Narrator I
Edward James Doherty was born in Glasgow.
No older than 10.
He was sent.
On his own.
To live with the Clark family.
In Belfast.
God love him.

Narrator II
Let me tell ya a story.
Once there was a lady and a man
who fell in love.
In Cavan… I know.
The woman became pregnant as ya do,
but the man died.
Dead in an accident.
And so,
the woman was left alone.
The widow gave birth to twin girls.
But they were fairy twins.
They could speak, sing,
play instruments,
argue, debate, run, climb, jump,
all immediately as tiny babies.
The lady worked hard all day
to earn enough to keep her home
and food for her girls.
But the fairy twins
were really hard work.
Always talking back, fighting.
She was exhausted.
One day the babies were crying
and the lady had to go to work.
She came back late that evening,
tired,
holding two fresh cut bags of turf
for the fire.
As she opened the door
she met the twins screaming.
She tried to calm and comfort the twins
but to no avail.
‘Shhh now girls,
I’m home now,
I’ll get the dinner on,
get the fire lit.’
One of the twins
bounced upright in the crib.
‘No point putting
that fresh cut turf on the fire,
it won’t burn right, ya gak.
May as well throw a cup of water
on the fire, woman.’
‘Right!’ she said,
‘I’m putting this turf on the fire
and by the time it turns red,
I’m gonna throw the pair of ye
into the fire as well!
Now give my head peace!’
The twins looked at each other.
‘I’m not having this’,
they thought,
‘fuck it, lets get outta here.’
The twins climbed out of the crib,
hand in hand marched across the room,
one of them kicked the front door open
with a tiny baby foot
and they ran away across the fields.
Laughing.
That was the last
the wee lady saw of them.
Those two twins marched for days
never stopping for food or water.
Those twins marched
all the way to Belfast.
And made their own life there,
their own rules there.
Those twins were
Hinge and Bracket Clark.
Specky’s new home.

Clark House I
Uch god. Uch god love him.
Wee creature.
Uch the wee creature.
Uch look at him.
Uch god love him.
Uch Jesus.
Uch the state of him.
Never seen anything like it.
Putting the wee’in out like that.
Not in my lifetime. I’ll tell ye.
Uch god love him.
Uch would ya look at that.
Uch soaked through.
You must be freezing.
Uch Jesus.
Drenched that wind would cut ye.
Poor thing.
Take that coat of ye. Take it off ye.
Have you seen him lately,
Jesus the state of him,
face only a mother would love.
Uch the creature. God love him.
Uch no Jesus no luck with that.
No luck with that.
What he said to me?
One eye looking at me the wrong way.
Wouldn’t no if he was looking at ye or for ye.
No for ye or at ye.
Two eyes, ones a way to the shop
the others coming back for the change.
No harm to ye.
Take them their shoes off ye too, c’mon.
I think he went to the shop
for a box of lambert and butler
and never came back.
Never came back…never came back.
I said to our Sally.
Sure where did he go? Where’s he away?
Sure Jesus you couldn’t take him…
Creature.
Uch sure there he is now.
Uch God love him.
He’s like ET beat to death fell from heaven
hit the concrete, you know?
It lousey.
Now.
Get that tea into ya now love.
How are ye Eddy?
Now you’re Clark now Eddy.
Clark get that into ya head.
And you’re starting work tomorrow.
First shift in the abattoir.
Well that will be good for ye.
Keep ye busy.
Best thing for ye.
New start.
Thick.
You steal them off the milkman?
Here, Specky. Specky Clark.
That’s what they will be calling you.
Here, you can have that one for free.
Alright good to see ya.
Alright Mrs Clark.
Good to see ya now.
Up the stairs there Speck.
I’ve a bed made for ya Son.
You will need a good night sleep
ahead of tomorrow.
Aye six am start up and out.
I’ll have a cup of tea ready for ya love.
God love him.

Narrator III
Let me tell ya a story.
The workers. Two of them.
Paddy Gallagher doesn’t speak much
and Francis O’Neil.
Here’s why Paddy doesn’t talk much.
In the townland of Lisagernal,
near the river which flows into the Shannon.
Beside this river
there is a wood known as ‘Gób Ruaidh’.
Long ago
if anybody was coming home late at night
a huge red tamp worth pig
used to come out of the woods.
Her deep red colour
charging through the trees.
The person was immediately lifted
on the pig’s back,
and the pig
brought them for a wild ride. (Superfast.)
The great red pig
would dart and dash through the trees,
bouncing up and down,
grunting and squealing.
Leaves and twigs
cracking underneath them.
Flying through the woods.
This pig had a need for speed.
And it’s all grand on one condition.
That you do not speak.
That was the rule.
God forbid if you broke it.
It was like a motorbike.
Talk in the town pub
of who had gained the greatest speeds.
On the old hog.
The pig would leave the passenger
safely back at the same place.
As long as they did not speak.
As was the rules.
One night a certain man named Patrick Gallagher,
Paddy’s father, was coming home late.
Up he gets on the pigs back.
He’s to beat McCanns claim of 1 min 30.
Off he goes.
Charging.
The pig comes to river
clean jumps over it!
Pigs never had airtime like this before!
‘Yee-ha!’
Patrick shouts couldn’t hold it in!
The man was immediately
and violently flung off the pigs back.
Cast into a deep dark oblivion.
Never to be found again.
Wee Paddy
always searched for his Daddy.
But never found him.
From that day on,
Paddy hated pigs.

Workers I
Now Speck,
I like to put my hands on the pistol like this.
Don’t be pointed at me. Jesus.
Now listen, Speck,
don’t think about it too much.
In and out, quick and clean, right?
Listen, just think about
like a plaster spec, all right, just…
because we’ve all got to do it
on our first day.
All right, get it over with,
and then the rest of the week. That’s you.
They’re better off dead.
Now listen, Clark, all right,
don’t forget, you’re getting paid.
And just remember
someone’s got to put the bacon on the table.
Right.
Come on, kid.
There we go, Speck.
Right. You’re on belt four,
and I don’t want to see or hear you
until lunch time. Right.

Workers II
Well ya know Francis I says to him
I can’t be doing that every Thursday.
Ah shit shit, here Francis,
take these keys off me.
Sure I have our Deirdres thing tonight
she’s costumes in an all…
No, no way,
sure I’ve a winner in Dunmore tonight.
Uch Francy g’on
I can’t be locking up.
Clark. Clark!
Take these keys!
Do me a favour after your dinner,
come back here and lock up the door for me.
Good lad.
I’ll get them off ya tomorrow.
Sweet. Nice one.
Happy days.

Neighbour
Is that you Clark?
Rolling about in the street.
Your lucky your mom’s dead.
She’d died of shame.
I’m trying to hang my washing up here,
you make the place look untidy.
Home now!

Clark House II
Look at you.
Uch look at you.
Exhausted.
He is exhausted aye.
Exhausted. Wrecked.
Aye, here take them
dirty work clothes off ye.
Drenched through he is.
Stinking! He’s absolutely stinking.
Take them off.
Aye god. Aw stinking.
Aw it is horrible.
That’s rotten
that would turn a funeral.
It’s absolutely stinking.
Oh my. Take it off.
Ugh oh boke.
There you are now.
That’s you Speck a working man.
Putting the bacon on the table.
It’s Halloween tonight.
Get that on ye.
Get it on.
Get the arms in.
Squeeze.
Get the leg in.
Squeeze it in.
That fits you well.
That’s great.
Trick or treating all round here tonight Specky.
Samhain. Aye Samhain.
Few extra bob meet a few new people.
Halloween is coming and the goose is getting fat,
please put some money in the old lady’s hat.
Cheek!
You owe us Eddy for taking you in!
The cheek!
Earn your keep!
Cheek of you! Cheek!

Pig I
That’s not bad specky,
you’ve got have rhythm.
You know you should think more about the heels
rather than the toe work,
personally I think
it would help you balance in your landing…
But you’ve got a great personality
and a really strong style.
Four legs good,
two legs baaaaaad!
Well… what about ye… haha,
Relax ye, will you.
I’m not really dead,
not really alive.
It’s Samhain
the veil’s been lifted.
Awk you know Samhain,
don’t you Specky
It’s Irish…
For Halloween.
I’m dead Specky…
Kind of…
But sure, you were only doing your job.
And us pigs aren’t thick…
I once heard on the radio
that we possess a remarkable level
of cognitive sophistication,
rivaling the intellectual capabilities
of a 3-year-old child.
So, I’m not stupid, ok.
I know why I’m in an abattoir,
my great granny’s bacon,
my granny’s bacon,
I’m bacon…
Look… the important thing is
I’ve got 24 hours now,
here, on this plane,
for Samhain / Halloween.
Argh Look,
you call me Padraig.
Aye, nice to meet ya Padraig!
You too Specky. How’s it going?
Not too bad,
I’ve a hook up my arse.
Look Speck, I’m only…
Specky will ya, will ya
SIT DOWN SPECKY!
Relax.
Take a breath.
I’m not gonna hurt ya… Okay?
Ni, that’s better isn’t it?
Got a bit weird there, didn’t we?
Dead pig.
Eh Specky, guess what?
I’m dying of thirst,
if pardon the pun.
Cause I’m dead.

Narrator IV
Let me tell you a story.
Samhain is a Gaelic festival
marking the beginning of winter
or “darker half” of the year.
Samhain is believed
to have Celtic pagan origins,
and some Neolithic passage tombs
in Great Britain and Ireland
are aligned with the sunrise
at the time of Samhain.
It is mentioned in the earliest Irish literature,
from the 9th century,
and is associated with many important events
in Irish mythology.
The early literature says
great gatherings and feasts marked Samhain
when the ancient burial mounds were open,
which were seen as portals to the Otherworld.
Some of the literature also associates Samhain
with bonfires and sacrifices.
It was when cattle were brought down
from the summer pastures
and livestock were slaughtered.
Samhain was a liminal or threshold festival,
when the boundary between this world
and the Otherworld blurred,
making contact with the aos sí
(the ‘spirits’ or ‘fairies’) more likely.
The souls of dead kin
were also thought to revisit their homes
seeking hospitality,
and a place was set at the table for them
during a meal.
You know why I’m telling you this
don’t ya?
You know I’m him
don’t ya?

Pig II
Look Specky, that was great and all
but c’mon here, I think I’ll have a pint.
Listen Specky…
I’ve only got 24 hours,
I need to talk to you about something.
Something important.
You have the keys
in your pocket right there.
Let’s get out of this place,
go get something proper to drink.
Go, what do you say Specky.
Me and you kid,
we’ll make a wee night of it.
Get a wee pint and all.
Go Specky,
you know what to do.
That’s it,
Specky, go on, gently now.
Watch the shoulder!
That’s quality pork you’re handling!
Easy does it,
we don’t want any bruises,
I’m tender enough.
Ok, that’s better. Just a bit more
Alright eyes off the rump Specky
you’re making me nervous.
Alright, Chopchop.
Here do me a favour,
take us the scenic route
down past St. Georges will ya?
See what the craic is.
This place has gone to the dogs…
And my ma, my da,
all my sisters and all…
it was like this
mad painting coming to life
and the grass was so rich
and the sun was beating down.
I was only a wee piglet like,
and we came in fresh hay put down
and we all snuggled in together.
Of course there wasn’t enough room
for all of us really, but…
Jesus I miss them, Specky.
You know what that feels like Specky,
missing someone you love?
So I said to Mary McAleese
“what you do with James Joyce
is none of my business.
Of course, your man Fionn Mac Cumhaill
is giving it the full monty with his kacks round his ankles!
Here, ya wanna see the size of his di…”
DIRTY OLD TOWN, DIRTY OLD TOWN…
Isn’t this brilliant Specky.
Me and you,
getting to know each other a bit better?
I mean you shot me,
clean between the eyes,
and now look at us.
Trotting down York Street.
Isn’t it class what the Tuatha Dé Danann,
bring ya back to life?
Ya know, the ones that rule the She,
or the Tir Nan Óg as some call it.
The place you go when you die.
And if we crack on now Specky
this could be…
This could be our chance to be reunited
with everyone we’ve lost to see them again.
She’s there too Specky,
waiting on ya.
Hey, you’re alright.
Sure look, the Olympic tavern
is only at the bottom of the street.
C’mon here Specky,
you’re slowing me down.
Right Specky up to the bar
get us a couple of Guinness,
I’ll find us a wee seat.
Oh and a wee packet of crisps,
what do you reckon?
Smokey bacon?
Sláinte Mo Chara
Sit down.
Let me go over this again!
I’ve come back for a reason.
On Samhain,
the barriers between the 2 worlds weaken
and all across Ireland
openings appear.
And on this night,
this one night,
the worlds of the living and the dead
can meet again.
MUUUUUUUM
But they need a special witness
to show them where the openings are.
So, they send a handsome messenger
to find that special witness.
Do ya see what I’m getting at here?
You’re our witness, Specky!
You’re the chosen one.
Only you know
where the openings to the other world are…
You just need to think Specky.
Think about the way ya feel
when you’re dancing, Specky.
Think about the way you feel
when you’re dancing!
C’mon, Spectacles c’mon!
Tuatha Dé Danann can come back.
IRELAND.

Worker
Jesus!
I don’t want to know
what you were at Clark.
There’s a Dioralyte in the staff room.
You’re on belt four.