Grieving All-Star hurlers seek forgiveness and new beginnings in Galway drama
‘Counting Swans’, the new play from Galway playwright and author Conor Montague, makes its hometown debut this month, following its sold-out London premiere at the ICC Theatre, Hammersmith.
Starring Kieran Kelliher and Conor Montague and with music by Seamus Ruttledge, ‘Counting Swans’ will be at the city’s Town Hall Theatre Studio from next Thursday to Saturday, October 22 to 24.
It’s set in Gort in 2010 where Martin ‘The Butcher’ Molloy (Montague), a former All-Star hurler whose career was defined by courage, feels weakened by loss and haunted by failure.
The death of his wife, Sarah, after a long battle with cancer forces a confrontation with his old friend and teammate, Professor Ollie Keating (Kelliher). Thus begins a journey through grief in search of answers, forgiveness and new beginnings.
“I sat down to write a farce about a hypochondriac who walks into a doctor’s office,” said Conor, “but these All-Star hurlers seized control of the script and a tragicomic dialogue interrogating the nature of bereavement, friendship, love, courage, failure poured itself onto the page.”
While ‘Counting Swans’ explores dark themes, “Martin and Ollie are full of laughter as they share stories and relive former glories”, said Conor. “Both men have been blessed and condemned through their respective relationships with Sarah.
“Martin and Ollie’s love for Sarah and grief, not just at her passing, but the nature of it, has the potential to drive them apart, or bring them together.”
‘Counting Swans’ was shortlisted for the Druid Theatre New Writing Prize 2024 and premiered at the 2025 Scripts Ireland Playwriting Festival. Award-winning playwright and screenwriter Eugene O’Brien described it as “a beautiful excavation of one man coming to terms with grief and his past”. The show starts at 8.30pm nightly.
Tickets at tht.ie and 091-569777.