Here are some dates, recently confirmed, for your consideration
December
Wednesday 10th Christy with Máirtín O’Connor band – Ardilaun Hotel, Galway – now on sale
Monday 22nd Christy with Declan – Vicar St. Dublin – on sale Thurs Oct 9th
Tuesday 23rd Christy with Declan – Vicar St. Dublin – on sale Thurs Oct 9th
Monday 29th Christy with Declan – Vicar St. Dublin – on sale Thurs Oct 9th
Tuesday 30th Christy with Declan – Vicar St. Dublin – on sale Thurs Oct 9th
January 2015
Friday 2nd Christy with Máirtín O’Connor band – Royal Theatre, Castlebar – on sale now
Friday 9th Christy with Máirtín O’Connor band – Lyrath Estate Hotel, Kilkenny – on sale Oct 1st
Friday 16th Christy with Máirtín O’Connor band – Bord Gais Energy Theatre, Dublin – on sale Thurs Oct 9th
March 2015
Friday March 20th Christy with Declan Sinnott – University Concert Hall, Limerick – on sale now
May 2015
Sunday 10th Christy with Declan – Colston Hall, Bristol, UK – on sale now
Monday 11th Christy with Declan Sinnott – Warwick Arts Centre, Warwick UK – not on sale yet
Wednesday 13th Christy and Declan Sinnott – Anvil Theatre, Basingstoke, UK – on sale now
Thursday 14th Christy with Declan Sinnott – Corn Exchange, Cambridge UK – on sale now
Saturday 16th Christy with Declan Sinnott – St. Davids Hall, Cardiff, Wales – on sale now
Sunday 17th Christy with Declan Sinnott – Venue Cymru, Llandudno, Wales – on sale now
Thursday 26th June – John “Jacko” Reilly Concert – Community Hall, Boyle, County Roscommon.
Gerry O’Daly set the ball rolling. He was the main organizer of this worthy event. He was ably assisted by a committee of loyal aides all devoted to commemorating the life and songs of John “Jacko” Reilly. My knowledge of John’s life and circumstance is very sparse. I met him but a handful of times always in Mrs. Bridie Grehan’s pub above in the town of Boyle. What drew me to Boyle was the music of The Grehan Sisters who played in their mothers’ pub. Late one night John began to sing and that was the start of it all. 52 years later and we gathered to celebrate the songs of John Reilly – Songs which are now known by many the world over.
Helen, Francie and Marie Grehan opened the concert with the following set;
| 1. Uncle in The Dáil |
| 2. The Wind That Shakes The Barley |
| 3. Orange and Green |
| 4. The Captain |
| 5. Francie’s Frolics |
| 6. The Engineer. |
| 7. Where Soldiers Go.1848. |
| 8. Save The Old Homes |
| 9. Banks of Marble |
| 10. Miner’s Song |
| Sheamie O’Dowd came across the mountains from Sligo and together we played; |
| 11. Lord Baker |
| 12. Raggle Taggle Gypsy |
| 13. The Well Below The Valley |
| 14. Blue Tar Road. (sung by Gerry O’Reilly of The Góilín Club in Dublin) |
| 15. Go Move Shift |
| 16. What Put The Blood? |
| 17. Pat Rainey. (sung by Fergus Russell Who also spoke about Traveller Tradition) |
| 18. Travelling People. |
| 19. Johnny Connors. |
| 20. Broomielaw |
| 21. Ludlow Massacre |
| 22. Cliffs of Dooneen |
| 23. Where I Come From |
| 24. Ballinamore |
| 25. Black Hair. |
| The Grehan Sisters the joined Sheamie and I for a finale of; |
| 26. Cricklewood |
| 27. Reels. |
| 28. Tippin It Up To Nancy. |
There is a review of the gig written by Davoc Rynne … Click HERE to read it.
Then I played two gigs with Mairtín O Connors Band in the Marquee, Cork on July 5th and the Iveagh Gardens, Dublin, on July 11th …
MARQUEE CORK IVEAGH GARDENS
|
How Long |
|
Ordinary Man |
|
Giuseppe Conlon/Away You Broken Heart |
|
Delirium Tremens |
| Here joined by Mairtín O’Connor,Cathal Hayden,Seamie O’Dowd & Jimmy Higgins | |
|
City of Chicago |
|
Nancy Spain |
|
The Larry Set |
|
A Pair of Brown Eyes |
|
Missing You |
|
Well Below the Valley |
|
Viva La Quinta Brigada |
|
Yellow Triangle |
|
Natives |
|
McIlhatton |
|
Joxer |
|
Ride On |
|
Merseyside |
|
Black is the Colour |
|
Biko Drum |
|
On the Mainland |
|
Back Home in Derry |
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Motherland |
|
Humours Set |
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Gortatagort |
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Smoke & Strong Whiskey |
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Voyage |
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Lisdoonvarna |
|
Molly Malone
No Time For Love |
July 16th Westport
Three successive gigs constitutes a tour in 2014. Back in 1969 I played over 300 folk club gigs. Such was my life back then. I was a 24 year old singer living loose and travelling light. Everything I needed was carried in a big green guitar case (it’s on the cover of Paddy on The Road). It was a simple and basic way of life. I gathered songs along the way, made new friends and sampled different ales in every region. 45 years on I remember the very taste of Cameron’s Strongarm, the cream of John Willie Lees Keg, and the treacle sweetness of Newcastle Brown Ale (who needs Diageo!) Light and Double Diamond was a favoured quaff in The Finsbury Park Tavern. I knew a Scrumpy Bar in Earls Court where very few novices could last the pace. I should add that for every decent brew there were many that tasted of bitter vinegar and piss. Alkies are seldom choosey. There was a great network of camaraderie amongst all those who made up that 60’s folk circuit. A bit of me still floats around those far off days. In the air of Todmorden, Brighouse, Mirfield, Keightly, Bradshaw, Causeway Foot, Hull and Halifax and Hell… (O good Lord Deliver me). No microphones or follow-spots back then. Just songs and singers. No FEU or VAT, just good company and chat.
However I am equally happy these times. I feel most fortunate to be still in the game. I think of all those troubadours who sadly passed before their time Nick Drake, Christie Hennessy, Hamish Imlach, Mary Asquith, Johnny Keenan, Luke Kelly, Sandy Denny and Jo-Anne Kelly, to randomly name a few. But the show goes on. There are new generations coming along who will keep the process in motion. For every one instrument that was played in the 60’s there are a thousand instruments in ownership tonight. The technical standards of the playing have improved greatly. There will be hundreds of sessions in Ireland tonight taking place in a great variety of locations. The Folk/Trad/Ballad scene thrives. At the very centre of it all are those few exponents who reach into the very heart of the music…this is a gift that can neither be bought nor learnt. No App will ever reveal the soul of music, no SatNav can guide us to the heart of the matter… this is something akin to the colour of hair, to the shape of a nose… no stylist nor publicist, no life coach nor personal manager, no Svengali nor music degree can reveal the key to the core. If we think we got it, it probably means we don’t. I witnessed this light in John Reilly, in Frank Harte and Fred Jordan, in Jeannie Robertson, Seamus Ennis, Raymond Roland, Liam O’Flynn, Mary Bergin, Nic Jones, The Watersons, Micho Russell, Anne Briggs and Martin Hayes – these few names spring to mind at the time of writing
Kicking off in Westport was a great buzz in July. The Town was hopping. It has grown to become a primary holiday destination without losing neither its flavour nor its charm. I was looking forward to hooking up with my old Planxty shipmate Matt Molloy but he was off to Spain to play with The Chieftains. I love to tap the old drum as Matt flakes into a brace of reels. After years of working hard in The Bothy Band, The Chieftains and Planxty, Matt has settled into Westport where Matt Molloy’s Pub has become a landmark for Irish Music. The venue for the nights gig was The Castlecourt Hotel. The room was rammed with keen listeners from Texas, Arizona and California, From Barr Na Cúige, Toureen and Castlebar. Tom Tuohy came back from Switzerland on his Honda 50. There were kids and parents; there were grannies, aunts and uncles. We had good sport…good to be back beside Declan again. We played 32 songs and it just flashed past. (For me at least!)
July17th Coillte Mhach
Here I am in Kiltimagh. By now I’ve played most towns across the Island but this is my first time to play in Kiltimagh. Renowned as the home of “Rafteirí an File” who was an 18th century blind Poet. His poem “Anach Cuain” was on the syllabus back in my school day. Kiltimagh is the anglicized spelling of Coillte Mhách. I believe it may have been the origin of the word “Culchie” (which I’m proud to be.) Another noted citizen of Kiltimagh is Louis Walsh, Irish Pop Supremo known the world over for his opinions and for his insights into the darkest corners of Irish Popular Music. A great musician from this town is Vinnie Kilduff, a man whose music I love to hear. It’s exciting to be here. I just arrived into The Park Hotel with its comfortable accommodations. The crew are hard at work building the stage. It’s a hot and humid evening, its gonna be sticky tonight, just the way we like it…
Hot, humid, clammy and sticky it was (it’s now 5.30am after the Kiltimagh gig) it was a cracker of a night. From the off the gig just flowed, one of them real special nights. During the very first song a lad took weak in the front row. As we launched into “Yellow Furze Woman” he began to fall out of his chair… turns out he was wearing 3 sweaters and an overcoat and the room was like a sauna in a Turkish Baths in Qatar during the World Cup. He was well attended to by a nurse from Tralee, Dr Devine from Palmerstown and 3 crowd control executives from Kiltimagh. By the time we finished “Nancy Spain” his excess wardrobe had been removed and he was sitting, well hydrated, by an open door… the panic was over. We had 5 lads from Syria in the front row. Aziz asked me to sing “Black is the colour of my True Love’s Hair”. When it came to Declan’s solo part, I swear to God, he injected Syrian notes into his melody. Natasha Casey and Thad Duhigg were in the room having flown in from Chicago. Madge Boyle was there celebrating her 89th Birthday. I got to meet Madge after the gig and, amazingly, she recounted a story from 1966. Madge described going into The National Bank in Ballyhaunis the very day that the Bank Strike commenced. I cashed her Creamery Cheque that day. This may very well have been my very last act as a distressed bank clerk. I left the Bank later that day and never returned.
July 18th, Lough Rynn, Mohill, County Leitrim
This beautiful place has bloody history behind its walls. Once the home of Lord Leitrim – as vicious a Landlord as ever terrorised tenants. Click HERE to see Mick Blakes song “A Brief History of Leitrim. It was a beautiful journey from Kiltimagh to mid Leitrim. One of those cross country travails that brought us along B roads, through villages and crossroads I’d not previously encountered. Our wonderful new network of Motorways are ideal for getting home late at night but these by-roads provide wonderful viewing of a bright Summer’s day. Just as Mayo has its own particular landscape, so too does verdant Leitrim. Carrick-on-Shannon seemed afloat with Shannon Cruisers and hordes of inland yachties. We passed many tractors drawing home precious trailer-loads of the black sod. Good people laying in their winter firing. No hay to be seen anymore. The grass is either gone to silage or else the hay lies concealed in plastic roll-ups. Old hay sheds stand empty and rusted. Near Drumsna I saw a man, older then myself, driving an ancient Ferguson tractor slowly along the road. He was focused entirely upon a 99 ice-cream cone as he sauntered along that Leitrim by-road. It was a pleasure to drive slowly behind him.
Suddenly it’s all over. The first half of the year has flown. Its summer break and all the crew have scarpered to the glens. It takes days to wind down. To realize that there aint no gigs for nigh on 6 weeks.
Friday July 25th the Mansion House Dublin. (This is not a gig!)
The Deputy Lord Mayor, The Rt Hon Larry O’Toole invited The Góilín Singers Club to host a night of song in The Lord Mayor’s splendid residence. There were singers there from 7 different Singers Clubs around the City and it was a memorable gathering for those of us who attended. Val and I arrived in at 7PM and the room was thronged with singers. Fergus Russell was the ” fear an tí ” for the night as Larry welcomed us all. We heard 43 different songs from 42 different singers. Had time permitted we could have heard the same again. The tradition of unaccompanied singing is stronger now then ever before. Here are the songs we heard;
|
Have You Been To Avondale – Dominic Behan |
|
Salonica – Traditional |
|
The Banks of Pimlico – Traditional |
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The Mullingar Recruit – Traditional |
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Kisses Sweeter Than Wine – Howard Richmond |
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Come all You Stetson Wearers & Fans of Cowboy Boots – Garth Brooks Ballad |
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Keep Your Eyes off Red Haired Mary – Traditional |
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Freedom Come All Ye – Hamish Henderson |
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Donal Óg – Traditional |
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Tunes |
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Stewball – Traditional |
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The Flower of Magherally – Traditional |
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The Wedding Above in Glencree – Traditional |
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Rickety Tickety Tin – Tom Lehrer |
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The Musical Genius – Garth Brooks Song – Mick Dunne |
|
John Condon – Laird,Starret, McRory |
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The Wild Raparee – Traditional |
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A Thousand Times a Day – Patty Loveless |
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Sliabh na mBan & Planxty Davis – Tunes |
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Alexander – From the singing of Eddie Butcher |
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Down in the Willow Garden – Trad./Charlie Monroe |
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Shift & Spin – Ewan McVicar |
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Farewell to Dublin – Brian Warfield |
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The Serendipity Waltz – Alan Stout |
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Amhrán na Bealtaine – Thugamar Fein an Samhradh Linn |
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Muldoon the Solid Man – Edward Harrigan |
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The Pontiffs Eye – Poem by Charlee Marshall |
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Via Extasia – Liam Weldon |
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The Lags Song – Ewan McColl |
|
Smile in Your Sleep |
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Dancing at Whitsun – Austin John Marshall |
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St Kevin Of Glendalought |
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Sweet Daffodil Mulligan – Harry O’Donovan |
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The Butcher of Gloster Diamond – Dominic Behan |
|
Peggy Gordon – Traditional |
|
Bonny Light Horseman – Traditional |
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The Well Below the Valley – From the singing of John Reilly |
|
The Glendalough Saint – Traditional |
|
In the Town of Ballybay – Tommy Makem |
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Shining down on Sennen – Mike O’Connor |
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Down Where the Drunkards Roll – Richard Thompson |
|
Isolde’s Chapel – Tribute to Frank Harte – Pat Burke |
|
Here’s to You and Our Time Together – Alan Bell |
We left the hallowed surroundings of that room in The Mansion House where the first sitting of Dáil Éireann took place. I love music sessions, I love going to gigs, I love musical soirees, ceilidhs, festivals and all gatherings of all sorts but, as a singer, events like these are a rare treat. A Gathering where every performer gets the same order and respect. To hear 42 different singers, all of them passionate and imbued with a love of songs and singing, makes for a rare and memorable night
Sunday 27th July
IFI Cinema Dublin and the premiere of the film “An Unfinished Conversation”- the life and death of Mairéad Farrell. (For whom I wrote “On the Bridge”) This film will be shown at the West Belfast festival next month and on TG4 later in the year. Recommended viewing for any one with an interest in the History of Struggle in Ireland.
Monday 28th July
“Boyhood” is a perfect holiday movie…nearly 3 hours long with very good music. It unfolds beautifully. We brought provisions and a flask of coffee and had the entire cinema to ourselves. Unusually, I did not nod off even once.
Friday August 1st
We celebrated autumn’s arrival by attending Martin Hayes and Dennis Cahill’s performance at The National Concert Hall. To a packed Hall they performed two new suites from David Flynn with the National Symphony Orchestra and The West Clare Quartet all conducted by David Brophy.
The annual unease is setting in. After two weeks I begin to feel a lack of confidence creeping up on me. Will I remember how it’s done? Today I must commence serious practice for upcoming gigs lest all be wiped from memory. Its daily revision for the next few weeks!
Saw a film today “Finding Vivian Maier”. Vivian was an Artist Photographer whose life’s work was uncovered purely by chance. Anyone interested in photography, obsession, disfunction, beauty or documentary biopics will enjoy this.
On Saturday August 16th I returned to Liberty Hall Dublin to perform a concert supporting the workers of the Greyhound Lockout Dispute. I was joined by Seamie O’Dowd, Don Baker and Eric Fleming.
Once again we have returned to the “Masters of The Tradition” Festival in Bantry, County Cork. Let me commence this wee report with praise for Martin Hayes, the Musical Director of this annual event. This is our Eleventh Masters in 12 years and every year Martin has assembled the finest exponents of our unique Tradition. Take night 4 as an example. The programme kicked off with Máire Ní Chéileachair. Máire is a fine sean-nós singer from Ballyvourney. That night she performed two beautiful songs in Irish which set the right atmosphere for what was to follow. Then came Mary Bergin whom many regard to be the greatest living exponent of the Tin Whistle. I first heard Mary play 42 years ago. Planxty were playing in Teac Furbo and Mary had just moved from her native Dublin to settle in Connemara. Mary’s legendary album “Feadóg Stáin” (from 1979) is still available on the Gael Linn label. She was accompanied that night by Mick Conneely on Bouzouki. Next came The Boruma Trio who performed what was perhaps my favourite set over the 12 years of this festival. Andrew MacNamara, Eileen O’Brien and Geraldine Cotter are a new trio. I had heard each of them before but their coming together has brought about the most wonderful music. I was deeply moved by their set last night and left the gig with their album “Gléas” snug in my Póca. They wrapped up the first gig and we went out into the night as the stage was being prepared for the late night gig which featured new music. Ensemble Eriú played an interesting set – very hard to put a label upon them apart from their being innovative, exciting, reflective and extremely accomplished. They delivered a really balanced sound with each instrument resounding clearly in the ambiance of Bantry House. The seven musicians played Concertina, Fiddle, Guitar, Marimba, Clarinet, Bass (plus Flute) and Drums. Their first album has been released (Ensemble Eriú). I’m still wondering how to label them….perhaps a touch of Pentangle with Concertina Fiddle and Marimbas. Really enjoyed the opening night too. Great to hear the Brock-Maguire Band again. After a tight and magical set they were joined by Ricky Scaggs, Martin Hayes, Dennis Cahill and Cleek Schrey. We had some night of it. Wafts of East Clare and Appalachia, Breezes from Chicago, Sligo and the Black Lagoon. As always, Frances Humphries and his Legionnaires produced the gigs impeccably while Matt and Daire Purcell amplified the sound with love and affection.
Ah but Poor Old Bantry. Our favourite town in Cork, this sweet place is not at its best. It has been left looking beleaguered despite all its wonderful vistas. I see Skibbereen and Clonakilty and what they have achieved with lesser attributes. Bantry, for some time now, seems to have lacked a guiding light. It has its very own magnificent Bantry Bay, it is surrounded by such natural beauty, it is the home of West Cork Music which next year will host its FIFTIETH international festival in 22 years, Bantry Square is one of the finest squares in the Country. The Crowning Glory must be Bantry House. Some find it difficult to overlook its founding history but surely the time has come for all to recognise the beauty of this House and what an attribute it is to Bantry. Two fine Hotels in the Town lie empty, closed and sad. Vickery’s was a lovely old Hotel in its day, always special to visit. We were very surprised to see The Bantry Bay Hotel under lock and key. It always seemed to be a vital part of life upon Bantry Square. By all accounts, another victim to our recent history of excess and crazed expansion. It would be great to see a smile back on the face of Old Bantry Town once again.
Since Then I have gigged in Sneem, Charleville and Carlow, marvelled at Donegal v Dublin and Kilkenny v Tipperary in Croker, visited Burtown House in County Kildare and walked The Pollardstown Fen. I’m working on some songs, starting to think about recording. Some days I feel like I’m really on top of it, other days I’m wondering is it that time yet. The voice feels fit for purpose, the gig still buzzes me up big time and audiences appear and seem to be connecting with the work. I think I’ll keep going for as long as I can. In the past 12 months I’ve gigged in 4 different formats and enjoyed each in a different way. I’ve never had such variety in my work before. I’m looking forward to Armagh Newry and Newcastle in the next week; it’s been a long time since… I hope to walk The Silent Valley…
See Ye along the Way
Christy