The year is 1942, and young Balbriggan teacher Matt Duggan takes up a job in the small town of Rathisland, Ireland. His leisured parochial world detonates when a German Stuka crash-lands in the local bog and pilot Josef is sheltered by local Nazi sympathizers before being turned in by whistle-blower Matt, who"d found his love interest canoodling with the manly Kraut. The prisoner"s death in captivity impels Madeleine"s flight to England and Matt"s emotional growth.