The Informer · Chapter
Chapter X explained
Bartly Mulholland searches for Gypo Nolan, visiting Biddy Burke's kitchen and later tracking him to a brothel where he finds Gypo with Connemara Maggie.
What happens
Bartly Mulholland searches for Gypo Nolan, visiting Biddy Burke's kitchen and later tracking him to a brothel where he finds Gypo with Connemara Maggie. Mulholland, under orders from Commandant Dan Gallagher, forces Gypo to come with him. Gypo gives money to Maggie for Katie Fox before leaving. Meanwhile, the community reacts with suspicion and tension, and Mulholland reflects on his dedication to the revolutionary cause and the personal sacrifices it entails.
Themes in this chapter
Loyalty and Comradeship
Mulholland's dedication to the 'cause' and the Organization is central, as he risks his life to find Gypo and enforce orders.
Class Struggle and Poverty
The squalid living conditions, the characters' economic struggles, and Mulholland's vision of a workers' republic highlight class conflict.
Guilt and Paranoia
Mulholland's fear of the Organization's retribution and the community's suspicious atmosphere reflect pervasive guilt and paranoia.
Characters to notice
- Bartly Mulholland
Searches for Gypo Nolan, reflects on his commitment to the Irish Workers' Republic and worries about his family.
- Biddy Burke
Reluctantly speaks with Mulholland, denies seeing Gypo, and complains about the state of the country.
- Gypo Nolan
Found by Mulholland in a brothel with Connemara Maggie; reluctantly agrees to follow Mulholland's orders.
- Maggie
Tends to Gypo in the brothel, receives money from him, and delivers a pound note to Katie Fox.
- Katie Fox
Bursts into Biddy Burke's, angry about Gypo and Maggie; later receives a pound note from Maggie.
Key passages
“If he could not find Gypo and anything serious happened to himself as a result, what would become of his wife and his six young children?”
Mulholland worries that if he fails to locate Gypo and is harmed, his wife and six children will be left without support.
Reveals Mulholland's personal stakes and the tension between his revolutionary duty and family responsibilities.
“It's not me orders. It's the Commandant's orders, an' ye better be careful about disobeyin' them.”
Mulholland warns Gypo that the command comes from Commandant Gallagher, not from him personally, and that defiance carries serious consequences.
Emphasizes the hierarchical authority within the revolutionary organization and the threat of punishment.
“Don't take it, Katie. It's blood money,”
Someone in the crowd urges Katie Fox not to accept the money from Gypo, implying it is tainted by betrayal.
Highlights the community's condemnation of informers and the moral stigma attached to Gypo's actions.