This project is Spillane’s most artistically ambitious work to date, or as he refers to it as “My magnum opus”. John is well positioned as the creator of this piece drawing on a life given to storytelling, Gaelainn and music. The text is inspired by the wonderful richness of the literary and oral Gaelic storytelling tradition. The influences of an t-Athair Peadar Ó Laoghaire and the stories concerning the fiannaíocht is evident in this work. Other inspirations include Seán Ó Tuama’s work through Compántas Chorcaí, an Irish theatre production company, his inspiring lectures on poetry at UCC and his An Duanaire 1600 - 1900 Poems of the Dispossessed. Other inspirations include the poem Sprid an Locha by Torna, a love of the Lough and a fascination with the older Gaelic story that shines tantalisingly under the original Victorian Thomas Croker fairytale.

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Spillane uses these building blocks along with some characteristics of Irish folklore to create an Irish speaking ancient world. Common threads of Irish mythology that we are witness to in this work include scenes of war, curses, lullabies, lamentations, shapeshifting tricksters, scenes of love, a great fleadh and eventually the climax, the drowning of the kingdom. Throughout this, a running commentary on the action is provided by our two crosáns, Gaelic court jesters with their own bardic metre.