Dickie is the patriarch of the Barnes family. An intellectual miscast in a rural Irish town that prizes machismo, he lives in the shadow of his deceased, athletic younger brother, Frank. Dickie runs the local car dealership passed down from his father, but the economic crash leaves the business in ruins. Rather than face his mounting financial and personal problems, he isolates himself by focusing on unusual survivalist construction projects in the woods.

Imelda is Dickie's famously beautiful wife. She grew up in extreme poverty under the control of a terrifying father, making her highly protective of the material comfort she achieved through marriage. Her status in the community is tied to her physical magnetism, but she relies heavily on superstition and the guidance of a local fortune teller to make major life choices. She panics when the car dealership begins failing, fearing a return to the deprivation of her youth.

Cass is Dickie and Imelda's teenage daughter, currently in her final year of high school. A top student with a newfound passion for feminist poetry, she is desperate to escape her small town and attend Trinity College in Dublin. Cass is completely overshadowed by an intense, consuming infatuation with her best friend, Elaine, which causes her to neglect her studies and distance herself from her family.

PJ is the 12-year-old son of the Barnes family. Feeling completely isolated as his family members retreat into their own crises, he turns to the internet and video games for companionship. PJ is actively targeted by a local bully over rumors concerning his father's business, prompting him to seek out dangerous alternative support systems.

Big Mike is Elaine's father and a highly successful local cattle farmer and property developer. Having grown up in severe poverty, he has ruthlessly climbed the social ladder to become one of the wealthiest men in town. He steps in to assist the failing Barnes dealership, bringing his blunt business acumen and complicated personal history into the family's orbit.

Ryszard is a handsome, mysterious Polish immigrant searching for employment in the small Irish town. He possesses a charismatic but predatory nature, using his looks and charm to manipulate those around him. After securing a job at Dickie's garage, he becomes a disruptive and dangerous presence within the Barnes family's life.

Elaine is Cass's best friend. She is wealthy, conventionally beautiful, and highly confident. Unaffected by the 2008 financial crash that is destroying Cass's family, Elaine takes her privileges for granted. She frequently tests her power over Cass by alternately drawing her close and pushing her away, enjoying the devotion Cass offers.

Rose is an elderly local healer and fortune teller whose presence evokes traditional Celtic folklore. Living in an isolated cottage, she serves as a surrogate mother to Imelda, offering sanctuary from Imelda's violent family. Her visions of the future carry significant weight in the community and directly inform Imelda's choices regarding marriage and family.

Frank is Dickie's deceased younger brother. During his life, he was an outgoing, beloved local athlete who easily won the admiration of the town. His sudden death in a car accident acts as the foundational trauma for both Dickie and Imelda, altering the trajectory of their lives and leaving a ghostly influence over the entire Barnes family.

Maurice is Dickie and Frank's father, a successful, self-made businessman who founded the local car dealership. He embodies a rigid, traditional form of masculinity that values economic success above all else. He frequently clashes with Dickie, demanding his son conform to his expectations regarding the family business.

Paddy Jo is Imelda's father, a formidable man heavily implied to be involved in criminal activities. He maintains control over his family and his community through physical violence and intimidation. He views his exceptionally beautiful daughter as a tool to gain social mobility, specifically targeting the wealthy Barnes family.

Victor is an eccentric local handyman and dedicated survivalist. Convinced that an environmental and societal collapse is imminent, he dedicates his time to building secret bunkers and wells in the woods. He draws Dickie and PJ into his paranoid preparations, offering them a bizarre form of escapism from their daily lives.

Willie is a highly successful debater and student at Trinity College in Dublin who befriends Dickie during their university years. Openly and proudly gay, Willie represents a path of authenticity and activism that sharply contrasts with the repressive environment of Dickie's hometown.

Ethan is an internet acquaintance who befriends the lonely 12-year-old PJ through gaming chatrooms. He presents himself as a peer and aggressively encourages PJ to run away from his struggling family to a supposedly safe home in Dublin.

Miss Grehan is a hip, modern substitute teacher who brings life to the local high school. She introduces Cass and Elaine to the works of prominent female poets like Sylvia Plath and Sappho, fundamentally changing how Cass views literature and her own emotional life.

Ears is a physically imposing local bully. He aggressively targets PJ, demanding 163 euros that he claims Dickie Barnes stole from his mother at the car dealership, adding physical danger to PJ's already stressful life.

Lar is Imelda's brother. Having grown up in the same terrifying household, he bears the brunt of their father's physical violence. He eventually moves to England with their father, losing contact with Imelda for many years due to family deceptions.

Augustina is Big Mike's housekeeper and the subject of local scandal. She lives in secret within one of Big Mike's abandoned construction projects and drives the vehicle Mike purchased from Imelda Barnes.