Cal McCluskey
Cal is the eponymous main character in the novel. He is a shiftless young man who has limited opportunities for work and no qualifications that might propel him forward. He is offered work at the slaughterhouse where his father works, but says he does not have the stomach for it. Cal has not yet found his place in life, and in his unemployment, spends most of his days in his bedroom, fantasizing and chain smoking. As the lone Catholics in a Protestant area, he and his father Shamie stand out like a sore thumb and are constantly on guard for the looming threat of the UVF, who eventually burn down their house.
With a lack of direction, Cal has made himself susceptible to the seductions of his former classmate Crilly, who is now a proud IRA warrior. Crilly is constantly beckoning Cal to become more involved in the Republican force with a superficial friendliness that actually masks a more sinister demand for loyalty. But Cal, unlike the other lads in the movement, has no real desire to defend his nation or enact vengeance; he has a dislike of violence and even at times a moral objection to the senseless murders they commit. His participation rather comes from a combination of peer pressure and a characteristic weakness that prohibits him from standing up for what he knows to be right. Furthermore, as a constant target of Loyalist wrath, Cal increasingly sees the IRA objectives as the only road left for him to retain his life and his dignity.
Although Cal only helps out the movement as a driver, he ended up being an accomplice to the murder of a Protestant policeman a year before. In the present of the novel, Cal becomes obsessed with the officer's widow, a young woman named Marcella Morton. Love and guilt are mixed together as Cal pursues Marcella while simultaneously knowing that his past "sin" will prevent any true union from taking place. Throughout the book, Cal's inner monologue is notably directed towards issues of sin, suffering, and redemption, and the reason for this focus become clearer as Cal's grisly past is revealed more and more. Like the adulation of Christ suffering on the cross as displayed by Marcella, Cal almost seems to have a masochistic obsession with his own pain, as evident in the way he goes after the one woman who is completely off limits to him. In this way, Cal tries to wrestle with his own deep shame for his mistakes.
Enough ambiguity is left in the novel so the reader may be her own judge of Cal's character. At the same time, there is a distinct contrast made between the protagonist and the other men, such as Crilly and Skeffington, who seem to hold very little remorse for their violence, constantly justifying it as righteous actions against the wicked. Cal knows what he has done is wrong, but his problem lies more in his cluelessness in how to proceed despite this and how to find not only forgiveness from others but also more deeply, from himself.
Marcella Morton
Marcella is an Italian-Irish woman in her late 20s and the love interest of Cal. Although she is Catholic, she married an Ulster Protestant who was killed, unbeknownst to her, by Crilly and Cal. Since her husband's murder, she has lived with her young daughter Lucy in her parents-in-law's farmhouse. Her home life is lonely and unfulfilling and so she takes up work at the local library, anxious for contact with the outside world. It is here that she meets Cal. It is an odd pairing, but she is so desperate for some connection outside of the Morton family that she eventually consents to a relationship with him. She is also eager to open her heart following not just a personal tragedy but also a very unhappy marriage where she was bound to an unfaithful and dishonest man. Marcella has no idea that it is Cal who murdered her husband and cannot understand violence in general, or the need that those around her seem to have to harm each other. The story ends abruptly before the reader may witness her reaction to finding out the truth.
In many ways, the reader doesn't get to know Marcella deeply until the last couple of chapters in the book. Before she and Cal come together, we mostly see Marcella through the love-struck and obsessed eyes of Cal, who often spies on her and projects a fantasy image on the woman. For instance, after actually getting to know Marcella, Cal is surprised to find she is talkative and funny, after having imagined her to be shy. When Marcella at last gives herself sexually to Cal, he is simultaneously elated and deeply saddened to know that the relationship will never fully flourish given his past actions.
Shamie McCluskey
Shamie is Cal's father. He was widowed when his son was only 8 years old and has struggled as a single parent. He is portrayed as a working-class Catholic who spends his days at the abattoir and his nights watching television and recovering from this grueling work. He has no affiliation with the IRA but is the unfortunate victim of his circumstances as one of the lone Catholics in a Protestant neighborhood. Cal's involvement on the fringes of the movement also results in Shamie becoming more sucked into the violence, pushing him to get a gun to keep at home for safety. Both Shamie and Cal live in a constant state of fear and paranoia about the Loyalist threat—until at last, their house is burned down and they lose all their belongings. Shamie never truly recovers from this shocking incident and is forced to live with a family member. He becomes so depressed that he stops working and is eventually institutionalized to receive shock therapy. As a somewhat peripheral character, Shamie's presence in the story more serves to illustrate how the troubles of this time in Ireland broke apart families and ruined lives, even for those individuals not directly involved in the violence.
Crilly
Crilly is Cal's key contact within the IRA and a dedicated follower of the movement. Crilly reports to his own higher-up, Skeffington. Crilly, unlike Cal, shows little regret in the violence he commits and instead frequently justifies it as righteous vengeance against what he believes to be the evil Loyalists. Cal and Crilly were former schoolmates, and even as a boy Crilly was known for being a merciless bully. Throughout the story, Crilly puts pressure on Cal to rejoin the movement despite Cal's resistance.
Finbar Skeffington
Skeffington is a member of the IRA who gives orders to Crilly and Cal. He believes himself to be a proud Irish patriot and a nationalist, whose goal is to bring about an independent and united Ireland. As a school teacher from an upper-class Catholic family, Skeffington doesn't fall into the working-class stereotype of the movement. Unlike Crilly, who has a prior connection with Cal, Skeffington is more distrusting of Cal and constantly demands loyalty to his organization.
Mr. and Mrs. Morton
The Mortons were the parents of Robert, Marcella's husband. They are a Protestant family who are relatively wealthy, yet have their share of issues; Mrs. Morton has Parkinson's disease, while Mr. Morton is still recovering from being shot the same night Robert was murdered. Since Robert's death, Marcella has continued to live on their farm with her daughter. Mrs. Morton offers a job to Cal, despite him being a Catholic. Although she often speaks in a curt way, she displays kindness to Cal in this regard. She also allows Cal to stay in the cottage on their property, even after he is caught squatting there. Marcella frequently complains about the Mortons to Cal, as she feels trapped living with the grieving and troubled couple.
Dermot Ryan
Dermot Ryan is the cousin of Shamie. He houses Shamie after the McCluskey house is burned down by the UVF. He takes care of Shamie as the man spirals into a depression.
Cyril Dunlop
Cyril Dunlop is a Protestant man who works on the Mortons' farm. After Cal is hired by Mrs. Morton, Cyril becomes Cal's boss. He sometimes abuses his position of authority and enjoys ordering Cal around. At the same time, he can be sympathetic to Cal's struggles, such as when his house is burnt down. This is partly due to him being an acquaintance of Shamie, Cal's father.
Robert Morton
Robert Morton was the husband of Marcella and the police officer shot by Crilly with the help of Cal. He is not a character present in the story but he nevertheless greatly influences the plot. Cal's connection to Robert is what draws him to Marcella and his involvement in his murder haunts him with constant guilt. Towards the end of the story, Marcella reveals that her marriage to Robert was largely unhappy, as Robert was a pathological liar and cheater.
Cal's Mother
Cal's mother isn't a character in the present of the novel, having died when Cal was only 8 years old. She is brought up instead in various memories of Cal, who thinks of her often and quite fondly. For Cal, his mother exemplifies faith and perseverance, trying her best to help others even in the most trying of circumstances. The reader is also meant to infer that Cal feels bad about his recent actions, believing his mother would be ashamed of him.
