Shooting Victims in the Eye Motif
Largely because of Mairead's cruel and violent personality much of the violence seems to result in her victims being shot in the eye. She shoots her brother in the cheek but it is possible she was aiming at his eye and missed. She has previously shot out the eyes of twenty cows that she must have killed, as an act of terrorism against the agricultural industry. She also shoot Christy, Brendan and Joey through the eyes.
Cat Lovers Motif
According to Padraic, if someone shows love for a cat, they are a good person. This is why he releases James without torturing him further, and gives him his bus fare by way of an apology - James clearly loves his pet cat, which makes Padraic see him in a more favorable light. Padraic loves Wee Thomas in a way that he is incapable of loving a person; his cat is the only life that actually matters to him other than his own. This sentiment is shared by Mairead, who ends up killing Padraic, the man she loves, because she realizes that he has killed her beloved cat.
Eye Patch Symbol
Christy's eye patch is a symbol of the attempt that Padraic made on his life and also a constant symbol to Christy of the need to make Padraic pay for this. It is a symbol of revenge when he accepts the task of assassinating Padraic.
Religious Affiliation Symbol
Padraic is torturing James because he has sold drugs to Catholic school kids. This is a symbol of the enormous religious divide in Northern Ireland that is at the root of the violence and the political instability there. Padraic does not care about the Protestant kids to whom James has sold drugs because he does not believe that their lives are worth worrying about. This religious statement made by one person is symbolic of the way in which each religion views the other and the division it causes.
Using Christy's Corpse as a Seat Symbol
After he has murdered his three would-be assassins, Padraic uses the mutilated corpse of Christy as a seat whilst he holds his cat close to him. This action symbolizes his complete disregard for the value of human life. He does not care at all about Christy or the life that he has taken. Christy's corpse is furniture to him.
