Act 1

Red Roses for Me unfolds within the humble dwelling of Mrs. Breydon and her son, Ayamonn. Their conversation revolves around the looming conflict between employers and workers, who are clamoring for an additional shilling each week. Ayamonn mentions that a play will only be staged as a fundraiser if the strike proceeds. They also delve into Ayamonn’s romance with Sheila Moorneen, a young Catholic woman. Mrs. Breydon disapproves, wary of the religious divide between their Protestant family and Sheila’s Catholic roots. She also believes Sheila, accustomed to luxury, cannot be satisfied by Ayamonn’s modest earnings.

Enter Eeada, Dympna, and Finnoola—women of varied ages—bearing an unkempt statue of the Virgin Mary, a symbol dear to Catholics. They request soap from Mrs. Breydon to clean the statue. Mrs. Breydon exits with them to visit ailing neighbors. Sheila arrives shortly, announcing her brief stay. She tells Ayamonn she knocked earlier, but he was too engrossed in his practice to hear. This irritates her. Ayamonn, in a bid to diffuse the tension, attempts charm and playfulness, but Sheila demands seriousness. She cannot accompany him the following night due to a church event and is uneasy with Ayamonn’s potential strike involvement. Sheila insists on practicality if their future together is to be viable. Ayamonn, however, refuses to be serious, compelling Sheila to attempt a departure.

Their quarrel is halted by Brennan, the landlord, who arrives with a singer for the play. Sheila is compelled to endure the performance, which is disrupted first by Roory O’Balacaun, a prospective striker, and then by Ayamonn’s irreligious companion, Tim Mullcanny, who mocks the song’s piety. Taking advantage of the chaos, Sheila leaves, declaring the end of their relationship. Suddenly, the three women reappear, distressed over the stolen Virgin Mary statue. Ayamonn vows to aid in its recovery.

Act 2

The curtain rises on a later evening in the Breydon home. Brennan enters with the Catholic statue, explaining he polished it for a little Catholic girl who admires it. After returning the now gleaming statue, he reenters followed by Roory, a Catholic. They engage in a spirited debate over Mullcanny’s inflammatory secular views, comparing Catholicism with Protestantism. Their discussion is curtailed by Mullcanny’s arrival; he gifts Ayamonn a book on evolution and departs. Sheila once again tries to persuade Ayamonn to abandon his artistic pursuits and dubious associations. She reveals the strike's inevitability and tempts Ayamonn with a foreman position if he abstains. Ayamonn, indignant, refuses to betray his peers.

The tranquility shatters with Mullcanny’s frantic entrance; a religious mob has assaulted him, hurling stones through Breydon windows. Ayamonn rushes outside, leaving Brennan, Roory, and Sheila to debate Mullcanny’s anti-religious stance. Ayamonn reappears with his mother, joined by Eeada, Dympna, Finnoola, and others, exultant over the statue’s restoration. Sheila attempts to resume her conversation with Ayamonn, but he dismisses the topic. A Protestant rector, Ayamonn’s friend, enters to deliver a warning. Two railwaymen soon join them, announcing that authorities will forcibly disband the union's strike meeting. Despite Sheila’s objections, Ayamonn agrees to speak at the gathering.

Act 3

The scene shifts to a bridge overlooking Dublin, shrouded in somber gray. Characters languish disconsolately. Eeada and Dympna hawk violets and apples, their voices mingling with laments for a once-great Dublin now in decline. As the rector distributes coins, an inspector sneers, likening Ayamonn to them. The pair departs. Brennan arrives, attempting a song, but the primarily Catholic crowd rebuffs him. Ayamonn and Roory join, and Ayamonn addresses the crowd. He speaks passionately of reclaiming Dublin’s former glory through the strike. As his fervor crescendos, the dreary sky begins to...