Bobby is a former foreman for Pokey Burke's construction crew, currently trying to find work in the ruins of a collapsed local economy. He is widely respected by the townspeople as a moral, decent man, though this reputation breeds jealousy in certain neighbors. He is married to Triona and harbors deep anger toward his verbally abusive father, forcing him to repress his emotions behind a capable exterior.

Triona is Bobby's wife, known throughout the village for her physical beauty and steadfast loyalty. She sees past her husband's stoic exterior to his underlying vulnerabilities. Unbothered by local gossip, she maintains an unshakable faith in Bobby's fundamental goodness even when he faces serious criminal accusations.

Réaltín is a young single mother from the city, regarded as an outsider by the tight-knit village community. She lives in a half-finished housing development and acts spontaneously, often driven by unresolved grief over her mother's death. She develops a strong attraction to Bobby Mahon, actively trying to draw his attention and sparking widespread rumors.

Seanie is the biological father of Réaltín's son, Dylan, though they are no longer together. Outwardly, he projects the image of a carefree ladies' man who always has a joke ready. Inwardly, he struggles with severe hidden depression and a sense of worthlessness that makes him feel unfit to be a proper father.

Frank is Bobby's elderly father, widely regarded by the village as a hateful curmudgeon. He uses a sharp tongue to maintain control, having historically driven away his wife and alienated his son. His harsh exterior stems from a cycle of generational abuse initiated by his own violent father.

Pokey is the former head of a lucrative local construction crew who disappears when the economy plummets. He skips town without paying his workers their pensions or officially registering their employment. His selfish departure leaves the village men unemployed and triggers a wave of financial ruin throughout the community.

Josie is a self-made, hardworking older man who feels deep shame over his son Pokey's betrayal of the town. He struggles with traditional views that cause a painful rift with his daughter, and he harbors lasting guilt for favoring his older son during their childhood.

Lily is an elderly woman and former sex worker whose children have abandoned her out of embarrassment. She suffers from severe rheumatoid arthritis and lives in physical isolation, finding her only comfort in the polite daily greetings she receives from Bobby Mahon.

Vasya is an immigrant worker from Siberia who originally moved to find employment to support his reindeer-herding family. Following his brother's tragic death, he relocates to Ireland, where the locals mock his foreignness and broadly label him "the Russian."

Timmy is a former construction worker who the townspeople dismiss as mentally slow, though he is actually quite observant. He holds out hope of becoming a church sacristan and carries a heavy internal burden regarding the deaths of his mother and infant niece.

Brian is a young intellectual who chose construction work over higher education to fit in with local men. Facing unemployment, he plans to move to Australia, masking his sadness over a recent breakup with cynical arguments about love and survival.

Trevor is a socially isolated young man with a certificate in Montessori teaching who lives with his mother. He experiences intense hypochondria and paranoid fantasies, viewing the women around him with a dangerous mixture of obsession and hostility.

Bridie is an older woman financially ruined after her husband stopped providing support. Her life is entirely defined by her inability to overcome the grief of losing her youngest son in a drowning accident two decades prior, an event that shattered her marriage.

Jason is a socially ostracized man living on disability due to a multitude of physical and psychological trauma-related conditions. He heavily regrets getting facial tattoos when he was younger, an act that permanently altered how his community treats him.

Hillary is Réaltín's best friend who frequently feels annoyed by Réaltín's self-absorption and flirtatiousness. Despite her critical judgments about the rural locals and her friend's life choices, she continues to spend time with Réaltín out of a desire for entertainment.

Kate owns a local childcare center and enjoys the financial stability it brings her during the severe recession. She acts arrogantly toward her unemployed husband and her staff, unaware of the troubling psychological state of her newest employee.

Lloyd is a detached young man who believes he is the only real consciousness in the universe, viewing everyone else as mere figments of his imagination. This philosophical delusion allows him to distance himself emotionally from his harmful actions.

Rory is Bobby's loyal best friend who lacks his peer's natural confidence and leadership abilities. He struggles with severe self-doubt regarding romance and career moves, frequently self-sabotaging opportunities out of a deep-seated fear of failure.

Denis is Kate's unemployed husband who feels deeply emasculated by his job loss and his wife's success. He suffers from uncontrollable, repressed anger tied to his own father's emotional abuse and the financial ruin brought on by the town's collapse, leading to a state of profound psychological paralysis.

Mags is a young lesbian woman grieving the loss of her close bond with her father, Josie. Following a gathering where he openly expressed shame regarding her sexuality, she feels entirely alienated from him but continues to long for his acceptance.

Jim is a local police officer deeply unsettled by recent crimes in the village. He carries quiet guilt from a family tragedy years ago and relies on his intuition to guide his investigations when the town is thrown into chaos.