Act 3 begins in November, set two months after the end of Act 2. The light under the Virgin gleams more brightly than before. 

Mary and Juno discuss Bentham, who has fled to England without leaving Mary his address. Mary can’t believe that her fiance, has gone , even though she admits Jerry could be the better man, and ponders if he left because her family wasn’t good enough for him. 

Juno thinks it was a bad idea to introduce him to Joxer and Mrs. Madigan. Juno speaks with Boyle, who mentions once again a pain in his legs. The duo argue over the fact that they still haven’t received any money, although they are deep in debt. 

Boyle demands for some stout ( beer), liniment, and a newspaper. Juno places a second bottle of stout on the table at his request. Juno and Mary exit as Mary is not feeling well, they go towards the doctors.

 Joxer and Nugent enter the room with Boyle still in the bedroom. Nugent informs Joxer how he went to the lawyer’s office and learned that Boyle will no longer receive money, due to the way the will was written. 

The lawyer has informed Boyle, who has visited him repeatedly. Nugent moans that Boyle never paid for his suit, with Joxer saying that he is relieved that he had nothing to loan him.

 The two overhear Boyle coughing in his bed. Nugent opens the door and asks to be paid. Boyle asks for a heavy top-coat. Angrily, Nugent goes into the room and takes the suit. 

 Joxer grabs the bottle of stout from the table and puts it in his pocket. Boyle moans about Nugent to Joxer, as he expresses his outrage and feigns ignorance of the event. 

Joxer ponders aloud if Nugent had heard something about Boyle not getting the money. Boyle notices that his second bottle of stout is no longer on the table and blames it on Nugent.

Mrs. Madigan enters and requests the three pounds back that she had raised by selling blankets and furniture. Boyle says that isn’t possible at that moment.  

Mrs. Madigan takes the gramophone, ready to bring it to the pawn shop, she complains that is hasn’t even been paid for yet. 

She exits and Joxer expresses his frustration, yet again pondering out loud if perhaps she has heard something about Boyle not getting the money. The duo argue and Joxer exits.

Juno and Johnny enter, with Juno visibly upset. She sits the family down and tells them that Mary is pregnant. Boyle states he’ll go to England to find Bentham and bring him back to marry her, and complains about what Mary’s situation will do to him and his reputation. 

Juno explains that Mary will have far more to deal with. Boyle wants to lecture his daughter, but Juno says that if he does, she and Mary will both exit. 

Johnny  has little sympathy and wants to drive his sister out of the house. Juno explains they need to move somewhere where they’re not known, using the money they’ll be getting from the legacy.

This causes Boyle to admit that they won’t get any money, as Bentham wrote the will incorrectly. Instead of naming Boyle and the other beneficiary he simply wrote 

‘first cousin’ and ‘second cousin,’ therefore  all cousins can claim a portion of the money and the legacy, as a result has become worthless. 

Johnny is shows his anger toward his father, as he ran the family into debt so he could drink every day. Juno attempts to calm him down, only for him blames her too, for not checking up on Boyle and looking after the money.

A knock at the door is heard and two furniture men enter to take back the family’s furniture. Juno exits to find Boyle. 

Mary returns and Johnny moans at her.

Jerry enters and informs her, that her mother has told him everything, and that he loves her more than ever even though she had left him for another man. 

Upon learning that she is indeed pregnant, he expresses his sorrow and exits. When he leaves, Mary recites some verses from his lecture on Humanity’s Strife with Nature, whose message is that the world is both a beautiful and a horrific place.

The furniture men say they can’t wait for Boyle any longer, and start carrying some things out. Johnny moans at Mary once again , for the shame she has brought upon the family, and she leaves upset .

The light flickers and then goes out. Johnny is petrified, to the disgust of the furniture man. He states he feels a pain in his breast, as if he were getting hit by a bullet. 

Two Irregulars enter with one ordering the furniture men to face the wall, while the other tells Johnny to come with them. 

We infer from their conversation that Johnny had actually given away Robbie Tancred’s hiding place to the gang who eventually killed him. The Irregulars take Johnny away, and the curtain falls.

The curtain rises again, with almost all of the furniture now gone. Mary and Juno sit 

by the fire, waiting for Johnny. 

Mrs. Madigan enters and informs Juno that two policemen want to talk with her; as they’ve found a man they believe to be Johnny. 

Mary states that there must not be a god or he wouldn’t let such things happen.  Juno disagrees and decides that she and Mary won’t return to the apartment. 

They will now live with Juno’s sister until Mary has her baby, then work together to raise the child. She tells Mary to come see Johnny’s body, only to change her mind, by blaming herself for her selfishness. 

She repeats the words of Mrs Tancred , when she lost her son, praying for humanity to lose its hatred and receive eternal love. They all exit the stage slowly.

Now the last scene, Joxer and Boyle are both very drunk , they return to the apartment. Boyle ponders out loud what the policemen were doing with Juno and Mary. 

He has one coin left and drunkenly wonders where the chairs have gone. He thinks he can join the IRA if need be. The play ends with Boyle’s characteristic saying: ‘I’m telling you… Joxer… th’ whole worl’s… in a terr… ible state o’ …chassis!’