The MGM+ series 'The Westies', which chronicles the real-life Irish-American gang in 1980s New York, concluded its eight-episode run on Sunday, August 23, with the episode 'The Irish Goodbye'. The finale saw a significant shift in the gang's leadership.
Jimmy Roarke, portrayed by Tom Brittney, successfully defeated Eamon Sweeney, played by J.K. Simmons, to take control of the Westies. Rather than killing his former mentor, Roarke chose to frame Sweeney for possessing stolen cocaine.
The relationship between Roarke and Sweeney deteriorated after Sweeney ordered Sean's murder following drug charges. Roarke, after surviving an attack by Sweeney's men, lured Sweeney to the gang's warehouse and secured approval for his takeover from mafia boss Paul Castellano. After an ambush on Sweeney's remaining men, Roarke confronted Sweeney with an unloaded gun, explaining he wanted Sweeney to experience betrayal, before leaving him with the cocaine and alerting the police.
In the final scene, Roarke and Mickey moved into Sweeney's former office at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center. They rejected John Gotti's authority, citing their agreement with Castellano, which led to Gotti threatening them. This development places the new leadership of the Westies in immediate danger.