Christy Moore Stars at 17th Marquee outing
How does Christy Moore remember all those words, eyes closed, singing and reciting around 10,000 words in two of the most joyful hours ever in the Marquee?
Could Shakespeare recite his hit eyes closed? Total recall. Christy [Moore] is the Arnie [Schwarzenegger – legends don’t need surnames] of Irish folk. It’s just one of his many blessed mysteries. He truly has the gods in his pocket.
With thunder and lightning threatening earlier in the day, we were hoping that Christy’s show in Cork’s Marquee would enjoy a degree of calm between the storms. The gods smiled.
Mercurial, magical, and never one to pull his punches when a point of principle is at stake, Christy Moore really is so much more than Ireland’s undisputed champion of acoustic folk music.
His sold-out show was a thing of beauty, but it was more than that. It was a moment to reflect on the issues currently facing society, not least homelessness. He’s not just shaking a fist at authorities either. When Christy plays Dublin’s Vicar Street in July, the entire proceeds will go to the homeless charity Focus Ireland.
At the Marquee, his passion is evident. “I saw a woman begging on the streets on my way here today, she was in an awful way,” he says. “I’d like to sing this song for her. It’s called ‘Lemon Sevens’, which are tablets that some people crush and smoke.”
He also played “They’re Afraid to Use Their Names’, a new song about social media trolls written by Bandon’s Martin Leahy, with Christy also urging people to visit YouTube to view ‘Everyone Needs A Home”, the protest song Martin sings outside the Dáil every week.
An RTE poll placed Christy as Ireland’s greatest living musician. He’s adored in the Marquee, which he sells out every year. He’s loved like a local for a good reason. “This is my 17th time playing in this tent. I tried to have a song ready for last year’s show, I was writing it on the way down, I have it [‘The Big Marquee’] ready tonight.
Huge applause, name-checking everyone listed in the Cork phonebook, from The Two Norries, John Spillane, Ricky Lynch, and the Irish Examiner.
Christy played solo, though ‘solo’ is too small a word – he’s bigger, both in terms of performance and charm than any 15-piece band. The songs are huge: ‘Ordinary Man’, ‘Delirium Tremens’, ‘Viva la Qunita Brigada’, ‘Lisdoonvarna’, ‘Ride On’, ‘Beeswing’, ‘Lingo Politico (I Hate Politicians)’, with a sprinkling of ‘Don’t Forget Your Shovel’ and ‘Sonny’ (dedicated to the late Christy Dignam).
Incredible repertoire, but his personality is even bigger than the songs. Down these parts, he can do no wrong. He walks on water.
Joe Dermody
Cork Examiner