Intertitle 1. [INDISTINCT]
The Film Company of Ireland, Ltd. announces that Knocknagow is produced by arrangement with JAMES DUFFY & CO. Ltd. / Copyright Owners / Dublin. Copyright 1918 by ELLEN SULLIVAN.
Intertitle 2.
Produced by the FILM COMPANY OF IRELAND IN IRELAND by Irish Men and Women.
Intertitle 3.
As this old tale unfolds there are waiting you neither soul stirring thrills nor sensational climaxes. We ask you to ramble with us through the summer days of long ago. Come back in spirit to the time when our great grandfathers faced a world that had little to offer. We turn back the pages of time to the Ireland of “48” when Irish smiles broke through every cloud of oppression.
Intertitle 4.
This story, in a series of episodes, depicts the joys and sorrows of the simple kindly folk who lived in the homes of Tipperary seventy years ago.
Intertitle 5.
[POEM] “Yet meet him in his cabin rude /
Intertitle 6.
Or dancing with his dark haired Mary /
Intertitle 7.
You’d swear they knew no other mood / But mirth and love in Tipperary.”
Intertitle 8.
“Yet meet him in his cabin rude.
Or dancing with his dark haired Mary,
You’d swear they knew no other mood,
But mirth and love in Tipperary.”
Thomas Davis
Intertitle 9.They speak friendly greetings one day in old Kilthubber, not seeing the cloud in their sky, which, as yet lies low on the horizon.
Intertitle 10.
Mat Donovan, affectionately known as “Mat the Thrasher,” with a heart as stout as his arm, was the finest lad in the county.
Mat Donovan… Mr Brian Magowan.
Intertitle 11.
[SONG] “To reap and plow and sow and mow, / And be a farmer’s boy.”
Intertitle 12.
There was gentle Mary Kearney.
Mary Kearney—Miss Nora Clancy.
Intertitle 13.
Daughter of Maurice and Mrs. Kearney, prosperous tenants on the Butler estate.
Maurice Kearney—Mr. Dermod O’Dowd
Mrs. Kearney—Miss Peg Casey.
Intertitle 14.
One day, while with her mother at Tramore, Mary meets Arthur O’Connor, who is studying theology.
Arthur O’Connor—Mr. Fred O’Donovan.
Intertitle 15.
And from that time on, the only thing heavenly that Arthur studied was the blue in Mary’s eye.
Intertitle 16.
“She is the sweetest girl in Ireland, Arthur, struggling with the poor about her, and making their troubles her own.”
Father O’Carroll—Valentine Roberts.
Intertitle 17.
Arthur watches Mary from the window, with the thought of a different future, as his mother talks.
Intertitle 18.
“It’s that girl who has disturbed his mind.”
Intertitle 19.
Mrs. O’Connor confides to Father O’Carroll that her heart is set on Arthur entering the Church.
Intertitle 20.
“The Kearneys live beyond that house.”
Intertitle 21.
“He’s the young man, Barney, that had his heart in his eyes when he saw our Miss Mary at Tramore.”
Intertitle 22.
He came to her in the garden, and there was in the hearts of both, the hearts’ one song.
Intertitle 23.
The Knocknagow drum ushers in Christmas morning.
Intertitle 24.
Henry Lowe, nephew to Sir Garrett Butler, the new landlord, is the guest of the Kearney’s at the Christmas morning Mass.
Intertitle 25.
Breakfast in the Kearney home.
Intertitle 26.
Arthur gives Barney a letter for Mary, in which he asks that she come to her window, if she has any interest in him, as he leaves Knocknagow.
Intertitle 27.
Barney forgets to deliver the letter, in the good company he finds in the Kearney kitchen.
Intertitle 28.
“That’s the ugliest foot in Ireland, Barney.”
Intertitle 29.
“I’ll bet the price of a pint it isn’t.”
Intertitle 30.
Barney shows his second foot and wins.
Intertitle 31.
Not knowing that Barney has failed to deliver his note, Arthur waits in vain for Mary’s face at the window.
Intertitle 32.
Mary, all unconscious, makes one of the happy circle, who give welcome to Henry Lowe, the young aristocrat.
Intertitle 33.
Mr Kearney: “Sir Garrett refers me to Pender, and this nephew confirms my fears that Pender is becoming absolute master here. It’s bad news for the poor tenants, and perhaps those of us more fortunate.”
Intertitle 34.
“It’s nothing to worry about, my dear.”
Intertitle 35.
Arthur finally despairs and ends his long wait at the window.
Intertitle 36.
A late delivery.
Intertitle 37.
[LETTER] Dear Mary, I am going away and am giving up all thoughts of becoming a priest. If you have any interest in me or my new plans let me see your face at your window to-day as I depart. Arthur O’Connor.
Intertitle 38.
Though times were bad there would have been happy homes in Tipperary, were it not for the one black cloud that made every song die in the heart, and hush on the lips.
PENDER. Land agent on the Butler estate, who hoped to drive the tenants one by one from the country to have cattle instead of people on the land.
PENDER — J.M. Carre.
Intertitle 39.
“The cattle are more important, Sir.”
Intertitle 40.
Phil Lahy’s only weakness led him to seek “Nourishment” from imaginary ills out of a certain black bottle.
Intertitle 41.
“Phil, you may as well finish Mat’s new coat, He’ll want it for Ned Brophy’s wedding.”
Intertitle 42.
“Honor, I look very bad. It’s a little nourishment I want.”
Intertitle 43.
“Sure, I’ve a bad pain, Miss Mary.”
Intertitle 44.
Honor shows Mary the kind of nourishment Phil wants and Mary beguiles him away from temptation.
Intertitle 45.
[SONG] Come all you airy bachelors, / A warning take by me —
Intertitle 46.
Phil takes nourishment after all, while he finishes Mat’s coat for the wedding.
Intertitle 47.
“You’ll be the best dressed man at the wedding, Mat.”
Intertitle 48.
Pender, the evictor, casts gloom into the humble home.
Intertitle 49.
“A light, damn you!”
Intertitle 50.
“You’re a blackguard, sir, and you’ll not speak amiss to a decent woman.”
Intertitle 51.
“Donovan, you’ve laid your hand on me and I’ll crush you. Bear me well in mind, I’ll crush and break you!”
Intertitle 52.
A bit of diplomacy.
Intertitle 53.
Phil, with a dry tongue, seeks “Another little Cruiskeen Lawn.”
Intertitle 54.
Lowe, of proud lineage, lays his heart at feet of the Irish farmer’s daughter.
Intertitle 55.
While Mary, with her thoughts on the lad who waited in vain at the window, softly says him nay.
Intertitle 56.
Arthur confides to Father O’Carroll that he has no vocation for the Priesthood.
Intertitle 57.
“Take up medicine, my boy. It’s a grand field and offers a noble life to you.”
Intertitle 58.
The good priest offers the savings of years to educate the lad he loves.
Intertitle 59.
Arthur, though of high spirit, accepts the help, feeling confidant of a full life of good work.
Intertitle 60.
Mat leads the Knock-na-gow boys in a hurling match.
Intertitle 61.
Captain French, who had won great honors as an athlete in London, challenges Mat to the throwing of the hammer.
Intertitle 62.
The Contest
Intertitle 63.
The Captain’s great throw.
Intertitle 64.
Mat leads by inches.
Intertitle 65.
The Captain retaliates with a new mark.
Intertitle 66.
“He’s a fine man and ’tis a pity to beat him, but for the honour of old Knock-na-gow, I must win!”
Intertitle 67.
“Mat wins —
“UP TIPPERARY”
Intertitle 68.
Tommy tells Nora, that Billy is coming, and the angel invalid smiles her welcome.
Intertitle 69.
“Take this gun, Wattletoes, to Mat Donovan and have him repair it, off on your way, sir, and no loitering.”
Intertitle 70.
“A gun to Donovan, I wonder how I can turn this to account? I wonder?”
Intertitle 71.
Barney, with an eye for the fair, stops to entertain Peg Brady, and again forgets his business.
PEG BRADY—Miss Moira Breffni.
Intertitle 72.
Peg has a good stroke.
Intertitle 73.
“We are beginning to-day the evictions of Knock-na-gow, Darby, so get your bailiffs.”
Intertitle 74.
“You can keep my fields, Pender, but you cannot evict me. I hold my house in freehold.”
Intertitle 75.
“Easy now, Donovan, no violence, I entreat you, no violence.”
Intertitle 76.
“There will be a stern reckoning for this one day, Pender, if not in our time, then when other men will know how to deal with this oppression.”
Intertitle 77.
“My God! Pender and the bailiffs are at our door.”
Intertitle 78.
The eviction
Intertitle 79.
Out into the cold roadside he drove them in the name of Christian and benevolent law.
Intertitle 80.
Mat, unconscious of the clouds gathering about him, takes charge of the wedding festivities.
Intertitle 81.
The Kearneys do honour to the happy event.
Intertitle 82.
The Dance in the Barn.
Intertitle 83.
To the Bride and Groom, “Long life and happiness to the Brophys.”
Intertitle 84.
The Brians homeless and hungry.
Intertitle 85.
Mick leaves his wife and child to get food.
Intertitle 86.
What hard fate denies even poverty’s crumb to a man, in his own country.
Intertitle 87.
Mick finds a gun instead of food.
Intertitle 88.
“I’ll kill that man Pender! By my Maker, I’ll kill him!”
Intertitle 89.
Mick, with murder in his heart, looks in the Lahy window in passing.
Intertitle 90.
He sees the spiritual face of poor Nora Lahy, telling, one by one, her beads.
Intertitle 91.
Pender watches and recognizes the gun.
Intertitle 92.
“Clean hands I’ll keep. God help me and mine.”
Intertitle 93.
In the meantime Nellie Donovan, Mat’s sister, comes to the help of the Brians.
Intertitle 94.
“Look! Look! Mr. Kearney, Pender is evicting Hogan and sure his boy, Jimmy Hogan has been named for bravery in the Queen’s Army.”
Intertitle 95.
Hogan—“It wasn’t me, sir, that fired. I’ve never handled a gun.”
Intertitle 96.
“Did you hear what he said? He never fired a gun — a safe man — a very safe man to evict.”
Intertitle 97.
“God knows which one of us may have his turn next. Bring your wife and child to my place, Mick, you’ll find shelter and food there.”
Intertitle 98.
Billy lingers near Nora, whose strength is failing day by day.
Intertitle 99.
Father O’Carroll visits his poor parishioners.
Intertitle 100.
Alone in his cottage, while at his simple meal, Billy realizes the girl he loves is slowly dying.
Intertitle 101.
His thoughts go back to the day when in the joy of life, they crossed the “Anner” together.
Intertitle 102.
Billy Heffernan, one day while in Clonmel, meets the Dragoon who courted Bessie Morris in Dublin a year before.
Intertitle 103.
“Will you bring this package from me to Bessie Morris?”
Intertitle 104.
Billy, knowing that his friend Mat loves Bessie, becomes the reluctant messenger.
Intertitle 105.
Mary with her friends in the Kearney garden.
Intertitle 106.
Bessie, pleased with the gold ear drops, shows them to Mary who gently reproves the sewing girl.
Intertitle 107.
“Mat Donovan is worth twenty such men as this Dragoon, Bessie.”
Intertitle 108.
Peg Brady, anxious to separate Mat and Bessie, works on Mat’s feelings by showing an old letter written by the Dragoon to Bessie long ago, Mat believing it relates to the present.
Intertitle 109.
[LETTER] Dear Bessie, Meet me at the usual place to-night. I have something I wish to tell you, and ….
Intertitle 110.
“You’re not to meet that soldier again, Bessie.”
Intertitle 111.
“You’ve no right to say who I’ll meet, Mat.”
Intertitle 112.
“If that’s your mind, then I’m off to America.”
Intertitle 113.
The Thrasher in action.
Intertitle 114.
Pender watches Mat punishing the Dragoon.
Intertitle 115.
Mary Kearney listens to Bessie Morris and comforts her.
Intertitle 116.
“Mat is unjust, Miss Mary, I never encouraged that soldier man since I met him in Dublin, over a year ago.”
Intertitle 117.
Pender plans to rob himself of Sir Garrett Butler’s rents.
Intertitle 118.
Mat leaving home for America.
Intertitle 119.
Brother and sister.
Intertitle 120.
Making evidence of a crime.
Intertitle 121.
“What curse is on this land of ours, when men like Mat Donovan are forced from its shores.”
Intertitle 122.
Pender, realizing that Mat is leaving the country, decides to charge the young peasant with crime.
Intertitle 123.
“We will fasten robbery on this Donovan. I’ll not have him escape me. £100 for you, half now, and the remainder when we have him in Clonmel jail.”
Intertitle 124.
Good-bye, dear Ireland, you are a rich and rare land altho’ poverty is forced upon you.
Intertitle 125.
Pender and the Dragoon charge Mat Donovan with a robbery that never took place.
Intertitle 126.
Off for America.
Intertitle 127.
Mat and Barney part.
Intertitle 128.
Pender describes for the magistrate, how he was supposed to have been robbed.
Intertitle 129.
Barney is shanghied.
Intertitle 130.
Collecting the evidence.
Intertitle 131.
“The man who robbed me carried your gun.”
Intertitle 132.
“Where is Barney? He probably could explain.”
Intertitle 133.
Sir Garrett Butler, in far away Italy, describes to his daughter that Knock-na-gow is a place of sunshine and happiness.
Intertitle 134.
Henry Lowe—“You are wrong, Uncle, the man who acts on your authority is driving the poor from their hovels in Knock-na-gow, that they may perish by the roadside.”
Intertitle 135.
“In your name and under your authority, women and children are thrown by the wayside, while their poor homes are burnt to the ground.”
Intertitle 136.
Mat, arrested in Liverpool, is brought back to face Pender’s charge.
Intertitle 137.
“Pender says, that the man who robbed him carried Maurice Kearney’s gun.”
Intertitle 138.
“Alas, Mat, Barney Broderick has disappeared and no one knows where to find him.”
Intertitle 139.
The death shadow in the Lahy cottage.
Intertitle 140.
By the side of his dying girl, Phil Lahy swears never to touch drink again.
Intertitle 141.
Nora Lahy hears a call and the linnet that never sang before, sends forth its thrilling notes.
Intertitle 142.
As the song of the linnet ceased, Nora Lahey [sic] was among her kindred angels.
Intertitle 143.
“I loved her Nellie, ah, how I loved her!”
Intertitle 144.
“Sure, I know Billy, we all loved her.”
Intertitle 145.
It’s Christmas again, but Mat is in Clonmel jail.
Intertitle 146.
Mary is given Nora’s old chair.
Intertitle 147.
“If this window only faced old Slievenamon, Billy, I could stand this imprisonment better.”
Intertitle 148.
“I’m going to my father in America, Miss Mary, will you tell Mat one day, that I always believed in him and that I know he is innocent!”
Intertitle 149.
Barney Broderick back on land enjoys a peep-show.
Intertitle 150.
Billy Heffernan’s capture.
Intertitle 151.
The captive Barney back in Knock-na-gow.
Intertitle 152.
Barney explains how he lost the gun.
Intertitle 153.
“Mat Donovan is out.”
Intertitle 154.
The welcome home.
Intertitle 155.
“FELLOW IRISHMEN. Let us take to heart the lesson in the vindication of Mat Donovan’s honor and in the proof of his innocence. We must cultivate under every dire circumstance, patience and fortitude to outlive every slander and to rise above every adversity. We are a moral people, above crime, and a clean-hearted race must eventually come into its own, no matter how long the journey, no matter how hard the road.”
Intertitle 156.
Mary delivers Bessie’s message to Mat.
Intertitle 157.
“Three cheers for Mat Donovan.”
Intertitle 158.
Mat—“And three cheers, boys, for Maurice Kearney, never too prosperous to stand by his own country and people.”
Intertitle 159.
Peg confesses to Mat, that through jealousy, she deceived him about Bessie with an old Dublin letter.
Intertitle 160.
Barney consoles Peg.
Intertitle 161.
Pender, unconscious that his star is setting, pursues the business of driving the people.
Intertitle 162.
“I’ve evicted the humble ones, and now, damn you, Kearney, it’s your turn to follow the beggarly tribe.”
Intertitle 163.
“Here’s your money, man, you cannot mean to take the home of my father’s [sic] from me?”
Intertitle 164.
“Too late — you must go.”
Intertitle 165.
And then the absentee landlord arrived.
Intertitle 166.
“The men of your class, Sir, are guilty of starving a people in the midst of plenty.”
Intertitle 167.
And so one day with peace in their hearts Arthur and Mary look out on Slievenamon under whose shadow they will live together their lives.
Intertitle 168.
In the name of the law.
Intertitle 169.
On the boat for Liverpool.
Intertitle 170.
Mat, step by step, traces Bessie Morris to America, and meets the Lahys, who tell him that she lives in the “far West.”
Intertitle 171.
In a pretentious home he found her.
Intertitle 172.
“I thought Bessie, you might be in danger in this new strange land, but sure with your father’s roof above your head and this fine home, I was a foolish man, and—so—good-bye.”
Intertitle 173.
“But, ah, Mat, you’ve something to say to me that I want to hear.”
Intertitle 174.
“I’m a humble workman, Bessie.”
“You’ve a nobleman’s heart, Mat and …”
Intertitle 175.
So back to Ireland Mat brought Bessie as his Bride.
Intertitle 176.
“’Tis here in dear Ireland we will grow old together, dear wife. I may not clothe you in fine gowns but I’ll wear you always in my heart.”
Intertitle 177.
The O’Connors, one fine day way back in dear old Tipperary, call on Mr. and Mrs. Mat Donovan.
Intertitle 178.
Knocknagow is no more, but there are still happy homes in Tipperary—thank God.
END