ANN KEARNEY & ÚNA O BOYLE |
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Hello and welcome to our shop SORAH.
Ann Kearney
My name is Ann Kearney (nee. Sorah); I design and create all things textile.
I have been designing and making clothes since the early 80s where I sold to local Boutiques in my hometown Blackpool, Lancashire Uk. Working on Mens shirts and suits first {remember Miami Vice?},
then ladies special occasion and bridal. I travelled to Sardinia making wedding dresses for Moda in SPOSA in Alghero (Sardinia, Italy) for a couple of years. After returning to Blackpool I started work on costumes for STAGEWORKS who are responsible for acclaimed productions throughout the world such as Hot Ice and Mystique.I went to work with other companies in theatres all around the UK, I met some very interesting people. It was around this time I met my future husband and followed him to Dublin where I now live.
After taking time off to rear our two boys I started making men and women's accessories to sell at local markets here in Dublin.
I work with all types of fabrics. My favourite would be Liberty of London Art Fabrics. I love their prints, the historical ones date back to 1875 like the rich prints of William Morris whom I adore. They bring new prints out every year, if you are unfamiliar with their fabrics - its quality you'll know right away when you handle it. I buy Irish linen and tweed from local suppliers and wool fabric from a mill in Yorkshire.
I have also collaborated with Claire Garvey to create headpieces and more recently face masks all available in her shop in Cows Lane, a treasure trove and nowhere like it full of wearable magical one off pieces available to rent or buy.
I'm very lucky to collaborate with another creative friend Úna O Boyle. I first met Úna when my boys Gaelscoil were lucky to get her to teach chess in Irish. It was very popular and oversubscribed so I volunteered to help monitor the class to avoid disappointment. Úna is a perfectionist making her jewellery only using the best of silver and semiprecious stones. She has also built our online shop and has the patience of a saint I don't know how she does it!
I have been designing and making clothes since the early 80s where I sold to local Boutiques in my hometown Blackpool, Lancashire Uk. Working on Mens shirts and suits first {remember Miami Vice?},
then ladies special occasion and bridal. I travelled to Sardinia making wedding dresses for Moda in SPOSA in Alghero (Sardinia, Italy) for a couple of years. After returning to Blackpool I started work on costumes for STAGEWORKS who are responsible for acclaimed productions throughout the world such as Hot Ice and Mystique.I went to work with other companies in theatres all around the UK, I met some very interesting people. It was around this time I met my future husband and followed him to Dublin where I now live.
After taking time off to rear our two boys I started making men and women's accessories to sell at local markets here in Dublin.
I work with all types of fabrics. My favourite would be Liberty of London Art Fabrics. I love their prints, the historical ones date back to 1875 like the rich prints of William Morris whom I adore. They bring new prints out every year, if you are unfamiliar with their fabrics - its quality you'll know right away when you handle it. I buy Irish linen and tweed from local suppliers and wool fabric from a mill in Yorkshire.
I have also collaborated with Claire Garvey to create headpieces and more recently face masks all available in her shop in Cows Lane, a treasure trove and nowhere like it full of wearable magical one off pieces available to rent or buy.
I'm very lucky to collaborate with another creative friend Úna O Boyle. I first met Úna when my boys Gaelscoil were lucky to get her to teach chess in Irish. It was very popular and oversubscribed so I volunteered to help monitor the class to avoid disappointment. Úna is a perfectionist making her jewellery only using the best of silver and semiprecious stones. She has also built our online shop and has the patience of a saint I don't know how she does it!
Úna O Boyle
I was born and raised in Duleek, Co. Meath. After studying Product design in the National College of Art and Design, Dublin, I pursued product design in New York, London and Dublin. During my college years I would create jewellery to subsist my studies,
An artistic evolution involved exploring music talents nurtured by my parents. In 1997 I was awarded the Heineken Hot Press Music Award work with the music duo Hyper[Borea], an innovative approach to ambient trance music in the Irish language.
After a number of album recordings from Hyper[Borea], I continued a solo musical journey and was dubbed "one of Ireland's great voices".
Around this time I began developing my love of the ancient game of Chess. My father Enda taught me chess when I was younger but studies and schooling pushed chess aside for several years. I also began teaching chess through Irish which culminated in the publishing of the first ever book on chess in the Irish language; FICHEALL, independently published in 2010. FICHEALL was shortlisted for Children's Book of the year in Ireland (Gradam Réics Carló) in 2010. An English translation of Ficheall was published in 2013 by GingerGM Publishing. In 2008 and 2010 I was selected to represent Ireland at the Chess Olympiads in Dresden, Germany (where I won the title of Women's Candidate Master(WCM)) and Khanty-Mansiysk, Siberia.
I returned to design after meeting Ann Sorah through chess. A new approach to art ensued mixing jewellery with classical materials and high quality fabrics and skills that only Ann Sorah could bring to creations. The name of the game with Ann is fun, fun and just a little more fun...
My other adventures can be found on UNAOBOYLE.NET
An artistic evolution involved exploring music talents nurtured by my parents. In 1997 I was awarded the Heineken Hot Press Music Award work with the music duo Hyper[Borea], an innovative approach to ambient trance music in the Irish language.
After a number of album recordings from Hyper[Borea], I continued a solo musical journey and was dubbed "one of Ireland's great voices".
Around this time I began developing my love of the ancient game of Chess. My father Enda taught me chess when I was younger but studies and schooling pushed chess aside for several years. I also began teaching chess through Irish which culminated in the publishing of the first ever book on chess in the Irish language; FICHEALL, independently published in 2010. FICHEALL was shortlisted for Children's Book of the year in Ireland (Gradam Réics Carló) in 2010. An English translation of Ficheall was published in 2013 by GingerGM Publishing. In 2008 and 2010 I was selected to represent Ireland at the Chess Olympiads in Dresden, Germany (where I won the title of Women's Candidate Master(WCM)) and Khanty-Mansiysk, Siberia.
I returned to design after meeting Ann Sorah through chess. A new approach to art ensued mixing jewellery with classical materials and high quality fabrics and skills that only Ann Sorah could bring to creations. The name of the game with Ann is fun, fun and just a little more fun...
My other adventures can be found on UNAOBOYLE.NET
Cé go raibh cáil bainte amach ag Úna cheana féin i saol an cheoil (i 1997 bronnadh Gradam Ceoil Hot Press Heineken uirthi as a cuid oibre leis an disreach ceoil Hyper[Borea]), anois tá sí tar éacht eile a dhéanamh – an chéad leabhar faoin gcluiche ársa sin Ficheall as Gaeilge a scríobh.
Rugadh agus tógadh Úna i nDamhliag, Co. na Mí. Thosaigh laethanta oibre Úna mar Dhearthóir Táirgí i Nua Eabhrac, i Londain agus i mBaile Átha Cliath. Nuair a tháinig glaoch an cheoil chuici ní fada go raibh domhain an Ealaíontóra fágtha ar gcúl aici.
I 1997 bronnadh Gradam Ceoil Hot Press Heineken uirthi as a cuid oibre leis an dísreach ceoil Hyper[Borea], a raibh dearcadh nuálaíoch á chur chun tosaigh acu ina gcuid ceapadóireachtaí ceoil.
Tar éis cúpla dlúthcheirnín ó Hyper[Borea] lean Úna le turas ceoil dá cuid féin agus tugadh “one of Ireland’s great voices” uirthi ag an bpointe sin.
Timpeall an ama seo d’fhill Úna ar an bhFicheall. Mhúin a hathair Enda, an ficheall di nuair a bhí sí níos óige ach bhrúigh cúrsaí staidéir agus scolaíochta an ficheall i leataoibh go ceann roinnt blianta.
Chonacthas bua na fichille inti agus í ina páiste, ach mar is dual do dhéagóirí tháinig nithe ‘níos tábhachtaím’ isteach ina saol, agus lig sí maidí na fichille le sruth ar feadh scathaimh.
Fuair Úna blas ar an bhficheall arís cúpla bliain ó shin agus thosaigh sí ag glacadh páirte i gcomórtais thart ar an tír. Ag an am seo chomh maith thosaigh Úna ag múineadh fichille i nGaelscoileanna. Ins na ranganna is ea a thosaigh síol an leabhair seo ag borradh agus ag fás.
Agus í i mbun a cúraimí teagaisc tuigeadh di nach raibh aon fhoinse eolais ar bith ann sa Ghaeilge maidir le himirt fichille de, taobh amuigh de chorrthéarma i bhfoclóir agus tagairtí sa litríocht. Is dá bharr sin a tháinig an saothar seo ar an saol.
Idir an dá linn, i 2008, roghnaíodh Úna ar fhoireann ban na hÉireann do chomórtas Oilimpiad na fichille i nDresden na Gearmáine. Ba ansin a ghnóthaigh sí an gradam ‘Ábhar Máistir Mná’/WCM (= Woman’s Candidate Master) mar thoradh ar a chruthaigh sí le linn an chomórtais.
Rugadh agus tógadh Úna i nDamhliag, Co. na Mí. Thosaigh laethanta oibre Úna mar Dhearthóir Táirgí i Nua Eabhrac, i Londain agus i mBaile Átha Cliath. Nuair a tháinig glaoch an cheoil chuici ní fada go raibh domhain an Ealaíontóra fágtha ar gcúl aici.
I 1997 bronnadh Gradam Ceoil Hot Press Heineken uirthi as a cuid oibre leis an dísreach ceoil Hyper[Borea], a raibh dearcadh nuálaíoch á chur chun tosaigh acu ina gcuid ceapadóireachtaí ceoil.
Tar éis cúpla dlúthcheirnín ó Hyper[Borea] lean Úna le turas ceoil dá cuid féin agus tugadh “one of Ireland’s great voices” uirthi ag an bpointe sin.
Timpeall an ama seo d’fhill Úna ar an bhFicheall. Mhúin a hathair Enda, an ficheall di nuair a bhí sí níos óige ach bhrúigh cúrsaí staidéir agus scolaíochta an ficheall i leataoibh go ceann roinnt blianta.
Chonacthas bua na fichille inti agus í ina páiste, ach mar is dual do dhéagóirí tháinig nithe ‘níos tábhachtaím’ isteach ina saol, agus lig sí maidí na fichille le sruth ar feadh scathaimh.
Fuair Úna blas ar an bhficheall arís cúpla bliain ó shin agus thosaigh sí ag glacadh páirte i gcomórtais thart ar an tír. Ag an am seo chomh maith thosaigh Úna ag múineadh fichille i nGaelscoileanna. Ins na ranganna is ea a thosaigh síol an leabhair seo ag borradh agus ag fás.
Agus í i mbun a cúraimí teagaisc tuigeadh di nach raibh aon fhoinse eolais ar bith ann sa Ghaeilge maidir le himirt fichille de, taobh amuigh de chorrthéarma i bhfoclóir agus tagairtí sa litríocht. Is dá bharr sin a tháinig an saothar seo ar an saol.
Idir an dá linn, i 2008, roghnaíodh Úna ar fhoireann ban na hÉireann do chomórtas Oilimpiad na fichille i nDresden na Gearmáine. Ba ansin a ghnóthaigh sí an gradam ‘Ábhar Máistir Mná’/WCM (= Woman’s Candidate Master) mar thoradh ar a chruthaigh sí le linn an chomórtais.
Úna O Boyle on Irish TV programme "Nationwide"
ANN SORAH
dress designer / seamstress
ÚNA O BOYLE
jewellery / product designer
Contact / Teagmháil: sorah.ireland[at]gmail.com / +353-87-7964S87
SORAH.EU
dress designer / seamstress
ÚNA O BOYLE
jewellery / product designer
Contact / Teagmháil: sorah.ireland[at]gmail.com / +353-87-7964S87
SORAH.EU
