It is 1980s Limerick. Saoirse lives with her dad and brother Brennan in a rural bungalow and is best friends with Siobhan.

Saoirse's idea of a good night out is to stay in and sew, while Siobhan's is to chase boys.

Trouble ensued after a drunken evening in Wilson's pub, forcing Saoirse not just on the ferry to England, but also to confront the misfortune of her past.

Perhaps not the most original premise, but finely wrought into a delicately observed and tender coming-of-age tale, this both surprised and moved.

Siobhan's blithe harshness was particularly poignant for anyone who's picked the wrong friend, with Saoirse the inevitable spider caught up in her unintentional web. We never doubted for one moment that Saoirse would be able to turn Siobhan down.

Beautifully played by writer Eva O'Connor, the final turning point was so intense, it shocked – indeed, many of the audience to tears.

In life, it's important to be brave and to be free. It sounds so simple, but as this play so effectively points out, sometimes these are the hardest things to be.

Five stars