hid it to protect Eugene. Eugene rejects this, saying Tommy admitted Rachel was going to talk and he “shut her mouth.”
When Eugene adds Tommy talked of stopping Mart, Tommy grabs him; Eugene details Tommy’s intent to remove Mart as a leader. Tommy backhands Eugene. Cal intervenes. With Eugene’s statements and Tommy’s late-night digging, Tommy realizes he’s cornered.
Cal lays terms: end the megafarm push and any compulsory purchase orders, or they go to the Guards. Tommy blusters that the project can’t be stopped; Cal insists he find a way. Bobby renounces his earlier land sale. The men refuse hush money and warn any misstep sends them to the police. They leave as Eugene plans to stay elsewhere and return to Dublin.
At the pub, the village is subdued. The men drink, arrange Mart’s funeral through cousin Myles, discuss maintaining Mart’s farm—Cal and P.J. will handle stock and footbath; Senan will send help—note Mart left the farm to Ruairi, and that Kojak goes to P.J. They bicker lightly about wake logistics, then head home in the cold dark.
Who Appears
- Cal HooperLeads the confrontation with Tommy, presents evidence, sets terms to halt the megafarm, and intervenes when Tommy hits Eugene.
- Tommy MoynihanDenies sabotage, threatens lawsuits, spins a suicide-note story about Rachel, hits Eugene, then is forced to abandon megafarm/CPO push.
- Eugene MoynihanOverhears, confronts his father, recounts events around Rachel’s death and Tommy’s lies; offers to testify; is struck by Tommy.
- Senan KelleherBacks Cal, warns Tommy of consequences, later coordinates Mart’s funeral and offers labor for Mart’s farm.
- Francie O’MalleySupports the pressure on Tommy, rejects hush money, voices village anger.
- P.J. CollinsStands firm against Tommy; plans to help run Mart’s farm; will take Kojak.
- Bobby BrazilStands with Cal; repudiates his land sale to Tommy; suggests wake ideas; plans to bring Róisín.
- Clodagh MoynihanTommy’s wife; offscreen watching TV, pointedly absent from the confrontation.
- BartyPublican who serves drinks without fuss as the men mourn and plan.