Totally agree with you and Rory about Heaney and the way poetry was taught…
I’m indebted to a Canadian teacher at my school c 1966…he shrewdly worked out that teenage lads would be engaged by the works of WB Yeats…we were/ still am …and,bonus of the paintings by Jack B Yeats…
Travelling over today for the concert tonight. Scotland is not far so happy to make the journey to get the Christy fix. Another new venue for us, really looking forward to the classics, which might include Barrowlands. Hope you have a great time.
Charles, Pearl, Walter and Gerry.
There’ll be a hape of Murray’s tomorrow night. About 10 of us. We were over the moon to get tickets! We’ll be at the front tomorrow hopefully. Absolutely delighted to be there.
Best regards,
Eliza Kelly
Christy's reply
“John Joe at The Pinkeen Bridge
as The Rags rode into Town”
Christy, i listen to a lot of Seamus Heaney’s poetry , read by the Laureate himself.
His work is astounding, personal, public, wholesome , threaded, delicate, earthy, natural and entrancing.
Each time i hear another nuance, a novel meaning, an intonation.
I know you are a devotee too. His wonder can never be over proclaimed.
Rory
Christy's reply
“His work is astounding, personal, public, wholesome , threaded, delicate, earthy, natural and entrancing”
Well said Rory…
I’m reminded of the poetry we suffered 1958-63.
Some of us never recovered from the boredom, the incomprehension of the slavish syllabuses created by crawthumping west brits and force fed by frustrated fathers of St Dominic…..
Cur Me Persequeris ?
Milton, Shakespeare,Keats, Virgil…….I opted for The Clancy Brothers
Christy,
I’ve a gig lined up on the way.
I’ve no idea how crowds react to songs, whether to go with the old or the new. A part of me doesn’t want to go near the so called “classics”, overplayed, dare I say overrated. All the same time a pub just wants to have the drunk man enjoy a tune by the busker on stage, a jukebox if you will.
I’ve been told I’ve a voice for the ballads, and I’ll have a go at Jack Doyle. The Opera House in Wexford 2024 you sang with my name on the setlist that I have hanging on the wall, never forget it, we all sang the Voyage in harmony to end the night, beautiful little crowd there and a stunning venue. An old man asking for John of Dreams, a beautiful request.
Many nights to come.
-Matty
Great that you’re still gigging me friend! Bizarrely, I went down memory lane re-friends ‘cos I watched a great TV series called “Little Bird” which featured in Episode 3 a song by David Campbell (who passed away in May) called “Ojibwe Star”. Anyway’s take care. Shalom-Jim.
Christy's reply
Thanks Jim..
This is really beautiful…
I last heard David Cambell 40 years ago
I tried to sing a song of his, a long long time ago
then he moved out of orbit
its wonderful to hear him again
perhaps it was yourself that told me of David Cambell
I thoroughly enjoyed reading up on the tracks and tales that cropped up pre and post gig … And what sounds to have been a belter of a show – Two Island Swans has long been a favourite and there were plenty of others. Delighted to hear about Vicar St – ag tnúth go mór leis
Fair play to you,
Oscar
Hello Christy,
We’ve just watched the documentary about Eoghan Daltan and the forest he nurtures. The man who put down roots, first in the little house he built, then in 73 acres of the Beara peninsula that have turned into a paradise over the last few years under his careful gaze. I went out to look at my garden and I felt so lucky to be surrounded by everything there. I gave thanks for the rain yesterday, lighting candles.
Im so happy to hear thre will be 5 nights in Vicar Street in November. And to share in those wonderful times we all have together. As you and Lars said, I guess feelings for people come when they touch us and impact us. With some people they arrive like a banquet. Others we need to take the time to find them.
Now that was a humdinger of a setlist from Wexford….brilliant. You mentioned wondering why we mourn for artists we’ve never met or known…I remember when David Bowie died just over ten years ago, my best pal was really upset and I called in that evening, we both still live in Williamstown, and we got out his collection of Bowie vinyls and played them for the night. He cared for that vinyl as much as anything…the velvet brush to get the dust off, the stylus immaculate. We used to do this as youngsters in our teens and we felt on that day that it was like somebody had just came and tore out part of his teenage years and beyond…we spend more time with our music favourites or actor favourites at times, than we do with other people…always filling our senses…shed a tear when the great Robin Williams passed away too….not sure why, but he moved people through his work, personality etc. Anyways, wafflin here but just remembering here today and playing Wally on what would be his birthday this day….I’ll make a cake xx the B & I to paradise
Christy's reply
He’s never been to Dún na Rí
nor combed the beaches after three
chips and beer and greenery
Brothers one and all
Feels very weird this, you’ve been a major soundtrack in my life from when we had Collection 81-91 in a hire car for a full Summer in Kerry when I was 11. Was a bad summer for the family as we lost my grandad and great uncle a few months later but your music stuck, and has meant something ever since, some songs in that album were very poignant for me, we were very close and Ride On still feels my own song for him which I’m grateful to you for.
My mum and stepdad went to see you every year they could since, including when we managed to get them tickets to the real intimate gig, in Camden I think, with a couple hundred people. We saw you together in Southwark and it was such a great experience as a family. They were booked twice with flights and tickets for the Gleneagle and missed out during Covid and I think they feel jinxed seeing you over in Ireland now.
Have managed to get my mates hooked as well. We saw you in Killarney in 2025 and they loved it. Managed to adopt 3 generations of Texan women including an 80 year old for the night at the gig who had the time of their lives in Killarney when we took them out after. Love the fact Viva LQB has become a standard at my friends parties 20 plus years after I got hooked.
Was only on the website as always looking to see if you’re ever playing in Belfast and saw I could get in touch. I’m a Londoner myself, but having done my time studying the bad times at uni years back I would love to get family and friends together for a gig where we can do the black cab tours and follow up with a great night after in Belfast. Any plans to do so?
If not no bother we’ll come and see you somewhere in the south anyway.
Thanks for all the good times given and memories created with friends and family, here’s hoping for a few more. Keep doing what you’re doing as long as you love it.
Good Night, God Bless, Safe Home
Pierce O’Connor
Christy's reply
Hi Pierce,
Thanks for sharing Pierce…always a pleasure to hear from listeners who have long term connection with the songs….
I’m curious about thon ” real intimate gig in Camden”..any further clues ?
re future gigs… the only future gigs in place are 5 Vicar Street,Dublin gigs in November …soon to be announced… after that we will be cogitating, investigating, procrastinating about 2027…I hope to continue on for as long as the body and voice hold up…(in good shape at the minute , Thanks be)….passing time suggests I gotta try and be sensible…I’ve always had a tendency towards boot to the floor …these times I’m blessed by loving hands on the handbrake…
Hey Christy,
A moment of pure genius on your behalf deciding to sing ‘Boy In The Wild’ accapella.
Wish I was there! … such a powerful song that makes me remember my late father. I leant on him a few times. Also makes me think of my own son who is welcome to lean on me when times get rough
Take care
Dave and Giles
Christy's reply
Dave & Giles
Thank you …however I should share that I think ‘pure genius’ might be a tad O.T.T……..I’ve been struggling for a year to find a way to perfrom this song on stage….different keys, different rhythms and settings….out of the blue, after the sound check, my good companero and tour manager Michael suggested I try it accapella… and so I did….and for me, it really worked….I managed to create all the emotion that the song contains……I managed to sing it the Wally sent it…”Boy In The Wild” is a classic Wally Page composition…I added the middle 8 ,I think he would approve…
hope you are enjoying your gigs…
thanks again… I’ll settle for “pure genius” over some of the names I’ve been called but (tbc p94)
I’ve located Dick Gaughin singing it. Lovely. You Tube. (Seems to be part of a TV documentary)
Christy's reply
“Connolly was There” by Dominic Behan
Thanks for that Ed….I never knew that Dick had covered Dominic’s song….great to hear him, what a mighty guitar player is Dick….
Dick is a native Son of the same City as Connolly…both born and reared in Auld Reekie….. Dominic was living in Scotland when he wrote this ballad….
Dominic taught me the song when in 1967…I stayed with him and Josephine a few times in advance of making my first album which Dominic produced in 1968. It featured 4 of Dominic’s songs:
Connolly was There,
Building up and tearing England Down,
Belfast Brigade
Avondale…
Recorded in Sound Techniques, London, it was my first time in a recording studio….The backing band were all Jazz players and session men led by Steve Benbow…I had no knowledge whatsoever of the process, I simply sang as best I could and tried to fit in with the arrangements that Steve had hastily written…
In retrospect ,it was a great learning process.I’m happy to have “Paddy on The Road” here in on my shelf….it prepared me well for the second album recorded two years later when we gathered in Kildare to record “Prosperous”.
The credits rolling up on my TV screen from this James Connolly programme as I type.
Whew! Lots to digest. Great.
Christy's reply
“William Martin Murphy and his Dublin Millionaires
tried bribery and corruption, hypocrisy and prayers,
the break the Transport Union the scabs they did enlist
but all their graft was shattered by a scarlet iron fist
and Connolly was there,
Connolly was there,
brave and undaunted
James Connolly was there”………..( Dominic Behan)
Christy, just on the train to London to see Jack White in concert. The White Stripes did a great cover of Jolene, fingers crossed he treats us to a rendition tonight. R.I.P. Dolly.
Christy's reply
Thanks John, and many others who have expressed sorrow at Dolly’s passing…may the good woman be at peace..a wonderful artist who has always displayed talent, compassion, wit and humility
its got me thinking about the passing of many old friends,relations,school pals, neighbours and workmates from across the years…
I looked up recent RIP notices from my old home town…see many names among the lists that I remember clearly and fondly from bygone days,
in the last few months we have lost our beautiful Sister Eilish….
I’m wondering about outpourings of grief for distant stars we’ve never known,
I’m wondering about all the lonesome people all around us…
our Mother Nancy always focused on the living rather then the dead
its great to be alive……enjoy The Stripes….tell Jack, if he ever needs a Bodhrán player….I know them all
Whilst rappin’ in a fishshop!
Hi Christy
Totally agree with you and Rory about Heaney and the way poetry was taught…
I’m indebted to a Canadian teacher at my school c 1966…he shrewdly worked out that teenage lads would be engaged by the works of WB Yeats…we were/ still am …and,bonus of the paintings by Jack B Yeats…
Have a fab gig
Dave
it could pappen to a lishop
Hi Christy,
Travelling over today for the concert tonight. Scotland is not far so happy to make the journey to get the Christy fix. Another new venue for us, really looking forward to the classics, which might include Barrowlands. Hope you have a great time.
Charles, Pearl, Walter and Gerry.
“Come All You Dreamers”
Howaya Christy,
There’ll be a hape of Murray’s tomorrow night. About 10 of us. We were over the moon to get tickets! We’ll be at the front tomorrow hopefully. Absolutely delighted to be there.
Best regards,
Eliza Kelly
“John Joe at The Pinkeen Bridge
as The Rags rode into Town”
Christy, i listen to a lot of Seamus Heaney’s poetry , read by the Laureate himself.
His work is astounding, personal, public, wholesome , threaded, delicate, earthy, natural and entrancing.
Each time i hear another nuance, a novel meaning, an intonation.
I know you are a devotee too. His wonder can never be over proclaimed.
Rory
“His work is astounding, personal, public, wholesome , threaded, delicate, earthy, natural and entrancing”
Well said Rory…
I’m reminded of the poetry we suffered 1958-63.
Some of us never recovered from the boredom, the incomprehension of the slavish syllabuses created by crawthumping west brits and force fed by frustrated fathers of St Dominic…..
Cur Me Persequeris ?
Milton, Shakespeare,Keats, Virgil…….I opted for The Clancy Brothers
Christy,
I’ve a gig lined up on the way.
I’ve no idea how crowds react to songs, whether to go with the old or the new. A part of me doesn’t want to go near the so called “classics”, overplayed, dare I say overrated. All the same time a pub just wants to have the drunk man enjoy a tune by the busker on stage, a jukebox if you will.
I’ve been told I’ve a voice for the ballads, and I’ll have a go at Jack Doyle. The Opera House in Wexford 2024 you sang with my name on the setlist that I have hanging on the wall, never forget it, we all sang the Voyage in harmony to end the night, beautiful little crowd there and a stunning venue. An old man asking for John of Dreams, a beautiful request.
Many nights to come.
-Matty
“So Called Classics” “Over-played” “Over Rated”
“Drunk Man” “Busker” “Juke Box”
Steady on there Matty….I’ve encountered such attitude …
What makes a “Classic” a classic ?
whats the problem if a drunk man finds beauty in a song sung by a busker ?
good luck with your gig
the most important element of any gig is the audience…without listeners ..we sing to ourselves alone…took me decades to learn that simple fact
Great that you’re still gigging me friend! Bizarrely, I went down memory lane re-friends ‘cos I watched a great TV series called “Little Bird” which featured in Episode 3 a song by David Campbell (who passed away in May) called “Ojibwe Star”. Anyway’s take care. Shalom-Jim.
Thanks Jim..
This is really beautiful…
I last heard David Cambell 40 years ago
I tried to sing a song of his, a long long time ago
then he moved out of orbit
its wonderful to hear him again
perhaps it was yourself that told me of David Cambell
Hi Christy
Great sharing by Lar…what a legacy by Bowie-and a sad loss…’Black Star’ such a mighty epitaph…
Just read about a Washington DC rally,in the spirit of the epic,1963,March on Washington…it’s much needed now,as it was then…
Let’s try and keep spirits high.
Dave
Sat morning..
its great to be alive
Just listened to The Queen of the Rushes / Paddy Fahys what a tune.
I really like this track as it opens our “Planxty Live- 2004” album
A very good evening to you Christy,
I thoroughly enjoyed reading up on the tracks and tales that cropped up pre and post gig … And what sounds to have been a belter of a show – Two Island Swans has long been a favourite and there were plenty of others. Delighted to hear about Vicar St – ag tnúth go mór leis
Fair play to you,
Oscar
we took a stroll
among the quality
Hello Christy,
We’ve just watched the documentary about Eoghan Daltan and the forest he nurtures. The man who put down roots, first in the little house he built, then in 73 acres of the Beara peninsula that have turned into a paradise over the last few years under his careful gaze. I went out to look at my garden and I felt so lucky to be surrounded by everything there. I gave thanks for the rain yesterday, lighting candles.
Im so happy to hear thre will be 5 nights in Vicar Street in November. And to share in those wonderful times we all have together. As you and Lars said, I guess feelings for people come when they touch us and impact us. With some people they arrive like a banquet. Others we need to take the time to find them.
Rebecca
Thank you Rebecca…
Part two yet to come
Now that was a humdinger of a setlist from Wexford….brilliant. You mentioned wondering why we mourn for artists we’ve never met or known…I remember when David Bowie died just over ten years ago, my best pal was really upset and I called in that evening, we both still live in Williamstown, and we got out his collection of Bowie vinyls and played them for the night. He cared for that vinyl as much as anything…the velvet brush to get the dust off, the stylus immaculate. We used to do this as youngsters in our teens and we felt on that day that it was like somebody had just came and tore out part of his teenage years and beyond…we spend more time with our music favourites or actor favourites at times, than we do with other people…always filling our senses…shed a tear when the great Robin Williams passed away too….not sure why, but he moved people through his work, personality etc. Anyways, wafflin here but just remembering here today and playing Wally on what would be his birthday this day….I’ll make a cake xx the B & I to paradise
He’s never been to Dún na Rí
nor combed the beaches after three
chips and beer and greenery
Brothers one and all
Hi Christy,
Feels very weird this, you’ve been a major soundtrack in my life from when we had Collection 81-91 in a hire car for a full Summer in Kerry when I was 11. Was a bad summer for the family as we lost my grandad and great uncle a few months later but your music stuck, and has meant something ever since, some songs in that album were very poignant for me, we were very close and Ride On still feels my own song for him which I’m grateful to you for.
My mum and stepdad went to see you every year they could since, including when we managed to get them tickets to the real intimate gig, in Camden I think, with a couple hundred people. We saw you together in Southwark and it was such a great experience as a family. They were booked twice with flights and tickets for the Gleneagle and missed out during Covid and I think they feel jinxed seeing you over in Ireland now.
Have managed to get my mates hooked as well. We saw you in Killarney in 2025 and they loved it. Managed to adopt 3 generations of Texan women including an 80 year old for the night at the gig who had the time of their lives in Killarney when we took them out after. Love the fact Viva LQB has become a standard at my friends parties 20 plus years after I got hooked.
Was only on the website as always looking to see if you’re ever playing in Belfast and saw I could get in touch. I’m a Londoner myself, but having done my time studying the bad times at uni years back I would love to get family and friends together for a gig where we can do the black cab tours and follow up with a great night after in Belfast. Any plans to do so?
If not no bother we’ll come and see you somewhere in the south anyway.
Thanks for all the good times given and memories created with friends and family, here’s hoping for a few more. Keep doing what you’re doing as long as you love it.
Good Night, God Bless, Safe Home
Pierce O’Connor
Hi Pierce,
Thanks for sharing Pierce…always a pleasure to hear from listeners who have long term connection with the songs….
I’m curious about thon ” real intimate gig in Camden”..any further clues ?
re future gigs… the only future gigs in place are 5 Vicar Street,Dublin gigs in November …soon to be announced… after that we will be cogitating, investigating, procrastinating about 2027…I hope to continue on for as long as the body and voice hold up…(in good shape at the minute , Thanks be)….passing time suggests I gotta try and be sensible…I’ve always had a tendency towards boot to the floor …these times I’m blessed by loving hands on the handbrake…
sign up for newsletter and we’ll keep you posted
Hey Christy,
A moment of pure genius on your behalf deciding to sing ‘Boy In The Wild’ accapella.
Wish I was there! … such a powerful song that makes me remember my late father. I leant on him a few times. Also makes me think of my own son who is welcome to lean on me when times get rough
Take care
Dave and Giles
Dave & Giles
Thank you …however I should share that I think ‘pure genius’ might be a tad O.T.T……..I’ve been struggling for a year to find a way to perfrom this song on stage….different keys, different rhythms and settings….out of the blue, after the sound check, my good companero and tour manager Michael suggested I try it accapella… and so I did….and for me, it really worked….I managed to create all the emotion that the song contains……I managed to sing it the Wally sent it…”Boy In The Wild” is a classic Wally Page composition…I added the middle 8 ,I think he would approve…
hope you are enjoying your gigs…
thanks again… I’ll settle for “pure genius” over some of the names I’ve been called but (tbc p94)
I’ve located Dick Gaughin singing it. Lovely. You Tube. (Seems to be part of a TV documentary)
“Connolly was There” by Dominic Behan
Thanks for that Ed….I never knew that Dick had covered Dominic’s song….great to hear him, what a mighty guitar player is Dick….
Dick is a native Son of the same City as Connolly…both born and reared in Auld Reekie….. Dominic was living in Scotland when he wrote this ballad….
Dominic taught me the song when in 1967…I stayed with him and Josephine a few times in advance of making my first album which Dominic produced in 1968. It featured 4 of Dominic’s songs:
Connolly was There,
Building up and tearing England Down,
Belfast Brigade
Avondale…
Recorded in Sound Techniques, London, it was my first time in a recording studio….The backing band were all Jazz players and session men led by Steve Benbow…I had no knowledge whatsoever of the process, I simply sang as best I could and tried to fit in with the arrangements that Steve had hastily written…
In retrospect ,it was a great learning process.I’m happy to have “Paddy on The Road” here in on my shelf….it prepared me well for the second album recorded two years later when we gathered in Kildare to record “Prosperous”.
The credits rolling up on my TV screen from this James Connolly programme as I type.
Whew! Lots to digest. Great.
“William Martin Murphy and his Dublin Millionaires
tried bribery and corruption, hypocrisy and prayers,
the break the Transport Union the scabs they did enlist
but all their graft was shattered by a scarlet iron fist
and Connolly was there,
Connolly was there,
brave and undaunted
James Connolly was there”………..( Dominic Behan)
Christy, just on the train to London to see Jack White in concert. The White Stripes did a great cover of Jolene, fingers crossed he treats us to a rendition tonight. R.I.P. Dolly.
Thanks John, and many others who have expressed sorrow at Dolly’s passing…may the good woman be at peace..a wonderful artist who has always displayed talent, compassion, wit and humility
its got me thinking about the passing of many old friends,relations,school pals, neighbours and workmates from across the years…
I looked up recent RIP notices from my old home town…see many names among the lists that I remember clearly and fondly from bygone days,
in the last few months we have lost our beautiful Sister Eilish….
I’m wondering about outpourings of grief for distant stars we’ve never known,
I’m wondering about all the lonesome people all around us…
our Mother Nancy always focused on the living rather then the dead
its great to be alive……enjoy The Stripes….tell Jack, if he ever needs a Bodhrán player….I know them all
Dolly Parton RIP
She’ll be in hillbilly heaven tonight
with all her ould pals