Rugged individualism is a term coined by the thirty-first US president Herbert Hoover (1874-1964). The term relates to the American frontier experience, where under harsh conditions with little infrastructure, individuals relied on their own skills and resources to survive, rather than seeking support from any governing body. Although Cal has migrated eastwards to the so-called old-world, the rural West of Ireland has traits in common with the American Western frontier. The lack of youth employment opportunities means that the young people must disperse, leaving properties derelict and the town of Ardnakelty sparsely populated in a manner that resembles the Western frontier. As a result, it is a place that authorities pay little attention to. For example, Kilcarrow police officer Garda O’Malley is blithely indifferent to Brendan’s disappearance, referring to Ardnakelty as being “out that way” and considering that it “doesn’t have much call for our services” (200). Both statements indicate that the police officer considers the place too small and trivial to be worthy of his notice. In turn, Ardnakelty locals such as Mart Lavin, scorn the idea of police intervention, preferring to take legal matters into their own hands.

Such a place would seem perfect for former cop

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