Our Irish Stew Drinks Party is back with PJ Rigney, founder of The Shed Distillery--home of the breakout star of the burgeoning Irish gin category, Drumshanbo Gunpowder Irish Gin, along with its Sausage Tree Irish Vodka, and Drumshanbo Irish Whiskey.

The magic happened when PJ rolled the dice after an innovative career in the global drinks industry to strike out on his own.
“To build a distillery is one thing, to create the product is another thing, but to create a way of communicating to consumers to build a brand is another thing entirely,” he says.

PJ wanted his distillery to be in the wild, un-manicured heart of rural Ireland, a place of curiosity & inspiration, surrounded by nature, immersed in rich history. He found it all in the beautiful village of Drumshanbo Co.Leitrim, on the shores of Lough Allen, at the foothills of Sliabh an Iarainn (The Iron Mountain).
His Shed Distillery is now a major contributor to the Leitrim economy and a draw for spirits enthusiasts and tourists worldwide.

Join us as we explore the role of innovation and storytelling in spirits sector success straight from the curious mind of PJ Rigney.

Links
The Shed Distillery

• Website
• X/Twitter
• Instagram
• Facebook
• YouTube
• LinkedIn

Drumshanbo Gunpowder Irish Gin

• Website

PJ Rigney

• LinkedIn

Irish Stew delves into the rich world of Irish American literature through the eyes and pen of guest John Kearns, a New Yorker by way of Philadelphia and a relentless storyteller in short stories, novels, plays, poetry, screenwriting, and song.

Our conversation explores John’s creative processes, the importance of maintaining cultural roots, the differences between Irish American identities in Philadelphia and New York, and his long run as the curator of the monthly Irish American Writers & Artists Salon. From an early age, he’s always been writing, inspired by his family story, cultural heritage, and his deep connection to Irish literature.

He shares the creative process behind his novels The World and Worlds and his play Boann and the Well of Wisdom, a poetic drama inspired by Boann, the Irish goddess of poetry who created the River Boyne. John talks about the challenges bringing Boann from script to stage and his satisfaction at seeing it take top honors at the recent Origin Theatre 1st Irish Festival.

And John’s taking Boann and the Well of Wisdom on the road, to Ireland. Catch it if you can!

Links
John Kearns Social Media

• Facebook
• Twitter

John Kearns Publications

• Boann and the Well of Wisdom: Irish Tour Fundraiser
• Website
• Facebook

John Kearns Books (Amazon)

• The World
• Dreams and Dull Realities
• Worlds

In this episode of Irish Stew, hosts John Lee and Martin Nutty welcome Julie Breathnach-Banwait, a poet and child psychologist. Julie shares her unique journey from her Connemara home (Ceantar an nOileán) off the west coast of Ireland to the island of Tasmania off the south coast of Australia.

Julie discusses her deep connection to the Irish language, her published works, her latest poetry collection, Split Bones (Cnámha Scoilte), and her experiences living in Tasmania. She reads a poignant bilingual poem exploring themes of emergence and transformation. The episode delves into Julie's nuanced prose poetry, her creative process, and how writing in Irish helps her reconnect with her roots while living far from her birthplace.

Julie Links

• Facebook
• LinkedIn
• Instagram
• TwitterX

Split Bones (Cnámha Scoilte )

• Publisher: Bobtail Books
• Amazon USA
• Amazon UK