The Lonesome West

The Lonesome West features the constantly arguing brothers Coleman and Valene, whose father has just died in a shotgun 'accident.'

Coleman is only interested in eating, and attends funerals to collect free sausage rolls and vol au vents.

Valene goes out to help drag the body of Garda Thomas Hanlon (character in "A Skull in Connemara") out of the lake with Father Welsh.

The characters believe that damnation follows suicide for the victims, as it is technically a murder of the self, and you don't have the opportunity to repent for it afterwards.

Girleen, a young lady who briefly appears earlier in the story to sell poteen to Valene, and who was deeply attached to Father Welsh, is devastated by his suicide, and delivers the letter to the brothers, before going away for the rest of the play.

When Coleman and Valene read his letter, they attempt to reconcile themselves, and a "confessions" scene ensues, in which the brothers take turns to admit the wrongs that they had secretly done to each other in the past, and to forgive each other's "sins."