The setting of Liam O'Flaherty's short story "The Sniper" is the city of Dublin during the Irish Civil War. The Republican sniper is on a rooftop not far from the Four Courts government building and the River Liffey. The story is set during the week long Battle of Dublin in the summer of 1922. The calm summer night is interrupted by the sounds of "machine guns and rifles." The war involved a disagreement over whether Ireland should remain in the British Commonwealth. Republicans wanted total sovereignty and Free-Staters wanted to ratify the treaty with England.
The old woman is labeled as an "informer" and is pointing out the rooftop where the sniper is hidden. The sniper shoots her and the armored car commander who foolishly emerges from the car to give the sniper a target. The theme is the senseless nature of war and even civilians can be casualties in this brutal struggle. O'Flaherty develops suspense by placing more action between the initial shooting of the woman and the armored car commander and the description of their dead bodies. He is sidetracked by the attack from the Free-State sniper who shoots him in the right forearm.
The Republican sniper tricks his enemy into giving away his position by pretending to be shot and letting his rifle fall to the street below. When the Free-State sniper stands up he is killed. It is the logical progression in a story about war. Some soldiers die and some live to fight on.
The first full characterization of the sniper comes after he shoots his opponent. He is both happy and distraught. He gives a "cry of joy" over his victory but is also reduced to a senseless heap as he feels bitter regret over having to kill. Rather than a machine whose only purpose is to kill, the sniper is portrayed as a human with real emotions in the face of death.
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