Set in 1950’s county Tyrone, the story revolves around 10 year old Barry O’Neill, a young dreamer and his relationship with his belief in the church. Taken by the local priest to visit a grotto to the Virgin Mary in the next parish the priest returns and lectures his congregation for their failure to erect a similar grotto in their parish.
The boy then meets a man hiding in a barn who he takes to be the Good Thief Barabbas from the bible.
The B- Specials are operating in the area and a neighbours house is raided as they search for a man who is in the IRA. It is revealed that the man Barry thinks to be the good thief is the IRA man. Barry tells the priest that he has spoken to the good thief and the virgin. Barry is taken for a prophet and the priest manages to have the grotto built.