Character Relationship Map: The General

Characters

• Martin Cahill (played by Brendan Gleeson) — protagonist

  Central protagonist and mastermind behind numerous high-stakes robberies in Dublin. He leads a gang, evades police surveillance, conflicts with paramilitary groups over stolen goods, and ultimately fa...

• Noel Curley (played by Adrian Dunbar) — protagonist

  Associate of Cahill who partners with him in an armed video arcade robbery. Both are arrested and stand trial, utilizing various tactics to secure an acquittal.

• Gary (played by Sean McGinley) — supporting

  Member of Cahill's gang who faces accusations of raping his daughter. Cahill attempts to silence the victim and ultimately shoots Gary in the leg to prevent court proceedings.

• Inspector Ned Kenny (played by Jon Voight) — supporting

  Martin Cahill's persistent Garda nemesis who handles his eviction cases, humiliates him during a bank robbery investigation, and later leads the Tango Squad to surveil Cahill's gang after stolen paint...

Canonical Relationships

Family, romantic, and professional connections based on plot evidence.

• Martin Cahill → Gary (Power Gang Leader) — Cahill commands absolute authority over his crew, including Gary.

  His gang member Gary is later accused of raping his own daughter.

Story Dynamics

Alliances, conflicts, and narrative interactions that evolve throughout the story.

• Martin Cahill → Inspector Ned Kenny (Conflict Arch Enemy) — Persistent adversaries whose rivalry spans evictions, robberies, and surveillance.

  His Garda nemesis, Inspector Ned Kenny, arrives to see his corpse removed from the scene.

• Martin Cahill → Noel Curley (Alliance Partner) — Long-term criminal partners who plan and execute major heists side by side.

  Cahill and his associate Noel Curley commit an armed robbery of a video arcade together.

Story Analysis

Chronicles Martin Cahill's evolution from a defiant local to a master criminal, his clashes with police and paramilitaries, and his ultimate assassination.

Plot Progression

1. Roots of Rebellion — Young Cahill's early thefts and incarceration shape his criminal mindset. As an adult, he fiercely resists Dublin Corporation evictions, establishing his reputation as a defiant local figure.
2. Rise of the Heist King — Cahill orchestrates a humiliating bank robbery and partners with Curley for a video arcade heist. Their courtroom tactics lead to acquittal, cementing his status as a master criminal.
3. Paramilitary Pressure — The massive O'Connor's jewellery heist triggers IRA demands. Cahill's gang forms CPAD to repel intimidation, then executes a daring theft of the Beit collection paintings.
4. Police Net Tightens — Tango Squad surveillance traps Cahill's operations. He turns to UVF buyers, faces Revenue interrogations, and violently handles internal gang scandals involving Gary.
5. Fall from Grace — UVF dealings are exposed, turning Gardaí and public against him. Isolated and hunted, Cahill is ambushed outside his home, ending his reign.