Compositions
Opera
The Lost Ghosts of Ireland
This contemporary classical opera follows the brave and heroic story of a shy, middle aged Irish woman who exposes the plight of children abused by French nuns for several decades at St. Mary’s Mother and Baby Home, in Tuam (pronounced Chewm), Ireland.
Symphonies
Symphony #1 in D Minor for Orchestra
Symphony #3 in D Major
Symphony #5 in Bb Major
Symphony #2 in A Major for Choir and Orchestra
Symphony #4 in F Major
Ballets
The Kerry Mermaid – An Irish Ballet
Adapted from a story by Michael O’Reilly, published in The Gael (1903).
A fisherman in County Kerry, captivated by a mermaid, compels her to follow him home to reclaim what he has taken from her. She has other plans.
The Twelve Wild Geese – An Irish Ballet
Adapted from a story by Patrick Kennedy (1801–1873), published in The Fireside Stories of Ireland (1870).
An ambitious queen, desperate for a daughter, banishes her sons from the kingdom, only to be outwitted by the very children she cast aside, with help from unexpected allies.
Lusmore – An Irish Ballet
Adapted from “The Legend of Knockgrafton” by T. Crofton Croker, published in Folk-Lore and Legends: Ireland, compiled by W. W. Gibbings (1889).
A solitary, artistically gifted young man, burdened by a physical deformity, falls in love at a market and is drawn into the world of Irish fairies in a bid to save both his beloved and himself.
The Old Man’s Three Daughters – An Irish Ballet
Adapted from “The Old Man’s Three Sons,” published in Fairy Stories, compiled by Edward W. Dolch (1950).
Three daughters of an old man set out on their own, only to be drawn into mischief and deception at a nearby house.
The Yellow Lily – An Irish Ballet
A fun-loving prince leaves his kingdom and is confronted by an evil giant. Several young ladies connive to save the prince from certain death.
The Fairy Tree of Dooros– An Irish Ballet
Adapted from the Irish folktale “The Fairy Tree of Dooros” by Edmund Leamy (1848–1904).
A magical tree in the Dooros Woods, deep within the land of the fairies, becomes the center of a tale involving a grey, crippled fairy and the Fairy King and his daughter.
The Student Who Disappeared – An Irish Ballet
Adapted from a tale published in The Religious Stories of Connacht (1906).
A young woman, determined to become a priest despite being denied the path, studies at a university in Ireland before slipping into a mystical realm inhabited by elves.
The Legend of Bottle-Hill – An Irish Ballet
Adapted from Fairy Legends and Traditions of the South of Ireland (1906).
A poor Irish farmer sets out for market with his prized cow, only to encounter a cunning old man along the road who alters the course of his journey.
The Proud Princess – An Irish Ballet
Adapted from “The Haughty Princess” by Patrick Kennedy, published in Fairy Legends and Traditions of the South of Ireland (1906).
A proud princess rejects every suitor who seeks her hand, only to be cleverly deceived into falling for a mysterious stranger.
The Enchanted Cave – An Irish Ballet
Adapted from “The Enchanted Cave” by Edmund Leamy (1848–1904).
A princess becomes engaged to a prince who departs on a hunt, only to be drawn into a mysterious cave that places his life in peril.
Jamie Freel and the Young Lady – An Irish Ballet
Adapted from “Jamie Freel and the Young Lady” by Letitia Maclintock (1857–1881).
Jamie and his mother hear music drifting from a nearby castle said to be inhabited by the “wee folk.” Though warned to stay away, he ventures inside, setting off a chain of chaos.
The Corpse Watchers – An Irish Ballet
Based on a folktale by Patrick Kennedy (1891).
The daughters of a poor woman set out to seek their fortunes, each arriving at a nearby farmhouse where a corpse lies in a firelit room. Tempted by promises of gain, they are drawn into acts of deception with unsettling consequences.