Touched by an Angel (1994–2003): Season 6, Episode 16 - Life Before Death - full transcript

After 30 years of bloodshed,

Northern Ireland finally has
a chance for a lasting peace.

The Good Friday
agreement represents

an historic opportunity

for Catholics and Protestants
to set aside their differences.

Until now, violence is something

our children have
become accustomed to.

At this delicate time
when anything can happen,

we are all holding our breath

and praying The
Troubles are finally over.

We know that even when
peace treaties are signed



and laws are changed,
there is no real change

without a change of heart.

This episode of Touched
by an Angel is dedicated

to the children of
Northern Ireland.

In their hearts lies the
key to a lasting peace.

I don't know, Tess.

- God...!
- Don't you say it, Charlie!

Don't you take His name in vain,

especially when
He's trying to help you.

I don't need no help. We're
almost done around here.

What?

Besides, Tess, I can't
afford to pay anybody,

let alone a bunch of kids
from Northern Ireland.

It's free.



What's the catch?

It's some kind of
peace project, and I bet

they're all Catholics
and Protestants

who hate each other, right?

Things are changing.

There's a new agreement,
and there's finally a chance

for real and lasting peace.

But these children have
never lived in peace.

So they won't know
how to hold onto it.

And you think bringing
'em all over here

to fix up my house
is gonna show 'em?

Well, miracles happen every day.

All you have to do is say yes.

It's a done deal. He'll do it.

It's all working
out. I knew it would.

Tess, have you ever
felt like the perfect angel

at the perfect time for
the perfect assignment?

No.

You have to admit, though,

that the Father
made a good match,

giving me a chance

to finally do something
for my beloved Ireland.

I prayed about
this for a long time.

Well, it's not going
to be easy, baby,

and there's something
else you should understand.

It might not even work.

Oh, but Tess, if
you knew the people,

if you'd ever been there.

I've been to Ireland.

It's very green and
they eat a lot of stew.

But I know how
special it is to you,

and so does the Father.

So you go ahead
and find those children.

The Father will show
you the right ones.

And I'll be here cooking.

♪♪

♪ When you walk ♪

♪ Down the road ♪

♪ Heavy burden ♪

♪ Heavy load ♪

♪ I will rise ♪

♪ And I will walk with you ♪

♪ I'll walk with you ♪

♪ Till the sun
don't even shine ♪

♪ Walk with you ♪

♪ Every time, I tell you ♪

♪ I'll walk with you ♪

♪ Walk with you ♪

♪ Believe me, I'll
walk with you. ♪

Tommy Doyle.

That's your name, isn't it?

What if it is?

I'm Monica. I'm
with Project Children.

Oh, yeah, Father
O'Malley told me about you.

We have an appointment
this afternoon at the church.

I'm sorry, I don't
think I can make that.

"Is there life after peace?"
That's an interesting question.

Maybe I could
help you answer it.

I have to go.

I'll see you this
afternoon, then?

I remember Tommy. I
was here to take his mother.

I was here to take his father.

He seems like an
angry young man.

He's gonna be the
hardest one to get.

Aye, but he's the
one that they'll follow.

But he's just one
leader from one side.

You're gonna need two.

I'd like to make it
perfectly clear, Monica,

that the church stands
ready to help anybody

on a mission of peace, you know.

Thank you, Father.

And I have arranged
the interviews,

but I can't
guarantee the results.

Even though we
have a peace deal,

the Catholic teens here
have never known anything

but war and persecution.

Naturally, we live in hope of
the Good Friday peace accord.

The Protestant
children still live in dread

of the Catholic mob.

That's because they don't
know anything different.

But I'm offering them a chance
to discover a new way to live.

You feel very strongly
about this, don't you, Monica?

I do, Reverend.

It's not me you need
to convince, it's them.

Go to America with
a load of Prods?

They're not Prods,
they're Protestants.

And you're a
Catholic, not a Taig,

and yes, that's exactly
what I'm proposing.

Then you must be daft.

They burnt us out of our house,

laughing while we ran.

We ended up five to a bed
in my grandmother's house.

My father still can't get a job.

We will never get
our own house back.

So what good is peace to me now?

Are you willing to find out?

I'll think about it.

Hey, Reverend,
I'm sorry we're late,

- but that meeting just let out.
- Mm-hmm.

It'll be a miracle if you
can get these two on board.

Monica, this is Angus
O'Neil and Ian Wexley.

-Hello. -Hi -Excuse me.

So we're going to America, then?

Perhaps.

Reverend Thompson tells
me that you're both members

of the Junior Orange Order.

Aye. It's a crucial
time for us, Monica.

You see, all this talk
about the peace deal,

we have to be ready
Ready for what?

Ready for the whole
thing to collapse, of course.

All it's gonna take is one
bomb, one stinking IRA murder.

When those dirty Taigs
strike, we are gonna be ready.

Dirty Taigs?

What I'm proposing is that
you go to America and work

side-by-side with
them and eat with them

and talk to them.

Do you think you can do that?

I don't walk on the same
side of the street with them.

But I would like
to go to America.

Aye.

When I was a kid, my
favorite game was playing riot.

We used tomato ketchup,
you know, for the blood.

God help the unpopular boys.

We always made them
play the British soldiers.

Just had no idea how fast
it would stop being a game.

See what that scar says?

"UVF"?

Ulster Volunteer Force.

Right-wing Protestants.

Nabbed me when I
was tanning the street

and cut me with a knife.

But don't worry, Monica.
The hand still works.

I remember walking
home from school one day

when I was a little girl.

And my friends started throwing
stones at some Catholics.

So I picked up a stone.

I found a really heavy one.

And then I picked out this boy.

I threw it at him hard.

He fell down and looked at me.

I'll never forget that look.

I started crying, and I
ran all the way home.

I told my mother what
happened, and you know what?

She was proud of me.

The sad truth is, Maggie,

that the children on both
sides have done terrible things,

and they don't know why
except that they've been taught

to hate each other.

So I'm asking, do you think
you could learn to stop hating?

Rose is a special case.
Very smart, natural leader.

Oh, good, I've been
looking for a leader.

She should have
gone to university,

but she was busy
taking care of her father,

and she failed her A levels.

Is her father in?

He's been in a
wheelchair for years.

Rose, this is Monica.

- Hello.
- Hello.

How's your father?

He's feeling better
today, thank you.

But I'm afraid we
had a bit of awry.

He wants me to go to America.

Says he won't date, if I don't,

the stubborn old thing.

Is your father stubborn, Monica?

Well, I wouldn't say
stubborn, but He's always right.

And in this case, I
believe yours is, too.

Tommy Doyle?

You're supposed to be over

at the church right
now, not reading poetry.

He wants to go to America.

Here, read the last part.

Read it out.

"Before the kite plunges
down into the wood,

"and this line goes useless,

"take in your two hands, boys,

"and feel the strumming,
rooted long-tailed pull of grief.

You were born fit for."

It's not what you were born for.

I'm so tired of
that grief, Tommy.

It's why I want you
to go to America.

And that's why I handed in
my resignation, so to speak.

You resigned from the IRA?

I did.

They won't let you out, Gavin.

Oh, but they did.

Colin O'Reilly even
helped me find a job.

You have a real job?

Over at Gasworks.

Things are changing,
little brother.

You going soft?

Listen, a couple
of beggars in suits

signed a scrap of paper
that says things will get better,

and I want them to.

I'm tired of the blood, Tommy,

and you should be, too.

Gavin, I'm not going to...

Not another word.

I promised Ma and
Da I'd take care of you,

and I'm gonna do it.

And you'll go to America.

See how they live,

the Prods and
the Taigs together.

And you'll write me
some beautiful letters.

You've a touch
of the poet in you,

so there's no excuse.

I'll write you every day.

Welcome to America.

Here we are.

Andrew has your
room assignments,

so make sure you leave
nothing on the bus, okay?

They sat on opposite
sides of the bus

the entire way back
from the airport.

Oh, my. Hi, baby.

Welcome home.

Oh, yes.

Tess, you know, I really
think this is going to work.

Well, baby, getting them here

was the easy part,

but getting them to live
together is gonna be harder.

They're young and they're smart,

and they have so much in common.

Get down!

Yes, baby, I see.

They do.

It's all right, Annie.
Don't be afraid.

The bus backfired.

I thought it was a bomb.

It's just an old bus
with indigestion, Annie.

I want to go home.

You're safe here.

You are.

Come on. Come on.

Annie's parents were killed
by a car bomb last year.

They were on their way to Mass.

Are you okay?

Oh, it's nothing.

Here, let's have a look.

Can I have my hand back?

Rose, are you okay?

Yes, Angus.

Right, well, go over there.

Maggie's looking for you.

You take care of yours, and, uh,

I'm sure we'll
take care of ours.

All right, Tommy?

I can't believe that policeman
let me take his picture

at the airport.

Ah, imagine that.

A smiling policeman.

Do take your nose
out of that mirror

and have a look around you.

Where are the swimming pools?

It's not that kind
of neighborhood.

Must be a Catholic street.

Shame on you, Rose Larkin.

Making eyes at a Catholic boy?

I wasn't making eyes.

I don't care if there's
a peace treaty.

You still can't trust them.

Well, I'll tell you what.

See if they attack.

You stand behind me, and
I'll throw your camera at them.

Well, something tells me

you won't be throwing
nothing at the redhead.

What do you mean?

For God's sakes, Tommy,
I've known you for years.

Ever since we were kids,

throwing stones
at the bloody Brits.

So, don't tell me
you don't fancy

Rose the redhead.

Do you know what
I fancy right now?

What's that?

A wee meal.

Attention. I need
everybody's attention.

My name is Tess,

and I'm in charge of
the community center.

There will be no
smoking, no drinking,

no bad language,
no bad attitudes,

and no shenanigans.

Is that clear to everybody?

The correct answer
is "Yes, Miss Tess."

Yes, Miss Tess.

Good.

Now everybody
in the dining room,

because the food's getting cold.

Yes, Miss Tess.

So, uh, just come on in and
find your name, have a seat.

I think it would be nice if
we could say a blessing

every evening and each
of you could take a turn.

- Can I start?
- Well, wait now, hold on.

I will eat with you, but I'm not
gonna let you bless my food.

I'm not sitting here

- waiting for a prayer from a Prod.
- Not likely

we'll be listening to a bunch
of Catholic rantings either.

Well then, why don't we skip
the blessing and get tore in.

- The food's getting cold.
- Then it'll get cold.

We're not skipping the blessing.

Guys, can't we just...

Can't we just keep it simple?

Couldn't we just say
something grateful

without getting all religious

on each other?

Yeah. That's it;
just keep it simple.

Just the basics.

Won't we?

Hm, all right, then.

Thank you for... the food.

He says you're
welcome. Let's eat.

♪♪

Dad!

Dad! Dad!

♪♪

Daddy?

Daddy, they're
burning the house!

Oh. Hello.

Promised me brother
I'd write to him every day.

I made some tea.

Well, are you gonna offer me a
cup or you gonna throw it over?

Depends on your attitude.

Depends on my attitude?

Probably wouldn't get a bunch
of Protestants and Catholics

sitting praying together.

You're not a woman
to be messing with.

That I'm not, you
can be sure of that.

Your hands shaking?

Had a bad dream.

Is there any other kind?

So, Tommy, where do you live?

The markets.

You're joking!

I live right across the
road up the Raven Hill.

We're neighbors?

Imagine that.

I imagine a lot of things.

It's the only way I get by.

Well, then... imagine something.

About what?

Me.

You're terribly full of
yourself, aren't you?

Right now I'm only
full of one thing...

to say to the prettiest
girl I've ever seen.

Do you believe in
love at first sight?

No.

Ah.

Practical girl.

Irresistible.

A good Protestant girl
doesn't fall in love in a day.

What happened to you?

We're in America.

Anything can happen.

Top of the evening to you.

♪ ♪

Now, there's a picture of
the future if I ever saw one.

There's no shame
in being a binman.

Not for a Taig.

Hey, come on, that's enough!

That's enough! That's... enough.

I can't tell the Catholics
from the Protestants.

That's not really
something you can see.

But it's not just a
religious war, you know.

It's economic and cultural, too.

Back in Ireland, some
people wear different colors

to show their allegiance.

Just like gangs do here?

I suppose so.

Gangs are stupid, too.

♪♪

♪♪

♪♪

I'm glad you came.

It can't work, you know.

It always works when
two people are in love.

We're not in love.

We're in America.

Everything seems different here.

When we get back, Tommy,

there's no hope for two like us.

We're like... Romeo and Juliet.

They tried to love each other,

and they ended up dead.

But Shakespeare was a Brit.

Did you ever hear
the Irish version?

It all ends very, very
happily, of course.

But the beginning...

the beginning's
something quite special.

It begins with a kiss.

Like this.

Oh, I think you're
something grand, Rose.

You ever lie on your bed
when you were a wee girl,

with your pillow over your head

in the middle of the night,

trying to stop the sound
of the guns, and the...

and the screaming mothers
and their crying babies?

And wondered to yourself,
was there anything...

anything at all...

that's worth living
another day in that hell for?

Yes.

Yes.

And so did I.

What's wrong?

It's my father.

My father was paralyzed
when I was little.

He's been in a
wheelchair for years.

It's just been so long
since anyone held me.

Well, tell me about him.

Your Da.

Come on, we'll sit down.

It was ten years ago.

At Easter time, there
was a riot at Unity Flats.

I remember that.

That wasn't a riot, that was
a peaceful demonstration.

No.

My father was there.
He was a policeman.

He tried to keep order, but...

but somebody threw a
bomb, and then the people

- attacked the police, and...
- That's not how it happened.

The police opened
fire on the crowd.

That's a lie!

My father was there, too.

He led that demonstration.

Your father?

Tommy Doyle?

Dear God in Heaven.

You're that Doyle?

He was in the IRA. Your dad.

I wouldn't be surprised if
he threw the bomb himself!

The one that
paralyzed my father!

Nobody knows who
threw that bomb, Rose.

It was probably the
police themselves.

And then they arrest
my Da on bogus charges,

and take him away to prison.

Next time I saw him, my brother
was taking him home in a coffin.

So your brother's IRA, too?

That was the night he joined,
the night they arrested my Da.

He started a riot!

That's not the way I heard it.

Well, it's the way it happened.

My father wouldn't lie.

Well, neither would mine!

Your father's a terrorist!

My father was defending himself.

My father was
defending this country.

At least you still
have a father.

You didn't know about that?

No.

Well, people are
full of surprises.

I guess that's something they
needed to learn for themselves.

I didn't expect
them to fall in love.

I wanted leaders, not lovers.

Well, baby, the greatest
leaders in the world

won't be able to make peace work

unless it starts with love.

I know how much
you care about this.

I do!

And I know you have a plan,

and I know your plan

is all about stopping the hate.

Yes, it is.

But God's plan is about
getting the love started.

Now, which plan is
gonna work best, hmm?

It's just that my heart has been
breaking over this for so long,

and now that there's a chance,

I just want to do
everything I can.

Oh... but, honey, you
can't do everything.

Just do one thing.

Trust in God.

He knows how much
you care about that place.

Believe me, baby, He knows.

He knows.

Are you taking a break?

For a bit.

You've been working
hard, you deserve it.

I've been thinking about
taking a longer break, actually.

Might be going home early.

Why?

Did that Tommy Doyle
do something to you?

Shut up, Maggie.

I knew that boy'd be trouble.

Maybe you should go home.

You can leave if you
feel you must, Rose.

But I believe you came
here to accomplish something

that you haven't achieved yet.

I didn't say

it would be easy if
you came to America

and got to know the people
you thought were your enemies.

I don't want to know them.

I think you already know them.

Now comes the hard
part... Loving them anyway.

Would you excuse me?

Hello.

I wonder where Andrew is today.

Says he had to
go out on business.

I wonder what type
of business he's in

whenever he has no
time to see the likes of us.

Hello, are you even
listening to me?

You, stay away from Rose.

Get out of here, Angus,

I don't need any advice
from you today, okay?

Aye, well, you see,
it's not advice, Tommy.

That's a flat-out threat.

Dirty Taig.

That's it, you've been
asking for it all week.

Come on.

Angus, come down here.

Can't believe what I'm seeing.

Ceilidh band.

Thought you might be feeling
a bit homesick about now.

I'm doing all right.

And the chance to dance with
a beautiful girl wouldn't make

a bit of difference, would it?

I'm not a very good dancer.

I'm not asking you to
let them see you dance.

I'm asking you to let
them see you change.

Come on.

♪♪

What is it, Tess?

I have some very difficult news.

Something back home?

Yes.

Uh, Tommy, could I
speak to you for a minute?

You can talk to me here, Tess.

We're friends.

Well...

I-I-It's your brother, baby.

He's been killed.

Tommy, I'm so sorry.

Tommy?

Bloody murderers.

Baby, nobody
murdered your brother.

A gas main blew up in the
factory where he was working.

An explosion?

You mean, like a bomb?

Of course it's a bomb.

- It's Ireland.
- I was told

it was an accident.

That's the way
you always explain

the murder of a
Catholic, isn't it?

Tommy, please don't
jump to conclusions

till we know all the facts.

The fact is, Monica, we
all know what happened.

What are you talking about?

Gavin always says
they'd get him in the end.

Why, what did he do?

Oh, well, now I know what
stinks so badly around here.

Gone too far, Angus.

Uh-huh, smells
just like the IRA.

He quit all up whenever
the peace treaty came,

and now the Prods
have broken it.

How many did he kill
before he went all holy?

- Not enough.
- Go back to hell

where you belong and give
my regards to that brother of his.

- Tommy, she didn't mean that.
- Don't touch me. -Rose,

what's wrong with you?

How can you touch
that filthy Taig?

I'll go back to bury my brother.

- Then I'm going to bury you.
- Stop it,

stop it, stop it, stop it.

"Filthy Taig," "dirty Prod"?

"Kill a Catholic for the queen"?

"Shoot a Protestant for
Holy Mother Church"?

For the love of God,
please, I beg you to stop it.

Every one of you has lost
someone you love, I know that...

A father, a mother,
a cousin, a brother...

But the score will
never be even.

You'll kill him
because he killed her

and then they'll kill you
and it'll go on and on and on.

For as long as you're
keeping the score,

as long as you both
want to have the last word,

the last word will
never be spoken

and there will never be peace.

It's easy not to care
about the score, Monica,

when you're not
on the losing side.

At least we know now what
side you're on, don't we, Monica?

I know what you're thinking,

Tommy, but you're wrong.

I'm not a Protestant.

And I'm not a Catholic.

Well, then, whose
side are you on?

I'm on God's side.

That's the problem.

We're all on God's side.

Please.

Tommy.

You come with me.

Please everyone.

Nice peace while it lasted.

It was an accident.

What do you think
your father would say

if he saw you hanging
about that boy's neck?

Tommy's just lost his brother.

I don't have an ounce of
pity, and neither should you.

I love him, Maggie.

Rose?

Rose, Tommy's
packing for the funeral.

Tommy's leaving nigh?

His plane leaves
in a couple of hours.

I... I thought you might
want to say good-bye.

He'll be down in a minute.

She has nothing to say to him.

Rose.

Rose... you're my best friend.

Do you remember
when we were little girls,

and we used to
try and figure out

which was the boy
we loved the best?

I could never make up my
mind, but you'd always say,

"There's one way to tell.

Ask yourself, would
you die for him, Maggie?"

Do you remember that?

Well, I'm asking you now, Rose.

Would you die for him?

Because when your family

and your friends turn
their backs on you,

you might as well be dead.

♪♪

God save us all.

Peace is over.

So are we.

What was he like?

Your brother?

He was a great fella.

He was my best friend.

He was all I had left.

- Are you ready, Tommy?
- I was just

- saying good-bye.
- It can be

hard to say good-bye to
someone that you love.

Sometimes you don't
even get a chance

to say good-bye at all, huh?

That's true.

You never know
when death will come.

Aren't you glad then,
Tommy, that the the last words

you spoke to your
brother were words of love?

How would you know?

Do you believe in angels?

Sure.

And leprechauns.

Wee fairies, too.

I'm not speaking of fairytales.

I'm speaking of
messengers from God.

The one true God
who made you, Tommy.

And you, too, Rose.

The God in whose name too
much blood has been shed.

The God who is
tired of all of this.

The God who I serve.

Jesus, Mary and Joseph.

- I am -an angel.
- God

sent an angel... to us?

Why? What have we done?

Don't be afraid.

God loves you both so much.

But you have to listen.

Can you put away
the Catholic words

and the Protestant words,

and listen only to
the word of God?

Why would God
send an angel to you?

Because to every generation

the truth is born anew,

and with it comes
the promise of peace.

This is your time.

This is your chance.

I asked the Father,

I begged the Father
for the privilege

of sharing this time with you

because I love you, too.

Because I love peace

and because I love
Ireland so much.

Angels are not created
from human love,

but from a simple
whisper of the Father.

And when God
called me into being,

I lived an eternity
in his presence

until one day he told me
he had work for me to do,

and it was time to begin it.

And he sat me down

on the greenest
hi" I had ever seen...

where the first
mists of creation

still lingered in the valley.

And the oceans crashed
against ancient cliffs.

And the rich perfume of life
itself filled my every breath.

You see, the first
steps I ever took

were on the soil of Ireland.

It is the first place

I ever saw peace on earth.

The peace that was meant to be.

The peace that is meant to stay.

The peace that you
are meant to keep.

Us?

Tommy, your brother
was not murdered.

It was an accident.

And the peace there is in tact

unless someone like you,

someone still angry
and counting your dead

lashes out in revenge
one more time.

Well, then I won't.

Of course I won't.

Good.

But God wants more
from you, Tommy.

And you, too, Rose.

I know that there
is romantic love

that you feel for one another,

but there is other love, too.

And God is asking
you to put that love first.

The love that you share

for the country where
you both were born.

The love of the peace

that you've both been given.

And the love of the people,

all your brothers and sisters,

who sit on the same hill
and breathe the same air

and give thanks to the same God

for making them sons
and daughters of Ireland.

If you can do that,

if you can put away
the pointing of fingers,

and the speaking of wickedness,

and the doing of evil,

then God will make you strong

and make your love stronger.

Then you will raise up
the broken foundations

and be called the
repairers of the breach.

The restorers of the streets

where the children
of Ireland dwell.

Will you do it?

The love and the peace
that you have found here...

will you leave it behind,

or will you take
it home with you?

Gavin loved his country.

He wanted peace
in Northern Ireland

more than anything.

But he also loved me,

and he wanted
me to have a future.

He didn't want me
to die for my country.

He wanted me to live for it.

So he sent me to America

to see what peace looked like.

And there, there
was no barbed wire.

And I saw neighbors of all

beliefs and colors
sitting down and

talking with each other.

There I was sitting and
talking with Protestants.

I know there will come a day
when I'll see my brother again.

But while I wait for that day,

I'll see my Protestant

and Catholic brothers
and sisters every day.

Really see them.

Because I've learned

that peace isn't just
the absence of war.

It's the presence of God.

One God.

The God of love.

And with that love
comes forgiveness.

When I was in America,

one of my new friends
taught me a song.

Well, not a song. A prayer.

And I hope you'll
pray it with me.

For Gavin.

For ourselves.

For Northern Ireland.

♪ Let ♪

♪ There be peace on earth ♪

♪ And let it begin with me ♪

♪ Let there be peace ♪

♪ On earth ♪

♪ The peace that
was meant to be ♪

♪ With God as our Father ♪

♪ Brothers all are we ♪

♪ Let me walk with my brother ♪

♪ In perfect harmony ♪

♪ Let peace begin with me ♪

♪ Let this be the moment now ♪

♪ With every breath I take ♪

♪ Let this be my solemn vow ♪

♪ To take each moment ♪

♪ And live each moment ♪

♪ In peace and harmony ♪

♪ Let there be peace on earth ♪

♪ And let it begin ♪

♪ With me. ♪