Danny Flynn (Daniel Day-Lewis), a promising Irish boxer who was imprisoned for 14 years at age 18 for associating with the IRA, returns to his Belfast neighborhood just as IRA leader Joe Hamill (Brian Cox) is trying to negotiate peace with the British. Despite wanting to return to boxing and stay out of trouble, Danny is drawn back into turmoil when he reunites with old girlfriend Maggie (Emily Watson), who's married to an imprisoned IRA man.