Cáit (Catherine Clinch) is a quiet child in a large relatively poor family. Set in rural Ireland in 1981.  She is sent to stay with some elderly distant cousins for the summer while her mother is having a new baby.

The cousins - Eibhlín and Sean - farm dairy cows. Sean is taciturm and Eibhlín is affectionate, but they have a secret. Gradually Cáit starts to get along with Sean, helping him in the dairy.

Eventually a neighbour reveals the couples secret while giving Cáit a lift home from a wake - they have had a son who died tragically falling in the slurry pit and Cáit has been wearing his clothes.

The summer comes to an end and Cáit has to be returned home, but when she is dropped off she runs after the car and catches it up to find they are equally upset. The film ends.