"Nights in Ballygran" is the fifth episode of the first season of the HBO television series Boardwalk Empire, which premiered October 17, 2010. It was written by co-executive producer Lawrence Konner and directed by Alan Taylor. "Nights in Ballygran" received positive reviews from critics.

The episode is set during Saint Patrick's Day and progresses the relationship between Nucky and Margaret.

The title is taken from the title line of an Irish folk song, Carrickfergus.

Margaret wakes to see ward boss James Neary's men offloading beer barrels into a garage behind her house. She meets Nucky on her way to work, but he disappoints her with his sudden aloofness. After discussing the garage at a Temperance League meeting, Margaret and a colleague manage to meet with Nucky, who promises to take action but does nothing. Margaret sees the deliveries again that night; brushed off by Neary and ignored altogether by Thompson, she reports Neary's garage to Van Alden. The agent initially dismisses the operation as one of hundreds in the city, but she catches his interest by mentioning that Neary works for Nucky Thompson.

As Nucky and Eli prepare for the St. Patrick's Day celebrations, Eli mentions his coming re-election campaign and presses to "say a few words" at the Celtic Dinner, a gathering of local Irish bigwigs. Nucky is skeptical of Eli's efforts to improve at public speaking but reluctantly accedes. Local dwarves, who work at a boxing ring, have been hired to dress up as leprechauns for the Dinner. When they complain about the degrading gig, their leader Carl promises to have Nucky double their pay.

In Chicago, Jimmy takes care of Pearl after her attack, but she continues her spiral into depression and laudanum addiction. Johnny Torrio orders her evicted because her scarred face prevents her from working as a prostitute. Jimmy offers to pay for her keep, but realizes he cannot afford to. Pearl seems to understand her predicament: later that night, she drunkenly flaunts her scarred face in the lounge and, after a last kiss with Jimmy, finally shoots herself while he is washing up. Subsequently, Jimmy visits an opium den in Chinatown.

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