What is the central conflict in Lady Gregory's short, poignant 1906 tragedy 'The Gaol Gate'?

Correct answer: Two women wait at a prison to learn their kinsman was hanged without betraying his comrades.

'The Gaol Gate' contrasts the quiet agony of Denis Cahel's mother and wife with the indifferent bureaucracy of the state. They travel to the prison fearing that Denis has saved his own life by turning informer against his neighbors. Upon learning he died silently, their grief transforms into a proud, triumphant chant celebrating his unbroken loyalty to his community.