Found in Translations

To the King's Theatre, Edinburgh, for Translations, Brian Friel's play about a clash between Irish folk and the English king's men in 1833, as the latter trampled upon the former. Lots of interesting points arise centred on language and imperialism, and the acting was almost uniformly fine, but I'm afraid the ending lost me, closing as it did with the play's most pompous, boring, annoying character ruminating on some piece of Classsical narrative. Twice.

Wikipedia explains all - The play ends ambiguously, with the schoolmaster Hugh consoling himself by reciting the opening of the Aeneid, which tells of the impermanence of conquests. Unfortunately, Hugh's stumbling attempts at recitation are evidence that our memory is also impermanent.

Of course, if you don't know the reference, the message Friel attempts to communicate is lost (especially since the speaker has so bored for Ireland that some of us had tuned out). What's 'irony' in Classical Greek?