91�ȱ�

As the next act opens we see that the apartment is decorated gaudily with new furniture, pictures and ornaments. Boyle has borrowed a lot of money on the strength of riches he’s yet to receive and gone on a spending spree.

The Boyles celebrate with a party and invite the solicitor Charles Bentham, who is now going out with Mary. Joxer is present, despite Jack’s promises to Juno in the previous act to break off contact with him.

Maisie Madigan, a neighbour, comes to the party too and there is a jovial scene of banter and singing.

The party is interrupted

Jack is just about to put on the new gramophone that he has bought with his borrowed wealth, but the tone becomes more sombre when the funeral procession of Mrs Tancred’s murdered son Robbie descends the stairs outside the Boyle residence.

Mary opens the door and Mrs Tancred enters, distraught at her son's death. Jack is clearly unsympathetic and Juno - while sympathetic to Mrs Tancred’s plight - says that Mrs Tancred brought on quite a lot of her own misery by allowing her home to be used by the IRA.

Johnny is upset

During a discussion about religion and death Johnny loses control again and seems to have some kind of nervous episode. Juno calms him down with a glass of whiskey.

The act closes with a young man turning up to summon Johnny to a Battalion Staff meeting. Johnny "passionately" pleads that he does not want to go but is told that he has to go and that "no man can do enough for Ireland".