1866, and Brian Malone, a member of the Fenian Brotherhoodis unfairly accused of selling out his comrades to the British authorities. Flashforward to 1919, when another Brian Malone, grandson of the "traitor" is a memberof the local IRA column. His brother Billy, however, refuses to take any part inthese activities, bringing the opprobrium of the local community upon hishead.
With the onset of the War of Independence, the column steps up a gear, arming andtraining itself in anticipation of action.