The Shadow of a Gunman

1. The Shadow of a Gunman Sean o Casey

2. Sean O Casey

3. Tenement Life

4. The opening scene

5. Symbols

6. Exercise One • Why do you think Sean O Casey included these objects on the stage? • What are your initial impressions of this house

7. Davoren and Shields

8. Pair work • Think of ten words that would describe Donal Davoren • Draw a mind map of these words in your copy • Pick three of these words and write one reason for your choice of each • Think of ten words that would describe Seamus Shields • Draw a mind map of these words in your copy • Pick three of these words and write one reason for your choice of each

9. Some important lines • Seanus: “Oh Kathleen Ni Houlihain, your way’s a thorny way” (p.14) • Seumas: “I rejoice in the vindication of the Church and Truth” (p.7_) • “ Now after all me work for Dark Rosaleen, the only answer you can get from a roarin’ Republican to a simple question is ‘goodbye...ee’”(p.9) • Minnie: “But I know what you mean: it’s time to give up the writin’ and take to the gun.” (p.16)

10. Davoren’s deception • Davoren: What am I? • Minnie: (in whisper) A gunman on the run! • Davoren (too pleased to deny it) Maybe I am, and maybe I’m not. • Why do you think Minnie whispers? • Why doesn’t Davoren deny that he is a gunman on the run? • Why do you think Minnie finds Davoren interesting?

11. Davoren and the residents • In pairs, discuss what the local residents think of Donal Davoren. • Think of Minnie Powell, Tommy Owens and the Gallaghers. • Make one point about what each of them think • Write a scene where they talk about Donal Davoren without him knowing ( brainstorm).

12. Paradox (p.29) • Mrs Henderson: For to be wise is to be a fool, an’ to a fool is to be wise. • Mr Gallogher: (with deprecating tolerance) Oh, Mrs Henderson, that’s a parrotox. • Do yopu think there is any truth in what mrs Henderson says? • Can you think of an example of this from your own life?

13. End of Act One • Maguire, who dropped off the bag earlier, has been killed in the ambush at Knocksedan. • What thoughts might come into Davoren’s head at this stage? • Davoren: “And what danger can there be in being the shadow of a gunman?” • Why do you think Davoren describes himself as a shadow? • Do you think there is any danger in pretending?

14. Pretence/ deception • Brainstorm moments of pretending and deception. • Mind map an outline of a story based on pretending • Write a short story on the idea of pretending.

15. Act Two • What news makes Davoren become more nervous? • What did Tommy Owens say in The Blue Lion? • Why do you think Tommy Owens was saying these things?

16. The Raid

17. Minnie Powell • Draw a mind map of words describing Minnie Powell. • Write a Q & A interview with Minnie after she takes the bombs • Draw a mind map describing the feelings in the house towards the Auxiliaries. • Write a Q & A with an Auxiliary • Include haw he feels about Ireland, the people, his job.

18. Davoren’s true colours • Davoren: if they coma across the bombs I hope to God Minnie says nothin’(p.57) • Shields: Holy Saint Anthony grant that she’ll keep her mouth shut. • What do you think of Seamus and Donal in this scene? • What do you think is going to happen next? (one paragraph)

19. Climax • Write a newspaper article about the death of Minnie Powell. • http://66.135.33.137/apps/yqs1hr0yn8d7xnc18sux/videoplayer_08-nowater/VideoPlayer.html