The Shadow of a Gunman

In The Shadow of a Gunman, Sean O’Casey’s 1923 comic tragedy set during the War of Independence, Donal Davoren, a self-styled poet, encourages his neighbors’ mistaken belief that he is an important IRA “volunteer”, an assassin on the run. This ruse, which humorously enflames his neighbors’ patriotism and admiration, and wins him the affection of the beautiful and feisty Minnie Powell, eventually leads to catastrophe and untimely death.