Shadow and Substance

In a little town near the Mourne Mountains, Canon Skerritt, a cultured but somewhat harsh and unkindly priest, tyrannizes over two raw curates and a spiritually undeveloped flock. The one person for whom he has a warm regard is his servant, Brigid, who has visions of St Brigid and messages supposedly from her. Brigid is torn between confliciting loyalties to the Canon and to his vigorous opponent, the schoolmaster O'Flingsley, who wants improvement in the deplorable state of his school. It is found out that O'Flingsley has anonymously published a book based on his zeal for reforming and the Canon removes him from his post, installing instead a pliable young man whom he also arranges a match with his neice. On St Brigid's day the town assembles, awaiting a miracle as foretold by Brigid but riots ensue when the Canon argues that the church needs no new miracle. Brigid is motally wounded by a thrown brick meant for O'Flingsley, and although both men are deeply moved this fails to reconcile them.