After six New York productions, "Boann and the Well of Wisdom" flows to Ireland in October -- to Listowel and Trim and Drogheda, where the River Boyne is embraced into the Irish Sea
Boann and the Well of Wisdom is a captivating, two-character poetic drama based on the myth of Boann (the Irish goddess of poetry). The young, spirited Boann and her father, Nechtan, run the White Cow pub atop a forbidden well in Kildare, Ireland. Boann wants to innovate while Nechtan wants the pub to remain as it is.
Boann and the Well of Wisdom has had six productions in New York:
Upstairs at Ryan's Daughter (1st Irish Theatre Festival) in January 2022
Teatro Latea (New York Theater Festival) in June 2022
An Beal Bocht Cafe in the Bronx in September 2022
Morningside Players Theatre in September 2023
The Greek Cultural Center in Queens (1st Irish Theatre Festival) in April 2024
Park Theater Hudson in Hudson, NY in May 2024
The New York Irish Arts called Boann and the Well of Wisdom, "A wondrous web of mythology ... Kearns has crafted a tale of beauty and truth ...”
Boann and the Well of Wisdom also features the live music of Mary Courtney!
Awards
Best Play 1st Irish 1st Irish Theatre Festival 2024
Best Actor for Gary Troy at the New York Theater Festival's Summerfest 2022
Nominations
Best Actress, Kylie Logan, 1st Irish Theatre Festival 2024
Best Direction, Mary Linehan, 1st Irish Theatre Festival 2024
Most Innovative Theatre, 1st Irish Theatre Festival 2024
Worlds depicts four generations of the Logan family from Ireland in 1870 to New York City in 1998. In a mosaic of episodes arranged by theme, Worlds portrays a family through poetic shards of narrative. Through the lens of the Seven Deadly Sins/Lively Virtues, Worlds examines these representatives of four generations of Logans.
Seamus Logan: a broken-hearted lover who flees his home in 1870 County Mayo, Ireland for Connemara and New York. Seamus eventually makes his way to Philadelphia where he founds a new family and a construction dynasty.
Reverend Sarsfield Logan, S.J.: a Jesuit priest who teaches French at Xavier High School in Manhattan’s Chelsea section. In 1910, Esther, a firebrand striker from the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory, raises Sarsfield’s consciousness and tempts his heart.
Janey Logan (nee Dougherty): a sensitive introvert who falls in love with her engaged boss, James Logan, at his family company. After Janey wins James over and marries him, she struggles to be happy as a housewife and mother in the 1970s Philadelphia suburbs.
Paul Logan: a former South Bronx teacher and would-be poet/musician, Paul competes with the young Englishman, Charles, for the affections of Laura, a beautiful barmaid, on a wild late-night car trip from the World Trade Center to Times Square as the 1998 Good Friday Agreement is signed in Northern Ireland.
Worlds was a finalist in the 2018 William Wisdom - William Faulkner Creative Writing Competition in New Orleans. An early excerpt from Worlds was a finalist for the 2002 New Century Writers’ Award. Another excerpt was named a finalist for the 2012 James Hearst Poetry Prize and published in the North American Review.
Fully Claimed!
Mary Courtney's "Freedom's Pioneers" CD
The Irish Echo wrote that Freedom's Pioneers is a "CD made up of songs intended to honor the sacrifice of those who died as rebels in the longtime struggle for Irish freedom. It’s a deadly serious subject matter that requires a confident and truly sympathetic touch, and Courtney, who has several albums to her name, has managed to put something together here that does a wonderful job of recognizing and celebrating their struggle."
"Irish monks and nuns invented poitín in the sixth century, after learning to distill perfume on the Continent. Over subsequent centuries, the Irish and Scots refined the process of aging poitín into whiskey, also known as uisce beatha—the water of life.
In 1661, it became illegal to produce poitín, giving birth to the world’s first moonshine category. Poitín remained a clandestine art and enjoyment for over four centuries—until the Irish legalized it on May 7, 1997.
"To this day, unlicensed poitín may be found hidden on the top shelf of the pantry in Irish homes, kept on hand for special celebrations. At 90 proof, SmugNun is authentically strong but also exceptionally smooth and flavorful, making it an excellent aperitif or digestif, as well as a standout in cocktails."
