Department of Deaf Education
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KSteele/DeafEd/2011
Department of Deaf Education
ACROSS THE BARRICADES by Joan Lingard
Place:
Northern Ireland, in the capital Belfast.
Time:
1980’s
Persons:
Main characters:
Sadie Jackson:
Kevin McCoy:
Protestant, 16 (nearly 17) years old.
Catholic boy, nearly 18 years old.
Sadie’s family:
Mrs. (Aggie) Jackson:
Mr. (Jim) Jackson:
Tommy Jackson:
Sadie’s mother.
Sadie’s father, Orange Lodge.
Sadie’s brother.
Kevin’s family:
Mr. (Pete) McCoy:
Mrs. (Mary) McCoy:
Brede McCoy:
Gerald McCoy:
Uncle Albert:
Kevin’s father.
Kevin’s mother.
Kevin’s nice sister.
Kevin’s little brother.
Kevin’s uncle.
Protestants:
Linda Mullet:
Mrs. (Jessica) Mullet:
Mr. (Bill) Mullet:
Jackson.
Granny McEvoy:
Steve:
Mrs. McConkey:
Mr. (Twinkle) Blake:
Catholics:
Kate Kelly:
Mr. (Dan) Kelly:
business.
Mrs. Kelly:
Brian Rafferty:
Pat Rafferty:
Mrs. Rafferty:
Moira Henderson:
Protestant.
Sadie’s old school friend, Tommy’s girlfriend.
Linda’s mother, «friends» of the Jackson’s.
Linda’s father, Orange Lodge together with Jim
The Mullets old neighbour.
Tommy’s friend from schooldays, keen on Sadie.
Local shop owner. Dies in an explosion.
Sadie’s old geography teacher. Lets in Kevin & Sadie.
Brede’s friend, very fond of Kevin.
Kate’s father. Kevin works for him in the
scrap
Kate’s mother, friend of Mrs. McCoy.
Kevin’s old friend, beats and threatens Kevin.
Brian’s father.
Brian’s mother.
Neighbour of Mr. Blake. Catholic married to a
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Chapter 1:
Sadie meets Kevin by accident in the street one day. Sadie is a Protestant and Kevin
is a Catholic. It is about 3 years since they have seen each other. They go for a cup of
coffee and talk about their families and how they have been. Kevin is working in the
scrap business, and Sadie is working in a hat department. They take a walk up to
Cave Hill. On the way they meet Linda Mullet, who is Sadie’s old school friend and
Tommy, Sadie’s brother’s girlfriend. Linda dislikes the fact that the two are hanging
out together since he is a Catholic and she is a Protestant.
Chapter 2:
Home at the Jackson’s, where Sadie lives: Linda comes to see Tommy and tells
Sadie’s parents that she saw Sadie and Kevin together. The parents do not like it. 3
summers ago Sadie and Tommy got mixed up in a fight with Kevin and his sister
Brede. Afterwards they became friends but had to part because it was to hard to
stick together because of the fact that they were both Catholics and Protestants.
Mrs. Jackson is very upset and thinks that Sadie will lead them in to trouble.
Chapter 3:
Home at the McCoy’s house, where Kevin lives: Mrs. McCoy is worried because Kevin
has not come home yet. Brede, one of Kevin’s many sisters calms her. Uncle Albert
comes to visit. Brede goes to see Kate, she runs into Brian and argues with him. The
rumour has it that he has joined the Provisionals, which is a splinter group from the
IRA believing that violence is the only way to achieve a united Ireland.
Chapter 4:
Kevin & Sadie are on Cave Hill. Afterwards in café Sadie meets some friends from her
job. They are taking an interest in him because he is handsome, but they are chocked
to find out that he’s a Mick (a Catholic). Kevin & Sadie argues about the differences
of numbers of children in their family, but they become friends again. They are
walking hand in hand on the way home.
Chapter 5:
Mrs. Mullet is visiting Mrs. Jackson who does not like her. Mr. Jackson and Mr.
Mullet are attending a meeting with the Orange Lodge. Mrs. Mullet is trying to get
Tommy and Linda married, but Mrs. Jackson does not like the idea. Mrs. Mullet is
criticizing Sadie for seeing Kevin. Her daughter Linda has told her of course.
Linda & Tommy are in a cafe where they meet Steve, Tommy’s friend (who is keen
on Sadie, who does not like him). Steve tells Linda and Tommy that he has joined the
Lodge. He is trying to convince Tommy to join too but Tommy does not want to.
Long time ago there was a fight where Brede almost got killed, and then he decided
not to ever walk in the Orange Parade. Tommy and Linda meet Kevin and Sadie on
their way home. They say hello and Kevin goes home. Linda, Tommy and Sadie
returns home also but in the other direction. Linda does not like that Sadie is going
out with a Mick and they end up in a fight. When Sadie and Tommy get home Sadie
argues with her parents about Kevin.
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KSteele/DeafEd/2011
Chapter 6:
When Kevin comes home he tells his sister Brede about him meeting with Sadie, and
that he is going to see her again. Brede is not angry but she thinks it might be leading
into troubles.
Next day Kevin meets Brian on his way to work. They talk about being a good patriot
and being ready to fight. Then Kevin is off for work at Mr. Kelly’s. When he comes
home from work that day Brian is waiting for him inside. They go over to Brian’s
place and Brian shows Kevin a gun he has got. Kevin thinks it is stupid and dangerous
because the army is around searching for that kind of stuff nowadays. Brian gets
angry and Kevin goes home.
Chapter 7:
Sadie and Kevin spend all day together in Bangor. At the end of the day they argue
about what they believe in. Sadie cannot understand that Kevin has to confess to the
priest about everything (even their relationship!), that he worships statues of the
Holy Mary. Kevin leaves Sadie there, but comes back after a while. Then they
become friends again. Kevin kisses Sadie. They miss the last buss home and got a lift
with a car. The driver appears to be Uncle Albert.
Chapter 8:
On the way home Uncle Albert’s car breaks down. They have to walk the last piece
home to Belfast. They pass a burning truck that has been blown up by a landmine
and its driver killed. When they get to Belfast they pass a battle between the army
and some other men. They also pass a burning shop. Kevin and Sadie leave Uncle
Albert and Kevin walks Sadie home. Then they meet Mr. Jackson, Mr. Mullet and
Tommy. It is 3 o’clock in the morning.
Chapter 9:
The men are really angry and they almost pick up a fight with Kevin. Kevin returns
home: He passes a fire again at Doyle’s pub. Suddenly he hears gunfire and throws
himself down on to the pavement. He sees a person at the opposite pavement
getting killed. Afterwards he meets Brian. He has heard about Sadie. They argue
about that and the situation in Ulster. Kevin goes home.
The next day Kevin meets Kate, who is acting very cold towards him. In the evening
he meets Sadie. They part to go separately on the way home to avoid trouble, after
they decide to meet at the same place next day. On the way home Kevin is attacked
by three boys, they jump on him, kick him and call him a traitor. Kevin recognizes
one of them. It is Brian.
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Chapter 10:
Brede is trying to find Sadie to talk to her about Kevin. She goes to her work but she
is told that Sadie has got the sack that day. She decides to go to Sadie’s house
though it is dangerous. She has to stop to ask for the direction in Mrs. McConkey's
shop. Mrs. Mullet helps Brede finding the way though she is a little suspicious about
her. Brede talks to Tommy first, and he gets Sadie for her. Brede and Sadie go for a
cup of coffee. Brede tells Sadie about Kevin’s attack and begs Sadie to stop seeing
him or else he’ll be badly hurt. Sadie likes Brede, and she understands her. Brede
leaves the cafe. It’s 20 minutes to Sadie’s date with Kevin; should she go or not? She
do not want to see Kevin hurt, but she do not want to leave him either. She does not
know whether to go or not.
Chapter 11:
Kevin is waiting for Sadie. She is late and he is very hurt from the beating. He can
barely stand. An old man sees him and tries to get him home but Kevin wants to wait
for Sadie. When they are about to leave Sadie arrives. She knows the old man. It is
Mr. Blake or Twinkle Blake like they used to call him. It is her old geography-teacher.
He is a Protestant but he does not care that Kevin is a Catholic. The three of them
drive home to Mr. Blake's house where he lives alone. They stay there for a while,
while Kevin rests. Sadie and Kevin talk and Sadie tells Kevin that she have decided
not to see him anymore because she do not want to see him get anymore hurt.
Chapter 12:
Mr. Blake and Sadie drive Kevin home, and they agree on meeting at Mr. Blake’s
house for supper Friday because it is not so dangerous.
When Sadie gets home she and Tommy suddenly hear a loud bang. Mrs. McConkey’s
shop has burst into flames. Mrs. McConkey dies. Mrs. Mullet blames Brede for
putting a bomb or something in the shop because she saw her in the shop earlier
that day and walked with her home. She demands Sadie to tell her what it was that
Brede wanted, but Sadie does not say a thing. The next day Sadie must pretend to go
to work because she has not told her mother yet that she got the sack. She goes to
visit Mr. Blake as a cover.
Chapter 13:
Mr. Blake and Sadie talk a long time and Mr. Blake offers Sadie to clean and steady
his house every day for a bit of money because he is so old. She agrees, and she is
happy to have found another job.
Next door to Mr. Blake live Moira Henderson and her family. Moira is a Catholic and
her husband is a Protestant. They have got 3 children and are very happy. She talks
to Moira and she sees that she has a lot to do with the children. She offers to take
care of the children in the afternoons so that Moira can paint as she actually does.
Moira aggress and says that she will pay Sadie. Now Sadie has got 2 jobs and she tells
her mother and father.
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Friday Sadie and Kevin meet at Mr. Blake’s house. Kevin is much better. They are
happy that Mr. Blake is letting them stay there. He is nice and kind.
Chapter 14:
Kevin is still sick and cannot go to work. He is restless and cannot manage to stay
inside the house. One day when he is not home Mrs. Kelly is visiting Mrs. McCoy. The
time comes for Mrs. McCoy to deliver her 9th child. Kevin is out and on the way
home he meets Kate. He tells her that it has never been serious between them and
she gets sad. He talks to Brede about her and Brede tells that she have seen Kate
hanging around with Brian Rafferty. Kevin is not meeting Sadie this evening, because
Sadie’s aunt is on a visit. Sadie, her aunt and her mother are talking and suddenly
they’re arguing over Sadie’s job. Her mother thinks that she is trying to find
something else. Sadie leaves the house in anger. She goes for a cup of coffee and
meets Linda and Steve. They begin arguing about Kevin and Steve threats Sadie.
Steve and Linda leaves and after a while so do Sadie, but she is missing Kevin. Uncle
Albert is coming to visit the McCoy’s. He is telling them that the army is searching
every house in the street. They all go outside to see. Kevin is thinking of the gun in
Brian’s room and in a few minutes the army is in the Rafferty's house. Kevin stands
next to Brian who appears surprisingly calm. The army do not find anything. Now
McCoy’s turn has come.
Chapter 15:
The army search the house but find nothing. When they are finished they all go to
bed. After a while the army comes back to pick up Kevin. They have found a gun in
Mr. Kelly’s scrap yard and Kevin has key to the yard. They accuse Kevin for putting it
there. Kevin denies of course, but he recognizes the gun from Brian’s room. The
army says that somebody saw him putting it in the scrap yard, and that the person
was Kate Kelly. Kevin has to come with the police to the station. His father comes
with him. In the morning Brede runs down to the police station and the police say
that her brother and father soon will come home. She tells the police about Kate’s
relationship with Kevin, and then she runs home. After a little while her brother and
father come home too. Kevin goes for a walk, he stops between some houses and
waits for Brian. He is walking this way on his way to work. Kevin wants teach him a
lesson, to beat him up. Brede sees where Kevins going.
Chapter 16:
Mr. Blake gets two warning letters in the mail. He has been warned for keeping Sadie
and Kevin in his house. Somebody knows even though they have been extremely
careful. But Mr. Blake burns the letters so that Sadie will not find them. He does not
want to worry Kevin and Sadie any more. Then Kevin comes for a visit. He has blood
on his shirt. Mr. Blake understands why he has done it. After a little while Sadie
arrives. Kevin sleeps all day at Mr. Blake’s house and in the meanwhile Sadie cleans
his clothes. When she goes home for her tea, she meets Tommy outside the house.
He shows her that somebody has painted «A traitor lives here» on their wall. They
clean it off. But Sadie has no intention of stopping seeing Kevin. She does not give up
that easily. The next day Sadie, Kevin and Mr. Blake are going for a ride in the
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countryside. When she walks to Mr. Blake’s house she does not see that the word
traitor has been repainted on the wall. When they have driven for some time they
notice that one wheel is loose and they can’t control the car. They crash into the sea
wall.
Chapter 17:
People stop and help them. The police come and they are brought to the nearest
hospital for a check. They are all right. The police-rapport shows that every four
wheels where loose and that somebody has loosened them. Kevin does not tell
about the beating of Brian Rafferty and Sadie does not tell about the painting on the
wall. When Mr. Blake is alone with the police he tells them about the threatening
letters, but he does not tell Kevin and Sadie. Kevin and Sadie decide that they cannot
meet so often at Mr. Blake’s house any more. Maybe just once a week, but Sadie is
still going to come and wash and clean every day. When Kevin walks home he
decides that he is never to see Sadie again. On his way home he meets Mr. Kelly and
tells him that he can come back to work next week. Mr. Kelly tells him that he does
not need to bother. He has got the sack. Kevin knows it is because of Kate Kelly, Mr.
Kelly’s daughter. Kevin tells his family that he has got the sack. He tries to find a work
at the Labour Exchange but they do not have anything to offer him.
Chapter 18:
Sadie waits for Kevin’s call that never comes. The day of the Orange parade comes
but Sadie takes a ride to Bangor. There she meets Kevin by accident. Sadie asks why
he has not called and Kevin says that it seemed wiser not to. Sadie understands and
Kevin tells Sadie that he is out of work and that he is going to leave Belfast. Sadie
gets sad and says that she will miss him. They spend all day together, but they travel
home separately. They agree to meet at Mr. Blake’s house Wednesday.
Kevin’s parents and the youngest kids are going away on a holiday for some time.
Kevin, Brede and the oldest kids are home alone. Wednesday he goes to Mr. Blake’s
to meet Sadie. They spend Saturday together also. One day when Kevin is out for a
walk he meets Mr. Kelly who offers him to come back and work for him again, but
Kevin will not. He is sick of everything, hates everything except from Sadie. He does
not want to stay there anymore.
Chapter 19:
Sadie wakes up one morning. She is going to spend the day with Kevin but she has
told her parents that she is to spend the day with the Henderson’s. Mike Henderson
comes to Sadie in the morning, but he has got bad news. He tells her that Mr. Blake
has died. Somebody has thrown a petrol bomb into his house that night. Mr.
Henderson drives her to her meeting place with Kevin, Sadie tells him about Mr.
Blake. They attend the big funeral a couple of days later. After the funeral Sadie and
Kevin go for a walk to Cave Hill and Kevin tells Sadie that he is going to leave next
week. He cannot stand this anymore.
Chapter 20:
Kevin says goodbye to his family. They wish him good luck in England. Brede walks
with him a little bit and Kevin promises to write and says that he will miss her. On
the way he meets Kate Kelly who tells him that Brian Rafferty made her tell that she
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saw Kevin putting the gun in the scrap yard. Then Kevin is off. Sadie meets Kevin at
the docks. He is taking a boat to Liverpool to stay there. When he meets Sadie she
tells him that she wants to go with him. She does not have anything with her
because she could not leave home with the luggage, but they will manage. She has
got her ticket. So they are both off to Liverpool and will live happily ever
after….hopefully!
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