I wanted to hop on and say thank you so so much for signing my guitar last night. I appreciate you are a very busy man but taking the time to do that and read my poem even if I forgot to sign it was just top class. You will never know how much it means to me to have it. I will treasure it always.
When you lived in these parts,I wonder if you picked up much info about Peterloo…despite being a life long local,I didn’t hear much until an adult ed course in the late 1970s.
The scale of the Manchester, 1819 peaceful protest,turning into chaotic brutality,is now better known and commemorated in the city. Largely,via a 200th anniversary in 2019.
Now,there’s a full on folk music tribute…Peter’s Field…written and performed by Sean Cooney (The Young ‘ uns) with Sam Carter,Eliza Carthy,Jennifer Reid…superb work. On a boiling hot Rochdale Sunday in 2024,I saw a public preview at a festival…the piece was powerful and moving…and I had a bonus chat with the performers. That afternoon,Sean filled me in on the back story to Peter’s Field. There’s now great content at
The CD is in a book. A4 size,thick,superb quality art and text…historic and modern images co ordinated by Cally Calloman. Lyra McKee is remembered in a lovely two page spread…
I can’t over praise Peters Field…I hope many here will check it out. In my humble opinion,every school and home should have a copy!
‘a song still to be sung…’
Dave
Christy's reply
Gonna check it out
when I lived in Rochdale in 1967 never heard anything about Peterloo..not a word….I was struggling….working in fruit & veg shop on Oldham Rd for my old buddy Derek McEwan fron Chadderton…we lived next door to a Wilson’s house called The Morning Star…first time I ever encountered dominoes ( not Derek & The Dominoes)…..Derek sang some old Manchester songs, as did Mike Harding, Harry Boardman, The Valley Folk and many other Lancashire folk revivalists…Oldham Tinkers, Pete Smilth, Marie Little,…..I did pick up a few songs, “Poverty Knocks”, “Tae The Beggin I will go” great verse,
“Ive been deaf in Duckinfield
I’ve been blind in Shaw
and manys the right and willin lass
I’ve courted in the straw”
(pure Lancashire Trad Poetry ….sing that verse and be cancelled)
I learnt Ewan’s ” Manchester Way” which was a big song back then…also “Seth Davy ” from Jackqui & Bridie down the East Lancs…
its great to hear that Eliza & Jennifer & Co are reviving the memory of Peterloo, that the Folk singers and players are active in facing the rising tide of fascism, once more fermenting their hatred, rascism and anti social bigotry…..
gonna check it out
we got our own stuff going on here too….check it out…..Tommy Robinson’s been spreading his bile and verbiage over here too… and he has listeners who approve and welcome his presence…
let us all be aware, do whatever we can to face down the bully mob
Thanks for a wonderful night in the INEC tonight. A wonderful venue for a gig. Four rebels in the front Ronan my cousin,Myself,Tony Murphy and his wife Fiona were serenading all the songs 🎵 to our hearts content.alongside the Lady from the Kingdom Hilary .Thanks again Christy. Sweet music 🎶 roll on.
Christy's reply
maith an fear Daithí
bhí an gig sin maith ar fad
táimíd mór thimpeasll Cill Dara anois
ag iománaioct go tapaidh trasna an Curragh of Kildare
not a buckin 40 foot or 10 ton tractor in sight
that was some gaggle last nighy
a right mix of listeners from 9 to 90
I stumbled twice last night
first on Stitch and later on Encore
I got such a cacophony of prompts from the front row I did’nt know whether I was comin or goin but between us we all got there in the end
last night’s fun….(written in back of van between ABBEYFEALE & NEWCASTLEWEST WITH MEMORIES OF KNOCKNAGOSHEL FLOATING AROUND IN MY HEAD)
chicago
quinte
how long
brendan’s voyage
johnny boy
ride on
black & amber
dts
voyage
cumann na mban
veronica
smoke & whiskey
stitch
ordinarey man
contender
bright blue rose
big marquee
barr na sraide
mainland
derry
only our rivers
cliffs
lisdoonvarna
if I get an encore
joxer
1 HOUR 48 MINS
first played the ballroom in Gleneagles back in 1984
they uswed to do weekly gigs back then
I played every thursday
the late Maurice O’Donoghue was the man in charge back then
legend
for two summers my schedule for 8 weeks of july /aug
Wed Two Mile Inn Limerick
thu Gleneagles
fri Wexford inn Dublin
Sun Munstwer Arms Bandon (Club Cleo,wild and wonderful lock-in the night John Tracey won an Olympic Medal, we drank 8 gallon apiece as he galloped around Los Angeles)
the other 3 nights were loose….The Blue Lagoon in Sligo, Greenbriar Belfast Unyoke Inn Wexford,Caesar’s Palace Bunclody, Merriman Tavern Scariff, CJ’s Salthill, Rakish Paddy’s Lanesboro, Cherry Tree Clogher Head…it was all go back then, learning and preparing for what was yet to come….the Shovel broke big, then Ride On , started to pick some air play…Ronan Collins, Gay Byrne, Maxi ( Irene McCoubrey) gave me spins and the songs started to gain some traction…after 20 uears on the road I was an overnight success….first trip to USA in 1984, Australia in 1985…played solo in Carnegie Hall New York, Albert Hall London, Barrowland Glasgow…..did 12 nights in The Point in Dublin circa 1992 and released Live at The Point which was in the Irish Charts for 20 years…
Its some buzz to be still gigging at 80 and getting such great response..
Thanks for all your support
Dont know where all this reminiscing came from..had no intention but the back of the van often sets me of on flashbacks…nearly home now….zzzzzzzz
I hope ye had enough in the tank to get you back for the dinmer in Monks Lane tomorrow…I’v emailed Gavin to put done a few extra spuds
I’m in the back of the van , shes jumpin a bit on the potholes anxd feckin ip mo spellyng
Great that Danny saw Arlo and band…re the names of passengers killed in the Deportees plane crash,I think Arlo was referring to the superb work of Tim Hernandez.
www timzhernandez.com has info and there’ are fab pieces online. I’m trying to track down Tim’s book, ‘ All they will call you…’
On gigs,Reg Meuross and band play a lovely version of Deportees,followed by his poignant’ Red Shoes’…well worth seeking out…
Have a great gig,all and I hope travels are ok
Dave
Christy's reply
some years back we went to hear Arlo in Whelan’s ,Dublin….He played with his Son and Grandson……when he played Woody songs we were listening to the music of four generations of Woody’s family…it was a lovely gig..cherished and always remembered
Back on the M4 after a delay free run to Naas, thanks be. Met a family from Prosperous before the gig who kindly requested The Voyage..The Kildare crowd delivered in style.. it was like the song sang itself.. what a great feeling.. Wishing all travelling to the Kingdom a smooth run..
Christy's reply
sounds good Kevin…….Prophets conquer Nás na Rí…..Prosperous has long since been inhabited by balladeers and followers of the Tradition…..
Hello Christy.Looking forward to trip over the County Bounds for a night of music and song with yourself. A few rebels traveling tommorow night Tony and Fiona Murphy. Myself and my cousin Ronan a big fan of you and your music and song. Roll on tommorow night .Sweet music roll on.
Christy's reply
make sure ye freewheel down into Kenmare and save the juice….
Was lucky to have been in Vicar St for the recently mentioned segue from The Contender into Bright Blue Rose.. two gems that go really well together.. Hoping to make it to Lawlor’s Ballroom Naas tonight for a full house with HSP.. though we gotta leave early.. saw a sign this morning from a protester that said “Iran this, Iran that, I-ran out of diesel!”..
Christy's reply
my last time in Lawlor’s Ballroom in Naas was back 1962….we cycled from Newbridge to hear Brendan Bowyer & The Royal…
Deportees…
I was lucky enough to hear Arlo Guthrie & ensemble perform this at Port Fairy Folk Festival some years back
Arlo told the the audience that he’d just recently learned of the name of each person whose life was lost
Harrowing but engrossing , moving tribute
G’day all: glad to see you all up & about.
As ever, thanx Christy for oh well you know
Regards
Danny Harris
Downunder
How are you, Christy! Myself, my Dad and my Brother will be flying over to see you in Killarney this Saturday. It’s been a while as we usually see you in London (I just looked it up the last gig there-I can’t believe it was 2019 at Southbank! Great gig as always). Delighted to have an excuse to visit my Dad’s home county, The Kingdom, anyway (myself and Brother are just flying for the one night to see you!). Looking forward to cheering you on and soaking up the atmosphere once again. All the best, Christy! Christine, Adrian & Owen
Christy's reply
here’s hoping we can all gather in The Kingdom tomorrow night…a lot of chaos here at the moment…fingers crossed
Hello Christy,
Hope all is well with you. Cassette tapes. Those portable cassette recorders were all the rage when I was in my teens. Little plug in microphone and you were away. I’ve no idea what happened to all my tapes. There is a cupboard in Steve’s office that is too high to get into without a ladder. Maybe I need to have a look, it’s probably 2 decades since I was in there.
Your early find in the P W Joyce book, the Curragh of Kildare is being very lucky for me. It got me the hour on TempoFM with Tony Haynes and now the same video has got me a chance to record a few songs as part of the Narrowboat Sessions. They want traditional songs all acoustic. Getting the gig is one of the best feelings, isnt it!!!
Hope your songs are swimming, swirling and swooping.
Hi Christy,
In a box of old photo’s I found a cassette tape. In the little box was a note with the text “my playlist” in my handwriting. It,is from the early sixties, I must have been about 15 years old at the time. It is a weird mixture of musicgenres with names like Sinatra, Bo diddley, Roy Orbison, f. Domino, but also an Austrian polka, a German schlagersong , jaques Brel….the strange thing is the ending “the andante from Mozarts piano concerto nr 21”
Meanwhile, other names have been added and some music has dropped out, but Mozart has remained. The power of classical music?
My granddaughter Floor is in Suriname since January (to June).
Her sister Frauke is currently visiting her. Together they will make beautiful memories, isn’t that sweet?
Love, moeke
Thanks,Christy…very interesting info…
Mary Fildes was born in Co Cork and was a key social reformer in the Peterloo era…well worth a read up…and she features in a fab Eliza Carthy song
D
Hi Christy
I wanted to hop on and say thank you so so much for signing my guitar last night. I appreciate you are a very busy man but taking the time to do that and read my poem even if I forgot to sign it was just top class. You will never know how much it means to me to have it. I will treasure it always.
Thank you from the bottom of my heart
You are a Legend
Hi Christy
When you lived in these parts,I wonder if you picked up much info about Peterloo…despite being a life long local,I didn’t hear much until an adult ed course in the late 1970s.
The scale of the Manchester, 1819 peaceful protest,turning into chaotic brutality,is now better known and commemorated in the city. Largely,via a 200th anniversary in 2019.
Now,there’s a full on folk music tribute…Peter’s Field…written and performed by Sean Cooney (The Young ‘ uns) with Sam Carter,Eliza Carthy,Jennifer Reid…superb work. On a boiling hot Rochdale Sunday in 2024,I saw a public preview at a festival…the piece was powerful and moving…and I had a bonus chat with the performers. That afternoon,Sean filled me in on the back story to Peter’s Field. There’s now great content at
http://www.seancooney.co.uk
The CD is in a book. A4 size,thick,superb quality art and text…historic and modern images co ordinated by Cally Calloman. Lyra McKee is remembered in a lovely two page spread…
I can’t over praise Peters Field…I hope many here will check it out. In my humble opinion,every school and home should have a copy!
‘a song still to be sung…’
Dave
Gonna check it out
when I lived in Rochdale in 1967 never heard anything about Peterloo..not a word….I was struggling….working in fruit & veg shop on Oldham Rd for my old buddy Derek McEwan fron Chadderton…we lived next door to a Wilson’s house called The Morning Star…first time I ever encountered dominoes ( not Derek & The Dominoes)…..Derek sang some old Manchester songs, as did Mike Harding, Harry Boardman, The Valley Folk and many other Lancashire folk revivalists…Oldham Tinkers, Pete Smilth, Marie Little,…..I did pick up a few songs, “Poverty Knocks”, “Tae The Beggin I will go” great verse,
“Ive been deaf in Duckinfield
I’ve been blind in Shaw
and manys the right and willin lass
I’ve courted in the straw”
(pure Lancashire Trad Poetry ….sing that verse and be cancelled)
I learnt Ewan’s ” Manchester Way” which was a big song back then…also “Seth Davy ” from Jackqui & Bridie down the East Lancs…
its great to hear that Eliza & Jennifer & Co are reviving the memory of Peterloo, that the Folk singers and players are active in facing the rising tide of fascism, once more fermenting their hatred, rascism and anti social bigotry…..
gonna check it out
we got our own stuff going on here too….check it out…..Tommy Robinson’s been spreading his bile and verbiage over here too… and he has listeners who approve and welcome his presence…
let us all be aware, do whatever we can to face down the bully mob
Thanks for a wonderful night in the INEC tonight. A wonderful venue for a gig. Four rebels in the front Ronan my cousin,Myself,Tony Murphy and his wife Fiona were serenading all the songs 🎵 to our hearts content.alongside the Lady from the Kingdom Hilary .Thanks again Christy. Sweet music 🎶 roll on.
maith an fear Daithí
bhí an gig sin maith ar fad
táimíd mór thimpeasll Cill Dara anois
ag iománaioct go tapaidh trasna an Curragh of Kildare
not a buckin 40 foot or 10 ton tractor in sight
that was some gaggle last nighy
a right mix of listeners from 9 to 90
I stumbled twice last night
first on Stitch and later on Encore
I got such a cacophony of prompts from the front row I did’nt know whether I was comin or goin but between us we all got there in the end
last night’s fun….(written in back of van between ABBEYFEALE & NEWCASTLEWEST WITH MEMORIES OF KNOCKNAGOSHEL FLOATING AROUND IN MY HEAD)
chicago
quinte
how long
brendan’s voyage
johnny boy
ride on
black & amber
dts
voyage
cumann na mban
veronica
smoke & whiskey
stitch
ordinarey man
contender
bright blue rose
big marquee
barr na sraide
mainland
derry
only our rivers
cliffs
lisdoonvarna
if I get an encore
joxer
1 HOUR 48 MINS
first played the ballroom in Gleneagles back in 1984
they uswed to do weekly gigs back then
I played every thursday
the late Maurice O’Donoghue was the man in charge back then
legend
for two summers my schedule for 8 weeks of july /aug
Wed Two Mile Inn Limerick
thu Gleneagles
fri Wexford inn Dublin
Sun Munstwer Arms Bandon (Club Cleo,wild and wonderful lock-in the night John Tracey won an Olympic Medal, we drank 8 gallon apiece as he galloped around Los Angeles)
the other 3 nights were loose….The Blue Lagoon in Sligo, Greenbriar Belfast Unyoke Inn Wexford,Caesar’s Palace Bunclody, Merriman Tavern Scariff, CJ’s Salthill, Rakish Paddy’s Lanesboro, Cherry Tree Clogher Head…it was all go back then, learning and preparing for what was yet to come….the Shovel broke big, then Ride On , started to pick some air play…Ronan Collins, Gay Byrne, Maxi ( Irene McCoubrey) gave me spins and the songs started to gain some traction…after 20 uears on the road I was an overnight success….first trip to USA in 1984, Australia in 1985…played solo in Carnegie Hall New York, Albert Hall London, Barrowland Glasgow…..did 12 nights in The Point in Dublin circa 1992 and released Live at The Point which was in the Irish Charts for 20 years…
Its some buzz to be still gigging at 80 and getting such great response..
Thanks for all your support
Dont know where all this reminiscing came from..had no intention but the back of the van often sets me of on flashbacks…nearly home now….zzzzzzzz
I hope ye had enough in the tank to get you back for the dinmer in Monks Lane tomorrow…I’v emailed Gavin to put done a few extra spuds
I’m in the back of the van , shes jumpin a bit on the potholes anxd feckin ip mo spellyng
Hi Christy
Great that Danny saw Arlo and band…re the names of passengers killed in the Deportees plane crash,I think Arlo was referring to the superb work of Tim Hernandez.
www timzhernandez.com has info and there’ are fab pieces online. I’m trying to track down Tim’s book, ‘ All they will call you…’
On gigs,Reg Meuross and band play a lovely version of Deportees,followed by his poignant’ Red Shoes’…well worth seeking out…
Have a great gig,all and I hope travels are ok
Dave
some years back we went to hear Arlo in Whelan’s ,Dublin….He played with his Son and Grandson……when he played Woody songs we were listening to the music of four generations of Woody’s family…it was a lovely gig..cherished and always remembered
Back on the M4 after a delay free run to Naas, thanks be. Met a family from Prosperous before the gig who kindly requested The Voyage..The Kildare crowd delivered in style.. it was like the song sang itself.. what a great feeling.. Wishing all travelling to the Kingdom a smooth run..
sounds good Kevin…….Prophets conquer Nás na Rí…..Prosperous has long since been inhabited by balladeers and followers of the Tradition…..
Hello Christy.Looking forward to trip over the County Bounds for a night of music and song with yourself. A few rebels traveling tommorow night Tony and Fiona Murphy. Myself and my cousin Ronan a big fan of you and your music and song. Roll on tommorow night .Sweet music roll on.
make sure ye freewheel down into Kenmare and save the juice….
Was lucky to have been in Vicar St for the recently mentioned segue from The Contender into Bright Blue Rose.. two gems that go really well together.. Hoping to make it to Lawlor’s Ballroom Naas tonight for a full house with HSP.. though we gotta leave early.. saw a sign this morning from a protester that said “Iran this, Iran that, I-ran out of diesel!”..
my last time in Lawlor’s Ballroom in Naas was back 1962….we cycled from Newbridge to hear Brendan Bowyer & The Royal…
Deportees…
I was lucky enough to hear Arlo Guthrie & ensemble perform this at Port Fairy Folk Festival some years back
Arlo told the the audience that he’d just recently learned of the name of each person whose life was lost
Harrowing but engrossing , moving tribute
G’day all: glad to see you all up & about.
As ever, thanx Christy for oh well you know
Regards
Danny Harris
Downunder
“Both sides of The Border, we died just the same”
How are you, Christy! Myself, my Dad and my Brother will be flying over to see you in Killarney this Saturday. It’s been a while as we usually see you in London (I just looked it up the last gig there-I can’t believe it was 2019 at Southbank! Great gig as always). Delighted to have an excuse to visit my Dad’s home county, The Kingdom, anyway (myself and Brother are just flying for the one night to see you!). Looking forward to cheering you on and soaking up the atmosphere once again. All the best, Christy! Christine, Adrian & Owen
here’s hoping we can all gather in The Kingdom tomorrow night…a lot of chaos here at the moment…fingers crossed
Hi C Here is the review of the Sallins Inquiry Now gig in Vicar St from HP, it’s great that it has received such media attention. https://journalofmusic.com/reviews/confronting-long-shadow-sallins?utm_source=The+Journal+of+Music+in+Ireland+Newsletter&utm_campaign=2c28e69c69-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_5_20_2021_13_47_COPY_01&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_9c6415866a-2c28e69c69-334502277
All roads lead to Killarney on Sat, allowing for fuel shortages and blockades !!! It’s sure to be another cracker, safe travelling all. Beir bua agus beannacht. H
Hello Christy,
Hope all is well with you. Cassette tapes. Those portable cassette recorders were all the rage when I was in my teens. Little plug in microphone and you were away. I’ve no idea what happened to all my tapes. There is a cupboard in Steve’s office that is too high to get into without a ladder. Maybe I need to have a look, it’s probably 2 decades since I was in there.
Your early find in the P W Joyce book, the Curragh of Kildare is being very lucky for me. It got me the hour on TempoFM with Tony Haynes and now the same video has got me a chance to record a few songs as part of the Narrowboat Sessions. They want traditional songs all acoustic. Getting the gig is one of the best feelings, isnt it!!!
Hope your songs are swimming, swirling and swooping.
Rebecca
Hi Christy,
In a box of old photo’s I found a cassette tape. In the little box was a note with the text “my playlist” in my handwriting. It,is from the early sixties, I must have been about 15 years old at the time. It is a weird mixture of musicgenres with names like Sinatra, Bo diddley, Roy Orbison, f. Domino, but also an Austrian polka, a German schlagersong , jaques Brel….the strange thing is the ending “the andante from Mozarts piano concerto nr 21”
Meanwhile, other names have been added and some music has dropped out, but Mozart has remained. The power of classical music?
My granddaughter Floor is in Suriname since January (to June).
Her sister Frauke is currently visiting her. Together they will make beautiful memories, isn’t that sweet?
Love, moeke
Brilliant,Christy
Deportees being played on Appalachian dulcimer here..
What an uplifting thought that Woody’s songs are always popular….never more than when they’re most needed…
Thanks
Dave