At Swim-Two-Birds

Lamont interrupts Finn’s story to ask why Sweeny jumps everywhere. Shanahan explains that because of the priest’s curse, “your man becomes a bloody bird” (70). The characters discuss how the Irish people have long been renowned for their ability to jump. Lamont describes Sergeant Craddock, who was a famed long jumper. Craddock first jumped a great distance in the Gaelic League Sports competition to prove that he was not an English spy. A man named Bagenal was the champion jumper in all of Ireland, but Craddock beat him. Finn returns to his story and describes the death of Mad Sweeny.

The student’s writing is interrupted by the arrival of his uncle, accompanied by “an elderly man of slight build” (77) named Mr. Corcoran. When the student’s uncle criticizes his nephew’s laziness, Corcoran complains about his fussy, studious son Tom. The uncle quizzes the student on religious matters; Corcoran interrupts them by revealing that he has brought a gramophone with him. Corcoran and the uncle set up the gramophone and play records. Corcoran sneezes and, as the student’s uncle helps Corcoran clean the “mucous discharge” (79) from the front of his suit, the student collects his papers and goes to his bedroom.