The Trick of the Ga Bolga: Analysis of Major Characters
"The Trick of the Ga Bolga: Analysis of Major Characters" delves into the complex lives of several characters intertwined in the rural setting of County Donegal, Ireland, against the backdrop of World War II. Central to the narrative is Rufus George Coote, an English expatriate grappling with his identity and perceived role in the village. Despite his efforts to integrate, he ultimately recognizes his status as an outsider. The story also explores the turbulent dynamics between Coote and his neighbors, including Hugh "The Proker" Donnelly, who harbors a long-standing feud with another neighbor, Manus "Salmo" Byrne, a gentle giant who finds himself wrongfully imprisoned for Proker's death.
Imelda McMackin, a seductive and manipulative figure, complicates Coote's life further, leading to tragic consequences involving her family members, including Denis McMackin, who ultimately kills Coote. Other key characters, such as the insightful Father McNullis and the well-meaning yet bumbling Sergeant Blowick, add layers of social commentary and humor to the narrative. Themes of alienation, the burdens of guilt, and the intertwining of personal and communal histories emerge through these characters, making it a rich exploration of human relationships and the complexities of rural life.
The Trick of the Ga Bolga: Analysis of Major Characters
Author: Patrick McGinley
First published: 1985
Genre: Novel
Locale: Garaross, County Donegal, Ireland
Plot: Detective and mystery
Time: 1942–1943
Rufus George Coote, an English expatriate and engineer, a thirty-year-old man with prematurely gray hair and a black beard. He has purchased a farm in the remote village of Garaross in County Donegal, Ireland, to wait out World War II. Ironically, he bears the name of one of Oliver Cromwell's generals and believes that he is living a double existence without control of his destiny. After several sexual affairs and minor social triumphs, he believes that he has become an integral part of the village life. In death, however, he learns that he has always been an outsider, both to himself and to others.
Hugh “The Proker” Donnelly, a farmer and one of Coote's neighbors. Tall and thin, with an odd, permanently closed eye, he constantly feuds with Salmo and vows revenge for the death of his dog. The original source of his quarrel with Salmo dates to their teens, when they both desired and lost the affections of a village girl. When he believes that Coote is trying to take advantage of him, he provokes a fight and is killed inadvertently. Coote arranges his corpse to appear like the remains of some strange mystery.
Manus “Salmo” Byrne, another bachelor neighbor, with a bald, egg-shaped head fringed by fair, curly hair. Although he is large and imposing, he is actually a gentle soul who enjoys lying in a field simply observing nature. Arrested and jailed for Proker's murder, he is innocent but feels oddly responsible for having wished the man dead. Once in jail, he deteriorates markedly, putting up no defense and wishing for his death. He has prescient powers and predicts the nature of Coote's eventual demise.
Imelda McMackin, another neighbor. She is large, buxom, and sensual; she seduces Coote, who is overwhelmed by her sexuality. Although he is warned to avoid her, Coote succumbs to her schemes. She operates as a quietly malevolent force in the village world.
Denis McMackin, a soldier in Africa who suffers from nervous exhaustion and is sent home. He is tall and heavy, with a pallid, triangular face topped with thick, curly hair. He takes an instant dislike to Coote and repeatedly attempts to provoke him. At the novel's close, he kills Coote for kissing his daughter.
Helen McMackin, a bony child with red hair, wide eyes, and taut, pale skin. Her appearance is often referred to as otherworldly. Coote saves her from drowning, and the solitary child visits his farm to sweep his floor and listen to stories. When he affectionately kisses her, however, she is horrified, runs out of the house, and is drowned in bog water. Coote soon learns from her father that her parents have never kissed her.
Consolata O'Gara, another neighbor who takes an interest in Coote. Twenty-six years old, pleasant looking, and commonsensical, she becomes Coote's lover and boon companion. One night, she inadvertently finds him with Imelda and then hangs herself without explanation. She warns Coote against involvement with the McMackins.
Master “Timideen” O'Gara, a retired schoolmaster. He is a short, thin man with a flat head. He is intent on marrying his daughter to a man of substance. Garrulous and agreeable, he befriends Coote and seriously misleads him with a spurious account of the trick of the Ga Bolga, a tale with origins in Irish mythology.
Father McNullis, the village priest. Short, jowly, roundheaded, and gray-haired, he has a narrow body and a self-confident manner. With the three hundred pounds that he finds on a corpse, he finances the building of a bridge, which he persuades Coote to engineer. As their unlikely friendship grows, Coote confesses to killing Donnelly, but Father McNullis refuses to believe him. Although initially he appears to be an unscrupulous schemer, the priest is actually wise and understanding of human fallibility.
Sergeant Blowick, the village policeman. He is a tall, thin man obsessed with the disappearance of his official caps. When he finds one on the Proker's corpse, he is convinced that it is incriminating evidence of Salmo's guilt, despite Coote's confession. Although well-intentioned, he is largely ineffectual and comical.