The Public and Private Michael

Michael’s public ideals, private appetites and concealed family life resist Cushla’s attempts to understand what kind of man she loved.

increasingBearing stren­gth in each eventdecreasing

The Cultivated Barrister

The Cultivated Barrister A commanding presence Michael talks about theatre, film and legal work with the ease of someone accustomed to being heard. Cushla finds his manners and knowledge compelling. Attraction and imbalance His age, education and status distinguish him from the men around her. Cushla’s admiration grows alongside the risk that she is falling for an image he controls.

A Man of Political Convictions

A Man of Political Convictions Defending unpopular clients Michael argues against internment and the unequal court system. He sees legal representation as an obligation rather than an endorsement of the accused. Conviction with consequences His principles estrange him from Victor and increase his exposure to political enemies. Cushla admires his reasonableness but does not yet grasp the danger attached to it.

The Lover’s Ordinary Habits

The Lover’s Ordinary Habits Details of the domestic man Cushla sees Michael make tea, prepare food, read newspapers and care for small comforts. He speaks of his childhood and the boy who died at school. Vulnerability glimpsed These details make him more than the polished barrister or lover. They deepen Cushla’s attachment, while leaving the central fact of his marriage largely outside their conversations.

The Man Who Drinks and Hides

The Man Who Drinks and Hides Signs of strain Michael drinks heavily, watches the street and becomes increasingly preoccupied. Cushla notices his behaviour but has difficulty separating it from the drinking she knows at home. A private danger His composure has concealed fear and exhaustion. Cushla sees the signs without understanding that political threats and professional pressure may be closing in.

An Unfinished Portrait

An Unfinished Portrait The body remembered Cushla identifies the details of Michael’s body in the sculpture, especially the shoulder he injured. The image returns the physical man she loved without restoring his voice or character. Many versions remain Public advocate, unfaithful husband, attentive lover and murdered body coexist. Cushla can recognize them all without reaching a single definitive account of who he was.

February 1975, during their first conversation

Spring 1975, during conversations about the courts

Spring 1975, during mornings at Michael’s flat

Early summer 1975, after Victor warns Cushla

2015, as Cushla and Davy study the sculpture