“May your soul already be in heaven an hour before the devil knows you’re dead...”
Liam Connaughton is having a dream when he is woken up by his friend Bridget. They plan to sneak off for some “time together.” While he rushes on some trousers, going into the kitchen, his mother wonders what he’s in such a hurry for, and orders him to eat some breakfast. He says he’s going to meet Bridget; she orders him not to make mischief and orders him to feed the pigs before he leaves. As he feeds the pigs he and Bridget notice some of them mating, and find it funny but extremely gross. As the two chase each other across a field Liam catches Bridget and they end up rolling down the hill. Liam lands on top and goes to kiss Bridget but she rolls him over and then kisses him. As they embrace there is a huge explosion nearby, seen by Bridget’s brother Colin in the nearby town.
A cop interviews Liam, Bridget and Colin whilst Bridget and Liam are being checked out by paramedics. There is no trace of any shrapnel or explosive residue. This makes three cases now for the phantom bomber. The police are baffled; but Colin has an inkling of who might be the cause.
Colin is in a pub explaining to his friends that it wasn’t their bomb in town last week. Colin remembers last weeks bombing, as he was there; and after the explosion he saw Liam wandering around, muttering “Colin? I didn’t mean to do it. Colin, I didnt.” Putting 2 and 2 together Colin tells them that Liam was at the park when the van blew up too, and he was there this afternoon. The friends think Liam might either be the phantom bomber or might know who’s behind it. So they send Colin to find out what he can.
Colin goes to Liam's house and chats with him in his room. He says they’re like brothers. Colin explains that his father died when he was just a baby, and it was Liam’s father that made him the man he is today. Liam’s father did his bit, and now that Liam is a man it’s his turn now. Liam starts to get upset but Colin reassures him that he's just like him.
Colin returns to his friends they think Liam might be a mutant, and that his powers might come in handy. Colin isn’t sure, but Seamus points out that they are fighting a war, and everybody has gotta be willing to die, down to the last soldier.
The gang pick up Liam in their car, they force him into the car, and he causes a small explosion on the front of the car, blowing the engine.
Liam is back in his room and Bridget is leaning in through the window. He tells her that he’s different, and a freak, but he doesn’t want to hurt anyone. Bridget kisses him, and gives him a hug to make him feel better. Liam's mom walks past and smiles to herself at seeing them so close.
The council are dedicating a statue in town to a fallen son, in a nearby car Seamus is screaming at Liam to use his powers. Seamus gets angry, and Liam’s powers go wrong, destroying the crane lifting the statue, and the statue itself. Seamus is still pleased with the result, but angry at Liam that he doesn’t take orders very well. Seamus holds a blade to Liam's throat and tells him that he has another chance to prove himself, but if he doesn’t he won't live to regret it.
In an alleyway Colin confronts Seamus, saying they can’t use Liam like this. But Seamus says they’ve got to do whatever it takes, and hints that if Colin is turning on them he knows what will happen. Bridget had been tailing Colin, and heard everything, and urges her brother to end this now. But it is out of his hands now. However, Bridget is determined that if Colin won't do anything then she must.
As a speech at a local church about the laying down of arms to halt the violence between the Irish peoples goes on Seamus, Colin and Liam are hiding nearby. Seamus wants Liam to kill them all. Colin tries to convince Liam not to do it, as there are family members and friends down there. Seamus says that those who die for the cause will receive their rewards in heaven, and screams at Liam to just do it. He pulls out a gun and points it at Liam's head. He sees Bridget and Mrs. Connaughton have come looking for Liam and rather than them getting hurt, Liam causes an explosion all around him...
Later, Colin is in jail, thinking about what happened. He knows that there fates were sealed and is on a hunger strike. Liam’s mother had been told her son had died in the explosion, but Colin knows different and saw him talking as they zipped him up in a body bag. He wonders what could have happened to him.
Colin is in some sort of catatonic state, induced by doctors to control his devastating powers. But the army fear his type of power is uncontrollable and dangerous, so they murder Liam while he’s out of it, injecting poison into his blood. As Liam drifts towards death he is thinking about Bridget. She caresses his face.
A loving hand stroking Liam’s deathly pale face moves away as the lid on his coffin is closed.
