Prolific Rathowen writer working on play number 24

After a pandemic induced writing hiatus, the usually prolific comedy playwright Jimmy Keary is back doing what he does best.

The Rathowen is working on his latest work, 'Finders Keepers', the 24th three-act-play he has written in 25 years and the latest addition to have a body of work that is testament to both his productivity and his talent.

Jimmy's plays have been performed all Ireland and are becoming increasingly popular in the US. The latest drama group to fall in love with Jimmy's work is The Tara Theatre Company from Connecticut, which later this month is staging perhaps his most popular play, The Two Loves of Gabriel Foley.

Written in 2010, it tells the story of the eponymous hero, a bachelor farmer who lives at home with his mother.

Inexperienced in the ways of love, Gabriel's world is turned upside when the has to choose between a well heeled lady that he has fancied for some time, and the down to earth country woman who comes in to help with his mother.

Jimmy believes that the popularity of 'The Two Loves of Gabriel Foley', is down to a number of factors.

“It's a common situation in Ireland where you have a single man or a single woman looking after an elderly parent. It was the same in my own case. I was looking after my elderly mother when I wrote this play, although she wouldn't be like the character in the play.

“It was the first time I dealt with that subject. Here, it's a comedy but you could write a serious play about the situation.

“Drama groups also seem to enjoy performing it as much audiences seem to enjoy watching it. I think that is why it has become so popular. It's also a common theme of love,” says Jimmy, who admits he gets great enjoyment out of audiences reacting positively to his work.

“It's great to hear people laughing at something you've written. You don't get as much feedback from a serious play. When you have an audience responding it's immediate. It's like a drug, it's addictive.

“The actual craft of writing is a lonely one, but the actual reward is hearing people laugh and actually talking to them afterwards and getting feedback. It's a nice feeling.”

The theatrical world is slowly returning to something resembling normality after the challenges posed by the pandemic, when many drama groups shut up shop completely. So far this year, there have been seven different productions of his plays across the country compared to 37 in 2019.

As for himself, Jimmy is enjoying writing once again after a break of two years. While some writers found that the enforced solitude helped them to knuckle down, he found the opposite.

“I didn't write anything during the pandemic because my whole routine was out of kilter. Normally I would be going to plays, meeting groups and I'd be seeing my own plays performed.

“Everything stopped during the pandemic. I need interaction with people to fire me, to give me inspiration.”