Upon the death of his mother, American Jimmy O Leary reminisces on his childhood in Ireland. He grew up in the years after the War of Independence when a strong residue of bitterness over the Treaty still prevailed. There was an ongoing feud between his father Arthur and Josie McCarthy as both men had fought on opposite sides during the war, furthermore both men has pursued the same woman, Catherine, Jimmy's mother. The feud escalates when, Jimmy steals money from Josie that was for the church collection. The family are alienated and are forced to collect the harvest by themselves, which is unsuccessful. Arthur is unable to pay back his bank loan and Josie offers to buy the farm, an offer which is inevitably rejected. Arthur goes to Josie home and if not for Jimmy's pleas would have murdered him with a pitchfork. On the way home he runs in to the army and is "accidentally" shot. Catherine and Jimmy leave for America.
On return to Ireland, Jimmy encounters Josie who informs him that he did actually buy the farm but it is left to Jimmy in his will.