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Helly, Declan, come on!

What's that one?

That's the lightship, isn't it, Dad?

Didn't ask you, Bossy Boots.

Hey, hey, hey, hey.

The sea out there, it's all dangerous sand banks.

There's no rocks to build a lighthouse,

so they use a ship instead.

How long has it been there?

A lot longer than me, anyway.

Hey, Declan,

stop stuffing yourself.

Come on,

it's time for a photograph.

Come on, wake up!

Get up! Ah! Go away!

Oh, Kyle, no.

It's too early.

Come on.

Let's go.

Aw, Helen, I was going to do breakfast.

That's all right, it's all finished.

You can concentrate on packing.

Gonna miss you, missus.

Uh-huh. If it wasn't for these school interviews,

I'd be there like a shot.

I'll be thinking of all the things I want to say to you

and you won't be there to hear them.

You're to go up through Valley Sham,

and you're not to drive into the north.

Yes, mum.

Have you forgotten anything?

I don't think so.

Oh, dear. I'll give you a call when I get there.

John Oakley phoned

to remind you of the meeting

with the minister of education.

And, of course, you've got the interviews this week.

Right.

Thank you, Anne.

Are you Helen?

Uh, yes. Yes, I am.

My name is Paul.

I'm a friend of your brother's.

Ah. You're an American?

Yes.

Have a seat. Have a seat.

Are you here for the teaching job?

No, I have a job, thanks.

Listen, Declan's in the hospital.

He asked me to come out here

and tell you.

He's in the hospital?

Has he had an accident?

It wasn't an accident, but he'd like to see you.

Can you come now?

He's over at Saint Aiden's,

I can drive you.

Y-Yes, right. Um...

I have... a meeting at the Department of Education

on Marlborough Street at 4:00.

You'll be back by 4:00.

You'd better tell me what's wrong.

Declan has AIDS.

He wanted me to tell you first.

Do you want me to pull over?

Um...

N-No. Go on.

How long has he been...

Two years. He's very weak.

Is he dying, then?

It'll be harder this time.

Has he been in the hospital long?

On and off.

Mostly he goes to the clinic.

He told me

he was busy with work.

I think he's been avoiding you.

Does Declan... have a boyfriend?

No.

It must've been hard looking after him.

It's hard now.

But he's a good patient.

Why didn't he tell us?

Because he couldn't face it.

He's just down here.

He's in there?

Paul, look, I'm-I'm sorry, I...

I have to ask you.

Are-are we talking about days or...

weeks or months?

What is it? What are we...

I don't know. It's hard to say.

Hey, Louise. This is Declan's sister.

You can't go in for a while-- the nurse is with him.

She has to go in an hour.

I'm going to cancel that meeting anyway.

Uh, just hold on.

I'll go and check.

I have a name,

you know.

I'm sorry.

I should have introduced you properly.

What does Declan want to do about my mother?

He wants you to tell her.

Oh, great.

We don't get on. I know that.

He wants you to go down to Wexford and tell her.

You can use his car; it's in the parking lot; I have the keys.

Okay, um, you can come in now.

Thank you.

Declan?

Declan?

Hello. How are you?

So what do you think of her?

Your sister?

She'd make a great Reverend Mother.

Helly,

will you deal with the old lady?

Do you want to see her?

I do, yeah.

When?

As soon as she can.

Will you tell Granny?

That-that won't be a problem.

I'll-I'll drive out to her.

You should meet my granny.

She's the one who'll put manners in you.

She's a real paint remover.

This is a real shock, Declan.

Helly, I'm sorry about everything.

No.

I have to keep convincing myself that this is really happening.

You all seem so matter-of-fact about it,

but the truth is that...

Declan is dying in there.

I don't know how I'm going to tell my mother.

No one's being matter-of-fact.

It seems to me they don't really need

to keep him in the hospital.

Now, he has to have a line put in.

That should be done early tomorrow morning, I'd imagine.

But after that, if you and your mother wanted to ask Louise,

I'm sure she would let you take him for a few days.

Right. Well, the main thing tomorrow, though, is my mother.

No. Wait. The main thing is Declan,

not your mother.

Okay, he gets depressed in that hospital room,

so it's not just a small detail, it's a priority.

Thanks for the correction.

Look, I'm...

really grateful to you for everything.

Yeah.

I'll see you.

Will you look at that!

Isn't that Helen?

Yoo-hoo! Helen!

Helen!

It's been a while, hasn't it?

Oh, it has.

We'll call in.

Right. We'll do it later.

Have a bit of lunch.

Here you are now, Helen.

Granny, I-I'm sorry

for barging in on you like this.

That's a great surprise.

It's a lovely surprise.

I've got tea on and I could make you up a fry.

I-I have very bad news, Granny.

I know, Helen.

I knew it the moment I saw you.

Ah, it was the same years ago with your father's cancer.

The doctors could do nothing about it.

And now here's poor Declan, just starting his life.

What will I do about my mother?

Oh... you'll go to Wexford in the morning

and you'll break the news to her softly.

Let her sleep tonight.

This is the last night's sleep she'll have for a long time.

I'll make up your bed.

The room is hardly ever used.

Your mother never stays.

She hasn't been down here recently.

Have you fallen out with her?

Ah, not really.

She still thinks that she's going

to get me to move to Wexford.

But I told her, I said, "I'm not moving anywheres."

I've got plenty of money now.

I sold the old field that was full of ragwort.

Look. I've put in new radiators.

I've put them in all over the house,

and I never consulted her.

And that's all that's wrong with her.

Your mother came down when the work was half done.

Oh, she was raging.

Hello, sweetheart.

Anyway, that was at Easter

and she hasn't been here since the end of May.

But she brought me down this.

Now, I told her,

I couldn't have a phone in the house, you know.

So I keep this in here.

I never turn it on.

I never use it.

Have a biscuit.

Helly.

I have to go away for a little while

to Dublin for some tests.

Tests. I'm going as well.

We don't know how long we'll be away.

Who's going to look after us?

You're going to Granny's.

Granny's? Mm-hmm.

But what about school?

Right, school.

Well, you'll take your schoolbooks with you.

But, Ma...

Helly, your father's sick.

I thought you said he was going to Dublin

for some tests.

Now those eggs are fresh.

Not like the ones you get in town.

Yuck.

Declan doesn't eat eggs.

I never heard anything worse.

The things your mother has to put up with.

She's too soft.

But he can't eat them.

Granny, he'll get sick.

Will you stop with the back answers, Helen?

I'm not giving back answers.

When are Ma and Dad coming back for us?

The government of this country is nothing

but a shower of gangsters.

They're not.

Dad says that's just propaganda, that old rag.

Propaganda?

Where did you learn that word?

Oh, Helen knows all the words.

She's as smart as her mother.

Thanks.

You're going to have

to go to school in Blackwater.

We'll do our own lessons here.

I can teach Declan

until Ma comes for us.

Ma!

It's all right, Declan.

It was only a nightmare.

Shh.

Shh.

Helly... I was dreaming.

I'm small, and I'm floating, but everything else is huge.

It's okay, Declan.

Ma and Dad will soon be here.

Could you just leave the light on, Helly?

Yeah. Yeah.

Mrs. Breen?

Oh, yes. Second floor, conference room on your right.

Thank you.

Now, if your company installs a new system, call us, please.

There's some so-called experts out there,

who, if you told them you were having trouble with your mouse,

they'd recommend you get a cat.

My staff are the best there is, so don't be scared.

It's dead simple.

My colleague Dave here will walk you through the steps.

You've been a lovely group. Thank you.

Thank you, Mrs. Breen. Thank you very much.

Ladies and gentlemen,

our software targets and corrects inadequacies.

Hi. I thought it was you when you came in,

and I wondered had you come all this way down here

to learn the computer?

Oh, no. Thanks.

It's impressive.

It's all new.

I-I need to talk to you in private.

I don't have much time.

Has something happened?

Well, Declan's in the hospital in Dublin.

He wants to see you.

He's had an accident?

Has he hurt himself?

No. It's not that. It's...

He's sick

and he'd like to see you.

He's been there for a while.

He didn't want to trouble us.

Trouble us?

What is it you're talking about?

Maybe it would be better

if you talked to the doctors about it.

What day is today?

Wednesday.

I'll make two phone calls.

I'll be with you right away.

Right. I'll wait outside.

I hate this road.

I hate every inch of it.

I never thought I'd be traveling it again

on my way to a hospital.

I stayed with Granny last night.

Why didn't you come to me first?

Oh, that's right. Don't answer me now.

Larry and the boys are in Donegal.

I don't know how he puts up with you.

Look it,

I better tell you what's wrong.

Declan has AIDS and he...

you know, he's had it for a long time.

AIDS?

How long have you known?

Since yesterday.

Why did he keep it from us?

Why didn't he tell me himself?

He was afraid how you'd react.

So he sends you.

I think he thought

at a time like this, we'd all forget our differences.

Well, I don't notice any difference in you.

Well, bear with me.

I am making an effort.

I'm afraid I'll have to be blunt, Mrs. Breen.

He could hang on for a while,

but he could also go very quickly.

His immune system has been destroyed.

Could anything be done for him in America?

Our treatments are just as good here.

I'd like to speak to the doctor alone for a moment, please.

Is he homosexual?

Is that why he got AIDS?

AIDS is not just a gay disease, Mrs. Breen...

but, yes, he is.

Declan...

I've brought you a visitor.

I knew you weren't looking well the last time I saw you.

But you're looking much better now.

I didn't think you'd be up so soon.

Are they treating you

properly at all?

It's fine, yeah.

I'm fine.

Well, we're only here

to make everything nice for you, isn't that right, Helen?

Oh, yeah.

Have you any pain?

I don't feel great today.

I had a local anesthetic in my chest this morning.

It always leaves you feeling a little drowsy.

Well, you don't have a temperature, anyway.

You know,

if you wanted to come down to my house,

everything would be set up for you.

And we could have a nurse go around

if there were any problems.

I've been thinking about that, Mom.

And if you wouldn't mind,

I would like to go to Blackwater.

To Granny's.

Granny's?

What would you want to go there for?

The beds are uncomfortable.

The sheets are ancient.

What does it matter?

It's where he wants to be.

Would she mind us barging in

on top of her, do you think?

Well, if she turned on the mobile phone I gave her,

we could find out.

Declan, Helen told me

you were worried about how I would react.

You needn't have worried at all.

You and Helen are the two people I care most about.

Nothing is ever going to change that.

I should have told you

before though, Mom.

Are you sure you wouldn't be better off at Ma's house?

It gives me the creeps.

What? And this place doesn't?

I don't know why,

but I need these creeps.

Is that Declan you've got in the back there?

That's the most exciting thing I ever taught anybody.

And I can still remember doing it.

But you've got to know about that

and have the leisure to get into it.

My position is that we're going to have...

Maybe we shouldn't have barged in

on you like this, Ma.

No, Lily.

I was worried about you all day.

Would you have sandwiches?

Or will you all be having a large meal when you go home?

Granny?

They let me out for a few days,

and I'd like to stay here.

Maybe that's too much trouble for you?

Ah, no, you can stay here

anytime you like, Declan.

And Helen can have a room next to you,

and you can sleep in your old room.

And you can have a room, too, Lily.

Helen, you drive me to my own house.

We'll get my car.

We'll get you fresh bedclothes, and a mattress as well.

We'll make you very comfortable here, Declan.

Don't worry.

All right, Mom.

I don't think Granny wants us in her house at all.

Oh, that's just pretense and nonsense.

She likes company, you know.

How long have you known about Declan?

Since yesterday.

I told you.

No. I mean, how long have you known he's had friends like...?

Like what?

You know like what.

I've always known.

Don't be so stupid, Helen.

About ten years.

And you never told me?

I never told you anything.

Hope nothing like this ever happens to you.

You sound as though you hope it does.

If I meant that, I'd say so.

You would, all right.

I can't get over your place. Look at...

Hmm.

I remember that.

I remember this picture.

What?

A bit different from our old house, isn't it?

I had a decorator.

You going to stand there gawking?

I can't get over it.

Will you help me

with this mattress?

It would be nice to bring a lamp

to put beside the bed for Declan.

Granny's house is depressing.

Will he need anything else, do you think?

I don't know.

He seemed very sick as we were leaving.

I can hardly bear to look at him.

All right. I'll see you there.

Hello.

Oh, dear.

We've got visitors.

Shouldn't you try and eat something, Declan?

I can't, Granny. I don't like it.

You must be Declan's granny.

I'm Larry. Oh, no. I didn't think he'd come down today.

Who is it?

Will you look at you?

You look as if you haven't

left that chair since you arrived.

I bet the women have just spoiled you rotten.

It's hard to find this place.

I went all over the country.

No one knew any Breens.

And then I realized

your granny mightn't be called Breen.

No, no. Her name is Devereaux,

and you've just given her

your coat.

Will you look at the cat?

What's it called?

Cornelius.

Are you serious?

Yeah, Larry, she's serious.

This must be your sister.

Hello. Hello.

He only talks nonstop when he's nervous, you know.

What? Who's nervous?

Shut up, Larry, will you?

Would you like a cup of tea?

No, no. I'm all right, thanks.

This is a great place, this.

Did you bring your measuring tape?

I'm sure Granny would like some renovations done.

Larry's an architect, Granny.

I did, as a matter of fact.

Do you know, I had real trouble finding this place.

Larry, if you don't shut up,

I'm going to drown that cat.

Declan!

What? I had to say something drastic to shut him up.

Okay, okay. I'll shut up.

But it was a long drive down.

Larry, stop.

Do you want me to help you?

No. I'll sit here for a while on me own.

You go for a walk.

No. We can't do that.

We can't leave you here.

Helly, I'll be fine.

I just want to look at the sea.

I can make me own way back to the house.

Go on. Walk.

You sure?

I'll be fine.

I'm not dead yet.

Do you mean it?

Go on.

Ma.

Ma?

This is Larry-- a friend of Declan's.

Hello.

Where is Declan?

He's below on the beach.

Who with?

He's on his own.

Helen, that's irresponsible.

What are you doing?

I'm going to get him!

He said that he wanted to be alone.

Is this man Larry going to be staying here,

as well?

I don't know.

But are we going to be putting him

in the same room as Declan?

Do you mean,

are they partners?

You know very well what I mean.

No. They're not.

Declan doesn't have a partner.

You mean he has nobody?

He has us, and he has his friends.

That's not nobody.

What? But he's got nobody of his own.

And that's why he came down here.

I didn't understand that before.

This will be plenty. Come on.

It's weird being back, you know?

Anyway, how are the boys?

Ah, the boys are grand.

Don't worry about them.

They're eating pizza.

Pizza. Listen, love, take it easy.

I know it's tough, and all of that,

but just cheer up a bit. You'll be grand.

Oh, guess what.

What?

I love you.

I love you, too.

I'll call you tomorrow.

Aw, no! Here's another one of them.

How's our boy? Grand.

You deal with them.

Granny?

This is Paul.

Talk about a hard place to find.

Oh, heaven's above!

They'll all be on top of us now.

What do you mean, Granny?

The neighbors, wanting to find out

what's going on.

How's Declan?

He's lying down.

He hasn't eaten since he came.

I brought him some clean clothes and some Xanax.

What's Xanax?

Cheers him up a bit.

We could all do with some of that.

He wants a glass of milk.

Don't leave him alone like that again.

He wants to know,

can his friends stay in the spare room?

Are there more of them coming?

Oh, be a line of cars coming from Dublin.

Maybe I should put up a sign

saying that our guest house is open again,

like the old days.

You have a lovely view here.

Aw, you can get fed up looking at the sea.

If I could turn the house around, I would.

I've never seen so many cars. One, two, three, four...

Out!

Quick! All of you, to Declan's room.

It's nosy neighbors.

Dora!

Yoo-hoo! Dora!

We just happened to be passing.

Passing.

And we saw all

of the cars, and we wondered,

were you all right?

All the cars!

I'm right as rain, Essie. Thanks.

You have plenty

of visitors, Dora.

Ah. Just down for the day.

Helen and a few friends.

Your husband and the boys?

No.

They're in Donegal.

Is yours the red car?

No. Mine is the... the white car.

Oh. Not the red car?

No. Whose is the red car?

They're... they're friends of mine,

and they're staying nearby.

Oh, Lily! Oh, Lily!

We do see your advertisement

in the paper every week.

Oh, a big shot now.

A big shot now!

Will you be staying the night, Helen?

I don't know, Madge.

It's a long time since you've stayed

I might have passed the night here, Lily.

up and down when you weren't looking, Essie.

Oh, Madge would have seen you.

I haven't seen you, Helen,

since you worked here all them years ago.

What do you think of the improvements

she's made? The radiators?

Well...

thanks for calling.

Be sure to call again sometime.

We will.

We'll drop in after mass on Sunday.

We'll chat then.

Bye, girls.

Bye, Lily. Helen.

Oh, Granny, how could you put up with them?

I went to school with them.

Their father used to beat them with nettles.

Well, if that's all he did to them,

they got off easy.

I'll tell the others the coast is clear.

When I saw you arriving,

I said to myself, there's another.

What do you mean by that?

You know what I mean, Helen.

She means homosexuals.

Granny, you can't talk about people like that.

Now, come on.

It's a difficult time for us all.

It will always be difficult for them.

I think she means homosexuals again.

I'm happy.

I'm not happy being here now,

but my life is happy.

I'm old, and I can say what I like.

Declan never told us that he was one of you.

He never told us anything.

But I knew something was wrong.

I've known for a year now.

Declan came here

last summer.

He must have been down on the beach.

I bumped into him in the lane.

Didn't expect to see me.

He'd been crying,

and I knew that he was in trouble.

I thought of everything,

but I never thought of AIDS.

You never told anyone Declan had been here.

Who was there to tell?

I knew.

He told me when he got back.

Do your families know you're gay?

My mother would have been happier

if I'd been in the I.R.A.

Are you two partners?

With him? You must be joking.

Are you mad?

What, to be with you or to be with him?

Maybe with either of us.

Ah... nothing shocks me anymore.

When you've lived through the life that I have,

there's very little that you don't know.

Anyway, the television is full of it.

Talking here in the dark

is like going to confessions.

What are you all doing here like this?

We're getting filled. The light come down, Lily.

What were you saying, Ma, when I came in?

I was saying to the boys here, it's a very difficult time.

And it's very nice to have their company.

That's what I was telling them, Lily.

I'm going.

I gave you a mobile phone.

Why don't you turn it on?

Good night, Mrs. Breen.

Would you listen to her?

Even when she was a baby, she had a mind of her own.

You couldn't tell her when to get up in the morning;

she'd be up before you.

Ah, she was a great worker, though.

She had great brains.

She won a university scholarship, you know.

Ah.

The nuns loved her.

Did you know she almost became a nun?

Really?

Did you want her to become a nun?

Lily?

My beautiful daughter, a nun?

I did not.

My husband, Helen's grandfather,

who was a good man-- the Lord have mercy on him

and he's getting his reward in heaven--

said that we must accept God's will.

And I said,

well, me not wanting her to be a nun could also be God's will.

Ah. Good man, Granny.

Sometimes it's hard to accept God's will.

Would you like a good fry-up or just some coffee?

I'll have a fry, thanks, and cereal.

Why can't you just sit down and talk, Ma?

Declan, she's put me out of her life.

Helen?

That you?

You must have gotten here early.

Yes. Well, Declan's been sick again.

Are the lads up yet?

Yeah. They're being fed by Granny.

She's in her element, you know.

She thinks she's running the boardinghouse again.

Why don't you go down and have your breakfast

before they eat it all.

No, Mrs. Devereux,

knocking down a wall will cost nothing

and widening a door will cost nothing.

You do the whole thing for 1,000.

Yes, but where would I put the kitchen?

Leave the kitchen where it is.

Oh. You know, my legs are very bad,

and I-I'd love to put me bedroom downstairs,

but my bathroom is upstairs.

There's no justice.

Put the bedroom and the bathroom

where the two small guest rooms are

with a big wide door in between.

I've checked those walls.

It would take about half a day to knock them down.

It'd be like a new house; you wouldn't know it yourself.

Yeah, but where-where would my bed be?

I don't want to be pushed up against the window.

Is it a double bed or a single bed?

Well, now, that's a very personal question.

It won't be long.

You think you'll be all right?

I'll be fine

You're sure? if it's not too far away. Yeah.

No, it's not far, but the car doesn't bother you?

No. No. All right.

All right.

Did you ever get along with her,

or your grandmother?

When I was young, I had no choice.

How long has it been?

Well, when I was in college,

I had to work during the summers

helping Granny run the boardinghouse.

This one summer I had the chance

to go and work in America, but...

my mother instantly became hysterical.

The screaming and the shouting and the letters

that followed me to Dublin.

Oh, it was all sick, so I gave in

and I didn't go.

When I finally graduated, I made sure

to get work in Dublin,

but eventually the two of them showed up,

and they marched me up to the Shelbourne Hotel,

and my Granny says, "You've got your degree now,

you'll come home."

I realized that the plan

was that I would skivvy around for the both of them now.

So I listened for a while,

then I got up,

went to the ladies room,

and I walked out of the hotel.

And in answer to your question,

I haven't really seen them since.

You just walked out?

Mm-hmm.

I didn't even tell them when I got married.

Declan did.

They weren't at your wedding?

I couldn't stand the thought of their two faces looking at me.

How long you been married, Helen?

Uh... ten years.

Hasn't it ever occurred to you that the reason

they wanted you at home was because they love you?

That's rubbish, Paul.

Have you been talking about me?

Yes, I've been telling her

your middle name is Frank Lloyd Wright.

Take that pompous, know-all look off your face.

Seems like your mother has taken Declan away.

Keeping him away from his evil friends.

And his evil sister.

And her evil granny.

Ha!

I don't get it, Helen.

You and your mother and your granny.

There's got to be something else.

They opened him up and found that he was riddled with cancer.

Oh, God bless us and save us.

Well, how does she expect me to tell the children all this?

They'll be devastated.

I want to go home.

Declan...

I don't think they're in Dublin at all.

I think they're in England or America.

Because why does she never come down to see us?

Because she's visiting him in the hospital.

But why hasn't she come, even once?

Because we're all right here.

But we're not all right.

And what's going to happen when summer comes

and Granny has all the summer visitors?

They'll have come for us by then.

Helen, they're in England.

They're not.

How do you know?

Very bad news, Helen.

Your father has died.

He died very peacefully.

Granddad and I have to go and look after your mother now.

And you and Declan are going into town

and staying with Mrs. Byrne for a few days

until after the funeral is over and your mother

can get settled back in your own house again.

I'd better tell Declan.

Just let him sleep.

Hello, Declan.

The boys will soon be home from school.

You can play upstairs, maybe.

Aren't Ma and Dad back from Dublin yet?

Helen will you take in your bags...?

Granny said I'm to go home

and have the place tidy for Ma when she comes.

But I'm sure some of the neighbors will do that.

Granny says I'm to go and Father Griffin will drive me,

and Declan will stay here with you.

So, if you could just

take Declan's bag, and we'll see you later then.

Are you sure you'll be all right?

Perfectly sure, Father Griffin.

We're very grateful to you.

Declan's probably told you I've designed a castle,

and I may need your assistance building it.

Get your swimsuit.

Come on, it'll be warm.

I know it's warm.

Oh!

Oh, it's freezing!

It's still freezing.

Trust us.

Trust us.

Trust us...

Go!

Oh, yeah. Oh, yeah.

Much better.

Oh...

She has him trapped in her house.

Might be exactly what he wants.

He talked about it a lot.

Imagine being trapped in a room with your mother.

I'd sooner be taken prisoner by Genghis Khan.

Shut up, Larry.

You told us your mother was nice.

Stop telling Larry to shut up.

Suppose if I were sick it would be different.

Want to take a walk?

Yeah, I'll go.

I'll give it a miss.

See you later. Yeah.

Do you live alone, Paul?

No, I live with my partner in Brussels.

Look, I'm sorry. I should mind my...

No, no, it's okay.

How long have you...? A long time.

His name's Adrian. He's French.

He hates me being away like this,

but he loves Declan and he understands.

He and Declan have always gotten along.

Adrian's always joking about adopting him.

Does my mother know about that?

I think Declan's too old to be adopted...

That's it, nice and easy.

Watch your step. You doing okay?

Hi.

You all right?

Just a bit tired.

I'll take you on up to bed.

Helen, help me with this.

Got him?

You want them? Yeah.

Oh, it was a sad day, Helen.

I took him to my house, my gardens.

He was so good.

I showed him my new offices.

I had to leave instructions for the week.

You must talk to Granny, Helen.

Tell her to get in a proper telephone

so we can keep in touch with her.

She won't listen.

My husband says there's no getting around

the women in our family.

He doesn't know us.

I've told him about you.

I won't be long, okay?

All right.

You okay?

We're going for a walk, Ma.

Helen?

You remember the two lighthouses that used to be there?

There used to be two lighthouses there.

I suppose the Irish Sea was busy

and bits of it were dangerous.

Guidance was needed.

Do you remember that?

There was one out on the water there

that's disappeared.

The Blackwater Lightship.

A lighthouse on a ship.

It was taken out of commission, I don't remember when.

I suppose the technology on the boats got better

and maybe there's not as much shipping as there was.

Still, I loved that there were two.

I thought it would always be there.

You know, Helen, I thought your father

would always be here, too.

If we could just see him for a minute now.

If he were just to be allowed to pass us on the strand there

and acknowledge with a flicker of his eyes

that he knew what was happening to us.

She's not going to get in, is she?

She never got in when Dad was alive.

Come on, Declan!

Oh, that's my boy!

Swim with me, love.

Aren't you the bravest one of all?

Come on.

Helen, come on in, it's lovely.

You told us you couldn't swim.

Do you want me to sleep in your room tonight?

Oh, maybe.

I don't know.

I don't like bothering people in the middle of the night.

It's just sometimes I awake

and it's not easy, you know.

The boys wake me up all the time, it's no bother.

Is Ma smothering you with attention?

She's finding it tough.

She's just jealous

that I didn't want to stay at her house.

She said that there's plenty of room

for me and for me friends.

She didn't mention you though.

She is being awful to your friends.

I'll get them.

Yeah, I suppose she is.

She came over and all sad and wistful on the beach.

She's gone all soft on me.

Do you remember the day

that she went for the swim after Dad died?

What?

She never swam

and suddenly one day she gets into the water.

What was that all about?

She had to try and move on somehow, Helen, that's all.

We all have to move on.

It'll never be right until you both come to terms with it all.

You call me if you need me.

Me? Why would I need you?

You're so brave, Declan.

Yeah, morphine's a great invention.

Is he all right?

He's almost asleep.

I'll go see.

It would be a mistake to disturb him.

Where you going?

To get the paper.

Paul already got it.

I have to phone Harry.

You phoned him last night.

So? I'll come with you.

No, I'm going on my own.

Hmph.

Bossy Boots.

It was mad of me not going with you.

I don't think I can ever leave them like this again.

Come on, Helen, it's only for a few days.

Well, how can you tell whether they're all right or not?

Of course I can tell, I'm here with them.

They're on their holiday. They're having a great time.

Are they?

They know they'll see you soon.

Right.

When my dad was sick,

they all thought it was all right

to leave us down here, too.

Yes, well, there's one big difference.

What?

I'm their father, and I'm with them.

You're talking about them as though I don't exist.

I'm looking out for them all the time.

I promise you.

Right. I love you, Harry.

I have to go.

I'll call you tomorrow.

Declan's gone blind in one eye.

Helen, Helen,

you tell him we must call the doctor.

What happened?

Oh, I felt over the past while I was losing the sight in it.

And now it's gone.

It was always going to go.

I can see fine with the other one, though.

Declan, we should have the doctor take a look at it.

There's nothing a doctor can do, Helen.

Ask Paul, he's the expert.

He's not a doctor.

I mean, look at him. He's so calm.

I mean, I'd be tearing my hair out.

I've already done that, Granny.

And I'm not calm, I only look calm.

Anyway, it's not the end of the world.

I can see fine with the one eye.

Does it look a bit funny though, this one?

No, no, it looks normal.

Yeah? Mm-hmm.

Okay.

I'm going to go sleep on it.

If my nose drops off

or my ears go missing, I'll let you know.

Have you taken

all your pills?

Huh? You sound exactly like my mother.

Your eyes are your most

precious possession.

I mean, Declan has the most

beautiful eyes.

And his father, God rest him,

had beautiful eyes, too.

Declan is going to be buried with them now.

He wants to be cremated.

What put that idea in his head?

He's going to be

buried here like the rest of us.

When you have children,

you feel for them so much.

I always felt with Declan

he wasn't able for things, you know.

He'd wake easily and he was afraid

of school and get sick easily.

I always felt

he needed someone to watch out for him.

Then Helen was always leading the other kids around.

You never had to worry about her.

So I noticed.

I would have loved a daughter who cared.

When you came into my house the other day,

you never said anything about my furniture.

You never asked to look at my wardrobe,

my kitchen, nothing.

Then it's a new daughter you need then.

With all your money,

why don't you buy one?

Ah, no, Helen,

that's too hard.

Would love the kind of daughter

who'd come and take an interest.

Your house is very nice.

It's certainly different to our old one.

Declan loved my garden.

He was full of ideas how to improve it.

It's a pity I'm not him, then, isn't it.

The poor man.

We'll say a decade of the rosary for him.

Include me out, if you don't mind, Granny.

I'll say the rosary with you later.

I'll pray on my own.

I don't know what's got into you two.

I wish

that you had been satisfied

with me at some point,

even though I'm not what you wanted.

I wish you'd stop wishing I was someone else.

I've always accepted you, Helen!

Accepted? That is a wonderful word for it. Thanks.

Stop it, the two of you

and make up.

Take these sandwiches

to whoever wants them.

I just wish you'd take an interest in me and my life.

Oh, will you listen to yourself?

This is not about you.

You never even asked me

to your wedding.

We never saw you smiling

happy on that happy day, did we, Granny?

You had all of my life to see me happy.

I wasn't going to have you make

a big play of me in public.

I don't know what you're talking about!

You know, after your dad died, I could never get

you close to me.

I'd come home, I noticed it first

at the funeral, how you wouldn't

meet my eyes.

How could you have left us down here for so long

without once visiting us when Dad was sick?

Is that what's been eating away at you all these years?

Yes!

Yes, it has been eating away at me

all these years, as you put it, and,

and it is not true to say that you couldn't get close to me.

You were never on my side.

I did what I could for you.

Right.

You never gave me an inch!

That's not true.

Are you any different in

your own home, Helen?

Oh, I have learned

the best lesson in the world.

Not to be like you!

That's all in the past, for heaven's sake.

How are you feeling?

Oh.

Just trying to sleep with all that racket.

I'm sorry. Here.

I have been

fighting with Ma.

One thing I notice

about the women in this family.

They all talk like they run things.

You should see them with men.

Real men now, not wimps like us.

With real men around,

they just shut up and make the tea.

Oh, Mother has never shut up in her life.

Granny the same.

Both women without men, aren't they?

Your granny says both mother and daughter

are two of a kind.

Rubbish.

I'm not like her at all.

Really?

Oh, Helen.

There's no winners in this situation.

You have to make it up with her.

You know the day that Dad died?

You should have seen her going around, tragic queen.

Let it go.

I can't let it go.

You've hardened your heart too much, Helen.

Well, I've had to, haven't I?

Oh, come on, now.

She's suffered, too.

She was never there for us.

Now you expect me

to just sit around this place being her friend.

Look. When Granny first told you Dad was dead,

you never told me, did you?

I didn't want to hurt your feelings.

Well, then.

Can't you see Ma didn't want to hurt you?

It's warm in here.

You've got a temperature?

Oh, you have, haven't you.

I know, I know.

Hot stuff, aren't I?

I'm sorry.

Oh, it's okay.

He's had a bit of an accident.

He's vomited and soiled his bed.

It's all right. It's nothing.

Mrs. Devereaux, could you get some fresh sheets?

Helen, could you please make sure

that there's some hot water in the shower?

Larry, soap and a basin?

And if everyone could step out?

Please. We really need some privacy, really.

Could I talk to you outside?

Can we have this out later?

Just who do you think you are?

Later. I have a job to do.

The sheets are soaking.

Paul is going to wash them.

Isn't he very good?

Ugh.

He knows it all, that one.

He's been through a lot more

with Declan than we have.

There's no substitute for your own family.

Declan's friends are his family.

Oh, really.

What do you mean?

Who led him astray?

I don't think he needed much leading.

When he left my house, he was a young man

anyone would be proud of.

He was also gay.

He's very dehydrated.

I don't know what you think your place is here,

but as far as we're concerned,

you have no business here at all.

I didn't notice Declan

saying he wanted you to stay in the room.

It's high time you and your friend

took yourselves out of here.

Like now? Immediately?

As soon as you can.

Just because you say so?

I do live here.

No, you don't.

It's my mother's house.

Declan asked us here, okay?

We've been through difficult times with him

when I couldn't help noticing his family was missing.

Oh, no.

We weren't missing-- no one told us.

I wonder why.

Think about that, Mrs. Breen,

instead of getting in the way

and making pointless arguments.

I wasn't in the way.

It looked like you were to me.

I'm his mother!

He needs a drink.

We don't have time for this sort of hysteria.

What sort of hysteria

do you have time for?

Are you going to leave?

Hey! I am here as long as Declan is here

and you can take that

as written in stone.

I'm here because he asked

me to be here and when he asked me to be here,

he used words about you

which were not edifying and which I won't repeat,

but he is concerned about you and he loves you

and wants your approval.

He is also very sick.

Stop feeling sorry for yourself.

What do you mean, not edifying?

He's nearly 30 years old

and he's still afraid to tell you who he is.

That was a bit rough.

Well, she can put people out

of her grand house in Wexford,

but she can't put them out of here.

Do you have such a thing as a screwdriver?

Oh.

Will this do?

Granny, that is

a flick knife.

Don't tell me.

You used to be a Hell's Angel.

Old people living alone

need protection.

So what would you do if someone broke in?

Stop 'em.

Disfigure them.

That's why I have to learn to drive,

so I'm not so isolated

out here-- isn't that right, Larry?

Absolutely.

And he's going to teach me.

Declan says you're his best friend

and I'm not to be rude to you, so I'm doing what he ordered.

It's okay.

I understand.

I'm sorry, too.

Paul has found your doctor.

Louise is it?

She has called a local doctor

and he can give you slow-release morphine.

All right.

We're just waiting for him

to ring on Paul's mobile phone.

Okay.

Here.

Do you want me to take it? Mm-hmm.

You all right? Mmm.

Dr. Kerwin.

That's me.

Come on in.

It's up the stairs.

Ah, Doctor.

I'm Declan's mother.

It's right this way.

Hello. Hi.

Evening.

If I went around with a haircut like that,

people would laugh at me.

People laugh at you anyway.

I don't want him to see me here.

He won't know that it's my family.

I knew his father, old Breezy Kerwin.

He was very nice.

His mother was very nice, too.

I wonder, did she cut his hair?

Ah, leave his hair alone.

I'm sure he's saving up to get married--

given good example--

unlike some people I could mention.

This will control your bowels for a while.

Drink lots of liquids.

It was good of you to come out so late.

That prescription is for morphine.

There's a druggist in Wexford.

I'll phone him to expect you when I get back.

Thank you so much, Dr. Kerwin.

I'll just get my bag.

Thanks, Doc.

Larry and Paul not back with the medicine yet?

No.

Declan?

Declan? Declan?

There's something I need you to hear.

Hmm?

Helen tells me I abandoned the pair of you

when Dad was sick.

I wrote letters,

nearly every day and Granny assured me

that if I was to visit, it would just unsettle you.

Your Dad wanted me

to come, but Granny said "no."

Declan... Declan...

Declan...

He was as sick then as you are now.

I couldn't leave him

any more than I could leave you.

Why is it you wouldn't let me go...

...not let me go to Dad's funeral?

It was everyone's advice at the time.

They said you were too young to see a coffin

and an open grave, and if I'd seen you there,

I would have broken

into little pieces.

We just couldn't do it any other way.

Is this true, Granny?

Why did you never read those letters to us?

Ah... what do you want of me?

You were a child.

Declan was even smaller.

It wouldn't have done you any good.

We needed to know that they hadn't forgotten

about us.

Nonsense... nobody forgot about you.

We did the best we knew how.

I'm sorry if it wasn't good enough.

Believe us, hmm?

You'll please

believe us.

We just weren't able to manage, huh?

Oh, it's a veil of tears, Lily.

It's a veil of tears.

No, she won't be fine; she can't see.

This is my own mother!

You're not to take her in any car.

You're doing great.

Yeah.

I thought it was a joke,

her learning to drive.

Oh, no.

She'll crash and then blame us.

Just ease off the clutch, that's it.

Fantastic.

You're a natural.

Well done, Mrs. Devereaux.

I'll go into the house,

and then we'll learn if you're all gaping at me.

You were superb, Granny.

I bet you could do with a cup of tea...

with a pint of whiskey in it.

You know, it's the first gear

that's got me flummoxed.

Don't worry. You'll get it.

I'm going to 11:00 mass.

Is anyone going with me?

Me for one.

Oh.

You know, I think we should take you back to the hospital today.

It's such a nice day though.

I don't really want to go back.

Anyway, it's Sunday.

Do they do tests

on a Sunday?

No, but they could first thing in the morning.

Can we go to the beach when you get back?

We all make mistakes, Helen.

We don't always react the way we should.

I know.

We do our best, huh?

That's all anyone can ask.

You know... the two of you have come a long way already.

I'm not going to be around forever

to prod you along, you know.

So, you've got to do the rest.

I'm getting cold.

Cold.

Yeah.

Paul, he's cold.

Guys, I'm going to go back to the house.

Okay, come on.

You all right?

Okay, yeah... all right.

You okay?

Yeah.

I just wanted to leave those two together.

Sorry, guys, just a sec.

Good-bye, lighthouse.

Okay.

He's not going to last much longer, is he?

Was Dad thin before he died?

Not like Declan is, no.

Not noticeably so.

But he was like Declan

in that he was sitting up in bed, laughing.

He was the light of my life.

He loved you and Declan so much.

I made a promise that I'd try to be

as good as the two of us would have been.

I made a promise to do my best.

But I don't suppose,

looking back at it now, that I did very well.

There is something that I never realized before.

What?

I-I always believed that you took Dad away

and you never brought him back.

What?

I know that it's irrational,

but that's what it is.

That's what I thought.

You know, I thought that you had him locked away somewhere

and you knew where he was but you never told us.

No, Helen, I locked no one away.

He died in my arms.

I watched him go.

I know I came back to you without him.

There was nothing I could do.

I know.

I know.

You have to get a learner's license.

I'm sure that's no problem, Helen.

Didn't I tell you what Kitty Walsh did last year?

And she's so blind she can't see her hand in front of her face.

Didn't she go to the eye man

the day before the appointment.

She just said that she wanted

to look at the spectacle frames, you know?

Mmm-hmm.

And didn't she look closely at the letters

through the open door,

the letters that you have to read.

And she wrote them down

and then she went home

and she memorized them.

And the next day,

when the eye man was complimenting her on her eyesight,

when she can hardly see the color of the money

that she was paying him with,

and she's driving all over the country.

Get in a ditch if you see her coming.

I've all the measurements now.

Oh.

And I know what you want.

I'll draw up the plans

and we'll get a good local builder.

Oh, you have to go now?

I'm afraid so.

Ah, well, I'm very grateful.

I don't know what I'd do without you.

So, I'll send the plans down to you during the week

for your approval

and I'll come back down again when we get the builder.

Oh, that's very kind.

Sure you don't want to go back with Larry?

Yes.

Do you want to go to bed?

No, I don't want to go to bed, Paul.

I don't want to go to bed, just...

leave me alone.

Declan, love, you've eaten nothing.

Oh, leave me alone, Ma.

Leave him alone.

He's my pet.

Okay, friends,

I'm away.

Puss, puss, puss, puss...

come on out now, come on.

There's a good boy.

See you soon, Mrs. Devereaux.

Good-bye, love.

Come on, come on.

He's waiting until they're all gone.

Granny?

Why have you never come to Dublin,

paid us a visit?

Are you inviting me at last?

Thanks.

His temperature is 102.

So tomorrow morning, first thing,

I think we should take him back to the hospital.

Just leave him with me for a bit and I'll talk to him, okay?

All right.

Mrs. Breen...

I'm fine.

Mrs. Breen, I'm sorry.

Helen wants to speak with you.

Take a deep breath, okay?

We're just going to take a moment,

then we're going to go upstairs, all right?

Okay? One, two, three.

Okay, here we go.

We're saying a prayer that his suffering will be eased.

Helly!

Be sure to tell him we're praying for him.

I will, Granny.

Our Father who art in Heaven...

Oh! Oh, Ma!

Oh, Ma...

Oh, please...

I'm right here.

Please help me, Ma!

I'm right here.

Help me.

You'll be all right.

I'm not going anywhere.

It'll be all right.

I'm right here.

It'll be all right. It'll be all right.

It'll pass.

Surely it will pass.

I'm right here with you.

Ma, please help me.

Ma, help me, please.

Oh, Ma!

He's wanted to say that for a long, long time.

It will be a big relief for him.

Has he been this bad before?

Yeah.

Ma! Oh!

Drive carefully now,

and stop if you feel sleepy.

All right.

We'll let you know what they say about Declan,

so keep that mobile

switched on, Ma.

Thanks for everything, Granny.

Aw, mind yourself,

Declan, now.

Mind yourself.

Okay.

Bye.

I've a terrible pain.

Now, it'll be all right.

Paul says they'll have a bed for you

and they'll know what to do,

and we'll all stay close to you.

Helen, do you remember the words?

Can you help me, dear?

Declan, love,

your Paul's staying with you,

and Helen and I will be back

in a couple of hours.

See you soon.

Yes, love.

Hey.

Hmm.

This, this is for you.

Boy, Bossy Boots.

See you later.

Come on in.

That's all right. I'll get that.

Go on through.

Oh, Helen, this is lovely.

It's very bright.

Declan told me about this house,

so I knew what it was like,

but it's nice to be here.

I'll go and make a bed up for you.

No, don't go. Stay here.

You don't have to talk.

Sometimes when I'm with Granny,

I wish I didn't have to talk.

Yeah, she is a great talker, your mother.

She wears me out.

I don't want to do that to you.

I'd love to come up on Saturdays sometimes.

I'd love to come out to your house

and visit you.

I mean, I wouldn't spend the night.

It's your house.

You don't want your mother nosing around too much.

But I could see Harry and the boys

and I'd get up and go.

That's what I dream about, you know?

That you and I could sit here,

talking about nothing and watching Harry and the boys

coming in and out of the room,

and I'd stand up and go

and it would all be easy and casual.

That's what I dream about now.

That is a lovely thought.

And I promise I'll have milk when you come next

because I haven't any now.

Helen, I would like for you to have this.

When's Harry coming back?

Soon. He's on his way.

I telephoned him this morning.

We need to sleep some.

Be in good form for Harry when he gets here.

And we'll go see Declan later.

But we'll sleep for a while first.

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