A group of young men and women in Dublin in 1916 are embroiled in a fight for independence during the Easter Rising. The story begins with the outbreak of World War I. As expectations of a short and glorious campaign are dashed, social stability is eroded and Irish nationalism comes to the fore. The tumultuous events that follow are seen through the eyes of a group of friends from Dublin, Belfast and London as they play vital and conflicting roles in the narrative of Ireland's independence.
Max buys a rundown hotel by the sea, a final attempt to make a new life. Frank, his son and proud soldier comes to visit, secretly hoping to share Max's dream but finds his father in a more decrepit state than the hotel.
