Thomasheen Sean Rua, who is a matchmaker comes to visit Mena and it is clear from the stage and directions and his first few lines that he is up to something. He enquires whether Mena is alone or not before entering the house.
When he is sure that no one is listening he tells Mena that there is someone who wishes to marry Sive. He tells Mena that he fell in love with her when he saw her cycling to the convent. ‘He have the mouth half-open when he do be talking about her. ‘Tis the sign of love, women!’ Here we see how love was viewed at the time that this book was written.
Mena is shocked that Thomasheen would be interested in finding a match for Sive and she says, ‘what is she but a schoolgirl and illegitimate, to crown all.’ (Note: Illegitimate means that she was born out of wedlock. This would have been frowned upon at the time and we see how Mena views her because of this status)
Thomasheen explains that he status has nothing to do with it, but that it is her youth that has attracted this suitor. We also learn more about the potential suitor when he says, ‘Tis the heat before death that plays upon them.’ This is a suggestion that the man is quite elderly. Remember that Sive is only seventeen.
When Mena hears that there is someone who wishes to marry her, regardless of status, she is intrigued and asks who it is. Thomasheen tells her that it is Sean Dota, before adding, ‘he have the grass of twenty cows. He have fat cattle besides and he have the holding of money.’ Here we see that marriage was more of a business transaction and little to do with love.
When Mena says that he is ‘as old as the hills,’ Thomasheen tells her that he would swim the Shannon to win the girl. Mena also mentions how Thomasheen will make a lot of money out of the match, which he ignores before proceeding to tell her how easy Sive’s life will be with two servants in the house. Mena is unconvinced as she tells him that Sive has no money (which would have been expected at the time) and Thomasheen tells her that Sean Dota does not want any money but will instead give money to have the girl. Mena pauses at this point, which shows her attitude towards the situation has changed. ‘And you say he will give money for her?’ Thomasheen tells her that there will be £200 for Mena and Mike and £100 for him, for making the match.
They both consider the difficulty in getting Sive to agree to the match. Mena says that the girl has ‘high notions’ and Thomasheen shows his cruel and callous nature when he says, ‘tell her you will bell-rag her through the parish if she goes against you. Tell her you will hunt the old woman into the county home.’ When Mena says that that won’t work, he tries a different approach. ‘You could say he would be for the grave within a year or two…’
Thomasheen sweetens the deal for Mena when he tells her that he will include Nanna in the deal so that Mena will get £200 and get rid of both Sive and Nanna. We also hear about how Mena’s match with Mike for the price of ‘four cows on the side of the mountain and a few acres of bog.’
We see Mena’s jealousy towards Sive as the scene goes on, complaining about how she is being educated instead of out working with a farmer. ‘Good money going on her because her fool of a mother begged on the death-bed to educate her.’
Thomasheen is rubbing his hands in glee and says that he knew he had picked the right woman for the job. Note how he plays on Mena’s jealousy and bitterness to get her to agree with the deal. They also discuss how they will get Mike to agree with the match.
Thomasheen gives an account of what it is to be a lonely man in rural Ireland when he tells Mena, ‘I know what a man have to do who have no woman to lie with him. He have to drink hard, or he have to walk under a black sky when every eye is closed in sleep.’
He leaves telling Mena to think of the £200 and that he would call around later that evening with Sean Dota and pretend that they were passing by chance.
Nanna enters and quickly decides that the two of them are up to no good. She tells Thomasheen that he would ‘sell your soul to the devil for a drink of buttermilk.’ She goes back into the room after the confrontation and it is clear that Mike is on his way to the house so Thomasheen exits quickly, with Mena telling him that she will work on Mike, knowing that he has a love of money.
Questions:
- What is your impression of Thomasheen from reading this scene? Explain.
- What is your view on what Thomasheen is doing?
- What have you learned about love and marriage in Ireland at this time? Explain with reference to the text.
- Why did people use the services of matchmakers like Thomasheen at this time?
- It is clear that Mena is jealous of Sive. Do you agree or disagree? Explain your answer.
Enda's English Notes 