It's 1848. The O'Mally family are about to board the ship 
that will take them to their new life in New Brunswick.

The scene opens at the quay. There is a hustle and bustle 
of people ready to board the ship. There is a line-up and 
a gentleman in a suit checking on the people (a medical 
examiner) before they board. He has two rough looking men 
standing beside him. 

Patrick, Molly, Ma and Danny are standing with their 
stuff. 

MOLLY
Come on Ma, we have to be checked by the medical examiner 
before we board.

MA
I’m not having no man poking and prodding me before I 
board a ship I don’t want to board, to go to a place I 
have no interest in going to. 

MOLLY
They have to check for cholera and the typhoid Ma.

Just then a commotion is heard. The examiner checks a 
man and his family.

EXAMINER
No!

MAN
What! But we’re not sick! We’re not sick I tell you! 
Please. . . 

The examiner motions to the two men who drag the man 
and his wife away. 

EXAMINER
	(Oblivious to the pleading)
Next!

MAN
We’ve paid our money for the trip, We have saved for two 
years, we have nothing left, you have to let us go! 

The men drop him away from the line, his sobbing wife 
drops to his side.

MAN
Please!. . Please!. . .Oh God!. . 
	(they both weep)

MOLLY
Oh dear Patrick. . . 

She is about to approach them when Patrick stops her.

PATRICK
No, Molly, they’re sick, stay away from them. 

There is another man standing close by and hears this. 

MAN 2
They ain’t sick, just poor. 

PATRICK
What do you mean?

MAN 2
Watch. . . 

They watch another family approach the examiner. He is 
checking the two children and as he checks the man’s 
throat, the man discreetly slips him some money. The 
examiner checks the amount quickly, slips it into his 
pocket and then signs the paper.

EXAMINER
Yes for three! 

The two men stand aside and let them board. 

MAN 2
Did you catch that?

PATRICK
	(shocked)
The scoundrel’s taking a bribe!

MAN
No bribe, no board. 

MA
Well, that rules me out, I’m broke. Come on! 

She goes to leave but is stopped by Molly.

MOLLY
MA! Patrick, what are we going to do? We don’t have a 
piece of spare copper between us. 

DANNY
We shouldn’t have to, this is wrong and I’m gonna. . . .

Danny goes to speak to the Examiner, the man stops him.

MAN
If you intend to board that ship I wouldn’t do that 
sonny.

PATRICK
He’s right Dan. . . .

During this another family with four kids (six altogether) 
are being examined. The father hands a bribe to the 
examiner. He nods at the men who stand aside to start to 
let them board.

EXAMINER
Yes. . .  .for five.

They stop the last child, a young girl of around seven 
from boarding. The father stops and turns to the examiner.

FATHER
Wait! She’s with us, that’s our daughter. Erin.

ERIN
Daddy!

EXAMINER
	(Ignoring the plea’s)
Next!

FATHER
What are you doing! Stop. . . 

The examiner directs his henchmen to sort it out. They hit 
the father over his head knocking him out. Others come 
along and carry him onto the ship. They also drag the 
girl’s crying mother with him.

MOTHER
Erin! No, please, my little girl. . .

ERIN
Mommy. . . 

She goes over to the line up of people to plead her case 
but they turn away not wanting to jeopardize their own 
chances. 

ERIN (CONT’D)
Help me. . .please. . .please. . 

One of her brothers stands on the boarding gangplank 
looking at her. He raises his hand and waves a gentle 
wave at her, she waves back as he disappears from view. 
She walks away and leans against a wall, she slides down 
it and buries her head. 

MOLLY
Oh Patrick, we must help her. 

PATRICK
No Mol, look around you, are we to help them all?

Molly looks around and sees lots of people begging and 
lying under rags. Some are crying, some look lost and 
hungry, some don’t move at all.  


PATRICK (CONT’D)
We have to think about us now, or that will be us. I’ll 
have to give the examiner the money we were to live on 
when we get to Canada. 

MOLLY
No Pat, what’s the use of going to Canada if we are to die 
of starvation when we get there. 

MA
My sentiments exactly! 

MOLLY
	(taking off her ring)
Here.

PATRICK
No Mol, not your ring.

MOLLY
Yes Patrick! You’ll give him this and we’ll speak no more 
of it. 
	(she puts it in his hand)
Danny, where’s Kathleen? The ships about to sail?

DANNY
I don’t know, she was supposed to be here an hour ago. You 
get in line I’ll join you as soon as she gets here. 

PATRICK.
Alright, come on Ma.

MA
I will not! I am not going anywhere without Danny. 
	(she sits in defiance)

DANNY
Go Dad, we’ll bring Gran with us. You better see if he’ll 
take that ring. 

PATRICK
Come on Mol.

MOLLY
Danny. . . . 

DANNY
It’ll be alright Ma, I promise.

By this time the line up is almost gone. Molly goes to the 
examiner and he checks her out quickly. Patrick walks up 
and hands him the ring. 

EXAMINER
How many?

PATRICK
Five. Him over there,
	(pointing to Danny)
the woman sitting next to him and a girl.

The examiner bites the ring to see if it’s real. He grins 
and puts it in his pocket.

EXAMINER
Yes for five. 

One of the henchmen writes it down. Patrick and Molly board 
the ship. Shawn arrives in a hurry.

SHAWN
Danny, I thought I’d missed you.

They shake hands.

DANNY
No, I’m waiting for Kathleen, she’s late. 

SHAWN
Danny. . . 

DANNY
I don’t know why, she knows we sail at eleven.

SHAWN
Dan. . . . .it’s about Kathleen.

DANNY
What is it Shawn?

SHAWN
She ain’t coming.

DANNY
What are you talking about? Of course she’s coming
	(he goes up to Shawn and grabs him)
You’re lying!
 
SHAWN
No Dan, she’s not coming. I think she told her father 
and. . . .

DANNY
Why would she do that? She promised me she wouldn’t say 
anything.
	(he starts to leave)
I’m going to get her.

SHAWN
Dan! It’s four miles from here. You’ll miss the ship, it’s 
about to leave dock. Besides her dad will never let her go. 

DANNY
Why! Why is this happening? I can’t leave Ireland without 
her. 

SHAWN
She told me to tell you to write to her, she said she’ll 
follow you in a few weeks once her father had settled down. 

DANNY
I can’t do it, I can’t go without her.

The sound of the ship’s horn is heard. Molly appears on the 
deck from the ship.

MOLLY
Danny, come on, you’re going to miss the ship. 

DANNY
But mom, Kathleen’s not here, she said she’s not coming.

MOLLY
Oh Danny.

SONG 5 Moment In Time.

About the torment that Danny feels with chorus’s from 
Molly, Shawn, and Ma and the little girl Erin.

HENCHMAN
Three more to board, you’d better hurry.


SHAWN
Go Dan, Kathleen will follow soon.

DANNY
	(Going over to Shawn, grabbing him again)
Promise me Shawn, promise me you’ll get Kathleen on the next 
ship.

SHAWN
I promise Dan, but send the letter to me in case her 
father sees it. I’ll make sure she gets it and writes 
back. Now go!

DANNY
	(Lost and confused)
Come on Gran.

The little girl Erin gets up and watches them. Danny 
helps Gran up to the examiner. He goes first and they 
pass him. Then he is about to check Ma.

MA
Young man, prod me with that thing (oral stick) and a 
disease will be the least of your ailments! 

He decides not to check her and motions the henchmen to 
let her by. 

EXAMINER
Where’s the other? There’s supposed to be a third, a 
girl.

DANNY
Oh, there’s no. . . 

MA
	(cutting him off)
Oh yes, Erin! Come here young lady, 

Little Erin suddenly realizes that she means her and 
rushes to her side. The Examiner who doesn’t notice 
anything except what is important to him checks her mouth 
and her glands and allows her to go past. Ma holds her 
hand.

MA
We almost left without you dear. 

ERIN
Sorry Grandma.

The examiner and henchmen walk away. The girls mother 
rushes down the gangplank to hug her daughter. They all 
walk up but Danny, he stands looking out to Shawn, raises 
his hand and waves goodbye.