The Wind That Shakes the Barley

As Damien O'Donovan (no actor name provided) stands poised to depart his native County Cork, Ireland, in 1920, the echoes of violence and unrest still linger. His brother Teddy, a commanding force in the Irish Republican Army's flying column, has just witnessed the brutal summary execution of their friend Micheál Ó Súilleabháin, who refused to yield to British demands. Though shaken, Damien resists the pleas of his friends to remain and join the IRA, convinced that the war is ultimately unwinnable. Yet, as he prepares to leave, he bears witness to the futile attempts by British forces to intimidate a railway personnel, refusing to permit troops to board. This poignant display of defiance sparks a change within Damien, who decides to stay and throws in his lot with Teddy's IRA brigade.

Under Teddy's leadership, the column embarks on a series of daring raids, including the acquisition of revolvers from the Royal Irish Constabulary barracks and the subsequent assassination of four Auxiliaries. However, their triumph is short-lived, as Anglo-Irish landowner Sir John Hamilton coerces one of his servants, Chris Reilly (no actor name provided), into betraying the IRA's trust by passing information to British Intelligence Corps. This treachery ultimately leads to the arrest of the entire brigade.

As Damien and his comrades languish in their cells, they find solace in the shared socialist ideals of Dan, a union official and train driver who is also an IRA member. Meanwhile, Teddy faces brutal interrogation at the hands of British officers, who resort to torture when he refuses to reveal the identities of his fellow fighters. Johnny Gogan, a British soldier with Irish heritage, takes pity on the prisoners and orchestrates their escape, though three are left behind.

The consequences of Chris's betrayal soon become apparent as Sir John and the IRA hostages meet a tragic fate at the hands of their captors. As Damien assumes temporary command in Teddy's absence, news arrives that the remaining three prisoners have been brutally tortured and executed. In response, the IRA receives orders to execute the spies, leading Damien to make a devastating decision that will haunt him forever.

The war rages on, with the IRA ambushing and wiping out an Auxiliary Division convoy. In retaliation, the Auxiliaries wreak havoc on Damien's sweetheart Sinéad Sullivan (no actor name provided), a Cumann na mBan member, by looting and burning her farmhouse. As Damien tends to Sinéad's wounds, a messenger arrives with news of a formal ceasefire between Britain and the IRA, casting a somber shadow over the conflict.

As the Anglo-Irish Treaty's provisions become clear, the brigade fractures over the terms of surrender. Teddy and his loyalists advocate for immediate peace, believing that subsequent gains can be made through pragmatic concessions. Conversely, opponents of the Treaty insist on continuing the struggle, aiming to establish a unified Irish Republic. Dan and Damien take an even more radical stance, demanding the collectivization of industry and agriculture, warning that any other course will merely alter the accents of power and the color of the flag.

The Irish Free State replaces British rule, and Teddy's allies don National Army uniforms while patrolling the streets. Meanwhile, Damien and his comrades join the Anti-Treaty IRA, setting the stage for the impending Irish Civil War. When hostilities erupt, the Anti-Treaty column launches a guerrilla war against Free State forces, escalating violence across the land. As tensions rise, Teddy expresses deep-seated fears that British intervention will be triggered if republicans gain the upper hand, declaring, "They take one out, we take one back. To hell with the courts."

In the aftermath of Dan's tragic death and Damien's capture during a botched arms raid on an Irish Army barracks led by Teddy, the latter pleads with his brother to reveal the Anti-Treaty IRA's hideout in exchange for full amnesty, a life with Sinéad, and a vision of Ireland where Pro- and Anti-Treaty Irishmen can coexist. Damien, however, is outraged by the suggestion, likening it to Chris Reilly's betrayal, and Teddy exits the cell in tears. In his final letter to Sinéad, Damien writes of his love for her, quoting Dan's wisdom: "It's easy to know what you're against, quite another to know what you're for." He confesses that he knows what he stands for and is willing to die for it, leaving Sinéad with the task of protecting Teddy. As the sun rises on Damien's final day, he meets his fate before a firing squad commanded by the heartbroken yet resolute Teddy.

Upon receiving Damien's letter, Sinéad is consumed by grief and anger, demanding that Teddy leave her land.