In Dublin, a working class family has been unsuccessful in convincing their son to get a real job: the son prefers his job of scooping up horse's dung and selling it for flower gardens. An American exchange student almost runs him over and gets to know him. The dung man has ignored warnings from his family and suddenly the horses have been banned from Dublin. His new love is leaving for America and he must find a way to cope with the new reality.

Gene Wilder
as Quackser Fortune

Margot Kidder
as Zazel

Eileen Colgan
as Betsy Bourke

May Ollis
as Mrs Fortune

Seamus Forde
as Mr Fortune

David Kelly
as Maguire

Danny Cummins
as Donal

Liz Davis
as Kathleen Fortune

Tony Doyle
as Mike

Caroline Tully
as Vera Fortune