Valene says "Try and top that one for yourself." Coleman delivers an even more terrible confession, revealing that he cut the ears off Valene's dog two years previously, presenting the evidence of the severed dog's ears in a brown paper bag. When Coleman and Valene read his letter, they attempt to reconcile themselves, and a "confessions" scene ensues, in which the brothers take turns to admit the wrongs that they had secretly done to each other in the past, and to forgive each other's "sins." Coleman loses his temper when Valene admits to shoving a pencil down the throat of Coleman's old girlfriend, causing her to then fall in love with the doctor that removed it. The characters believe that damnation follows suicide for the victims. This act is significant, as there has already been a lengthy discussion about suicide in the play. Father Welsh then proceeds to drown himself in the lake. Father Welsh, depressed because of the hatred between the brothers, and with a low self-esteem, writes a letter begging the brothers to get along, asserting that he will stake his soul on it. Valene attacks Coleman over eating his crisps, and they fight over whose turn it is to read the magazine, and who left the top off Valene's pen. The two brothers fight over everything and anything. Neither of the brothers show any grief or remorse at their father's death. In exchange, he demanded Coleman's share of the inheritance money. Valene agreed to provide an alibi for Coleman, stating that their father's death was accidental. It is revealed later in the play that Coleman had shot his father because he insulted Coleman's new haircut. Only Father Welsh, the alcoholic parish priest, attempts to fix their relationship, but his advice mostly goes unheard. While alone in the house, he destroys all of Valene's plastic figurines, by placing them in Valene's new stove. Coleman pretends to follow, delaying to tie his shoelace, despite the fact that he was wearing loafers. Valene goes out to help drag the body of Garda Thomas Hanlon (character in "A Skull in Connemara") out of the lake with Father Welsh. Coleman is only interested in eating, and attends funerals to collect free sausage rolls and vol au vents. The Lonesome West features the constantly arguing brothers Coleman and Valene, whose father has just died in a shotgun 'accident.' Valene is only interested in his religious ornaments and drinking poteen. All three plays depict the murderous occurrences in the western Irish town of Leenane. The Lonesome West is a play by British-Irish playwright Martin McDonagh, part of his Connemara trilogy, which includes The Beauty Queen of Leenane and A Skull in Connemara.
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