Christy Moore
There’s Bethlehem and Cheltenham, Lourdes and Limerick Junction
Medjugorje or a rub of the extreme unction
Good people climb Croagh Patrick with serenity on their faces
But I found my salvation, below at the Galway Races.
Clergymen dressed up like men and models home from London
Whallup and how’s she cuttin’ John? Begod sure only Middlin’
Gamblers with big wads of notes, going mad to gamble
Na boys’ isteach as inverin, there just to take a ramble.
Helen Lucy smells the mattress and reviews the hairy bacon
Says Mickey Finn to Galligan, hey Peter what are you takin’?
Shish kebabs, Kinvara crabs as people stuff their faces
Others couldn’t eat to save their lives below at the Galway Races.
Its there you’ll see gentility and sheep dressed up like mutton
Double barrelled names with more airs than old melodeons
The talk is all of tillage and of silage and con acre
I tell you scraws and bottoms would be closer to the mark sir.
Sir John Muck Savidge-Smythe is there with Smurfit’s and O’Reilly’s
Owners and trainers, stable boys and jockeys
With silk around their arses getting up on rich mens’ horses
Not to mention wives and daughters and marriages and divorces.
There’s pontoon, twenty five and there’s savage games of poker
There’s them would lay their lives on two flies walking up the wall sure
There’s wise men from the east making eyes at go-go dancers
And ministers of state accepting drinks from terrible chancers.
Salthill after dark, is like Sodom and Gomorra
There’s people doing things tonight that they’ll regret tomorrow
There’s folk and trad, they’re disco mad, karaoke and set dances
And people who’ve seen better days looking to take their chances
They’re under starters orders and Michael O’Hehir is waiting
Lester’s up on the favourite and she’ll surely take some beating
Necks are craned and eyes are strained there’s fear upon their faces
There’s agony and ecstasy below at the Galway Races.
Bethlehem and Cheltenham, Lourdes and Limerick Junction
Medjugorje or a rub of extreme unction
Good people climb Croagh Patrick with serenity on their faces
But I found my salvation, below at the Galway Races.
Wally Page
This is the day the fisherman likes and so do I
when the rain puts a shine on the chestnut spikes and Curlews cry,
the Nightingale sings her best,
we’ll drink a pint in Hamilton’s Rest
The girl I love wore a muslin dress
the fishermen dream of the sun in the west
and So Do
Now I can see.Since the girl that I love dearly,
has cast her loving spell on me.
This is the day the cuckoo likes and so do I
The hills fall down in different shapes and swallows fly
to a hidden beach where boats can’t go
mountain rivers overflow
I hear the squealing of the seagulls as home they go
And So Do I
Now I can see….etc
I’ll cross the Seven Oceans
forever more I’ll wander
‘Til she has cast her loving spell on me.
Wally sent me this 15 years ago. I demo’d it for the “King Puck” album in the early ’90’s and then dropped it. Late one night when rehearsing in Kilkenny for the 2001 album (This is the Day) it arrived back in my head like an old memory. There is a different verion again on the Live at the Point DVD ( April 2006). It’s slightly more up-tempo with Declan playing electric.
CHORDS
CAPO UP 2
VERSE
G……C…….G……C…….
G…C…G…D…C……G…….
CHORUS
D.Am.G..D.C.Am….D…….G…
I’ll cross etc
C.D.G…C.D.G…D…C…G……
Wally Page Intro: C G C G
D G
Kids wear white garters, and smell like their mothers
C G
Whose husbands and fathers alike
D C
Drink black beer in the same public houses
C D G C G
Smelling of smoke and strong whiskey.
Mammies and daddies, skipping ropes
Lectures from priests, living in hope
That they’ve not mistaken the brand of their coats
They’ve paid for by spiritual teachings.
A busy year this, streets running red
How many sent to their nuptial bed
How many sent home to a winter of graves
How many wait in for the slaughter.
It’s Easter again, and we cannot forget
Our brothers and sisters and all that was said
So practise your pipes, stand proud in the wet.
For the eyes of the world are upon you.
CHORUS
G D
Oh, oh, the holy ground
C Am D
Céad míle failte, there’s saints and there’s scholars to see
G Em D
Oh, oh, the holy ground
C Am D
Faraway hills ain’t as green as they once used to be
Seventeen years, Kelly is a man
Who stands on the street with a gun in his hand
He’s protecting the pipers that play in the band
While the enemy waits with an army.
God in his mercy has given us men
To lead us to peace but they can’t bring an end
To the profits that pay off the lease on the land
We’re still sending them over the water
Dia le hÉireann, suckle the empire.
Dia le hÉireann, suffer the loss.
Of the green and the blue while the media feeds
On the blood and the pain and the hatred.
Father walks home on a colourless night
The organisation has blinded his sight
His wife and his kids are sleeping tonight
In the arms of sweet Jesus and Mary.
CHORUS X 2
Wally Page
16 fishermen raving out on the town on E
16 peacocks leave their nest and go flying into mystery
they try to cut the spainish look but they look so untidy
dont eat too much you’ll never get enough when you’re flying into mystery
flyin into mystery when you should be out seafarin
run out the jib rig the boom step back reality
when their ship is on the ocean their nights are so empty
they’re weary of the smelly fish and the wash of the salty sea
16 jolly ravers each one carrying his own caul
they believe it will keep death away when they face the angry squall
why face the angry squall when you could go go-go dancin
run out the jib rig the boom step back reality
to the 16 jolly ravers those girls look so fancy
you could ate your fry off the back of her neck if you want some more say please
when fishermen are feeling good they feel it musically
they go down singing shanties to the dancefloor all at sea
to the dancefloor all at sea 16 jolly ravers
run out the jib rig the boom step back reality
flyin in to mystery when you should be out seafarin
run out the jib rig the boom step back reality
yad adad ada yadd a dadd a da yat ti a rat ti a rat ti a ra da
yadd a dad a da yad adad ada yatt tye a rat tie a rat
I can end up anywhere in this song.Rolled in Yarmouth on the first night in and looking to get back out early next morning.In a haybarn outside Portarlington, me nostrils caked with hay dust, trying to find me bearings.In a railroad car in Boyle listening to the dry land sailors singin”hey ho chicken on a raft, Ben and Jake leading us all into glorious mayhem whilst the losers were ridin like rabbits in the turf mould.About to enter paradise when the back wheel came off Mick Currans Bedford van out around Dardis’s gate as we roared home through Walshestown and that put an end to me gallop.
Or I can think about poor auld Plunky, that fisherman of Dun Leary who never settled for sardines whilst there were dolphins in the ocean. Go for it John Paul, write your dreams now that you have found a quieter place. Tell Richie I was askin for him.
Am……E.
Am.G.FEAm
Am…..E.
Am.G.FEAmG
C.C.CG
Am.G.FEAm
Christy Moore
Somalia, Somalia.
She picked up a handful of earth and kissing it, she cried;
“The song of our village has come to an end”.
Then she heard the sirens voice
And the sirens voice was singing;
Island of the welcomes. One hundred thousand welcomes.
Christian holy island. One hundred thousand welcomes.
Land of the Holy Fathers. One hundred thousand welcomes.
Land of Saints and scholars. One hundred thousand welcomes.
Ancient city of the deep lagoon. Céad míle failte.
Heart of The Rowl. Céad míle failte.
Dublin city of the rare auld times. Céad míle failte.
Where the green snot river flows. Céad míle failte.
Again she heard the sirens voice
And the sirens voice was singing;
Black life, white life, pro-life,
Black life, white life, pro-life,
Black lies, white lies, no life.
Again she heard the sirens voice
And the sirens voice was singing;
No niggers or knackers or wogs, no refugees.
No Dia is Muire, sez she,
And no divorce in Heaven, sez she, no refugees.
Céad míle failte.
Céad míle failte my arse, sez she.
Míle fáilte my arse.
Living off our land,
Living off our land,
Living of our hard earned surplus,
Creating housing shortages and unemployment.
Living off our land.
They’re coming here to save us,
Saving the white babies.
They’re coming here to save us,
Saving white babies souls.
The sirens voice was heard.
Barry Moore
Who are they to decide what we should hear?
Who are they to decide what we should see?
What do they think we can’t comprehend here?
What do they fear that our reaction might be, might be?
CHORUS
Section 31 on the TV
Section 31 on the radio
Section 31 is like a blindfold
Section 31 makes me feel cold, feel cold.
The pounding of the footsteps in the early morning light,
Another family waking to an awful deadly fright.
There’s a body on the pavement with a bullet to the jaw,
A thirteen-year-old victim of plastic bullet law.
The silence in my ears, the darkness in my eyes,
Heightens the fear, deafens the cries.
Of another brother taken in another act of hate.
A family preparing for another dreadful wait.
E. Cowan/C. Moore
Hugh Callaghan, Paddy Hill, Gerry Hunter, Johnny Walker,
Billy Power, Dick McIlkenny that’s their names.
Five men playing poker on the Heysham train
Fate was dealing them a cruel hand
Hugh Callaghan walked home through the evening rain
Not knowing what lay in store for him
There’s traces of nitro on cigarettes and matches
On Formica tabletops and on decks of playing cards
When forensics found traces on the hands of these six men,
The police drove up from Birmingham
Hoping the case was closed
Have you ever seen the mug shots that were taken
After 48 hours in custody
Battered and bruised, haunted looks upon their faces
The judge accepted they confessed willingly
Please take another look at what you see
If you tell me my family are being terrorised
Keep me awake for six days and nights confused and terrified
In the lonely dark of night I will swear that black is white
If you’ll just let me lay down and close my eyes
Ill sign anything if you let me close my eyes
Scales of justice balance up your act
Am I talking to myself or to the wall?
Hugh Callaghan, Paddy Hill, Gerry Hunter, Johnny Walker,
Billy Power, Dick McIlkenny scapegoats all
For 16 years they were taking to the wall
Christy Moore
Sunday morning you’ve a page to fill
You gather grist to grind your mill
Seek a pot to dip your quill
Sacrifice all candour
Your pointed beaks as sharp as knives
As you tear strips off peoples lives
Buzzing like bluebottle flies
Among the dead and wounded
Scallcrows
You’re only Scallcrows
Scallcrows
Vultures, Dirtbirds and Scallcrows
Attracted by the lure of stars
You lurk around expensive bars
Seeking rumours swapping jars
Down among the posers
Sunday morning I can hear the sound
It’s the Scallcrows flocking around
Seeking prey that must be found
To satisfy the hunger
Author Unknown
Oh my name it is Sam Hall, chimney sweep, chimney sweep
Oh my name it is Sam Hall, chimney sweep
Oh my name it is Sam Hall and I’ve robbed both rich and small
And my neck will pay for all when I die when I die
And my neck will pay for all when I die
Oh they took me to Coote Hill in a cart, in a cart
Oh they took me to Coote Hill in a cart
Oh they took me to Coote Hill and ’twas there I made my will
For the best of friends must part, so must I, so must I?
For the best of friends must part, so must I
Up the ladder I did grope, that’s no joke, that’s no joke
Up the ladder I did grope and the hangman pulled the rope
And ne’er a word I spoke, tumbling down, tumbling down
And ne’er a word I spoke tumbling down
Woody Guthrie
C G C
Oh say there, did you here the news? Sacco worked at trimming shoes.
C G C
Vanzetti was a travelling man, pushed his cart round with his hand
CHORUS
F C G C C7
Two good men’s a long time gone. Sacco and Vanzetti are gone.
F7 C G7 C
Two good men’s long time gone. They left me here to sing this song
Sacco was born across the sea, somewhere over in Italy.
Vanzetti born of parents fine, drank the best Italian wine.
Sacco sailed the sea one day, landed over in the Boston bay.
Vanzetti sailed the ocean blue, ended up in Boston too.
CHORUS
Sacco was a family man, Sacco’s wife three children had
Vanzetti was a dreaming man, his books were always in his hand.
Sacco made his bread and butter being the factory’s best shoe cutter.
Vanzetti worked both day and night, showed the people how to fight.
CHORUS
I’ll tell you if you ask me about the pay-roll robbery.
Two clerks were shot in the shoe factory on the streets of old Braintree
I’ll tell you the prosecutors’ names: Katman, Admans, Williams, Kane.
Them and the judge were the best of friends. Did more tricks than circus clowns
The judge he told his friends around. He’d put them rebels down.
Communist bastards was the name the judge he gave these two fine men.
CHORUS
Vanzetti docked in ’98. Slept along a dirty street.
Showed the people how to organise. Now in the electric chair he dies.
All us people ought to be like Sacco & Vanzetti.
Every day find ways to fight on the union side for the workers’ right
CHORUS
I ain’t got time to tell the tales because the branch and the bulls are on my fail
I won’t forget these men who died to show us people how to live.
All you people in window lane sing this song and sing it plain.
Everybody here tonight singing this song we’ll get it right
CHORUS
The Rolling Wave is presented by Peter Browne, RTE Radio 1 on Sunday evenings. Next Sunday (13th May) Peter will feature excerpts from a concert I played in Feothannach on 18th February last. I recall it as being a special night down on the Dingle Peninsula and I was honoured by Brendan Begley’s invitation to participate.
PROTECT DUBLIN BAY – NO OIL RIGS ON OUR COAST!
Tony O’Reilly’s Providence Resources wants to drill for oil in Dublin Bay, just 6km off the Coast of Dalkey Island. Providence Resources have applied for a foreshore licence to the Minister for the Environment, Phil Hogan, who will decide on this, in the coming weeks or months.
If Providence Resources get a licence it will mean oil rigs in Dublin Bay for the next five or six years and if they do find oil or gas, it will mean the full industrialisation of our bay for the coming decades.
There will be a public meeting about this in the Kozie II Pub, 73 upper Georges St. Dun Laoghaire Co. Dublin on Tuesday 8th May at 6.30 pm. All are welcome.
For more information see www.richardboydbarret.ie or Save Our Seafront on Facebook.
April 1st. (On The Mail Boat)
We sailed across the Irish Sea and into Holyhead. We sashayed through the shed, over the Menai Bridge and loaded up the SatNav for The Pennines. Before we knew it we were freewheeling down into Leeds, great City of fame where I first played Club Memphis in 1967. Back then Johnny Giles was in his prime at Leeds United where Billy Bremner, Big Jack and Noddy Clarke were but 3 of his cohorts. Last played here in The City Varities 16 years ago and it felt ‘reet’ good to be back. I took a dander along the tow path of The Liverpool / Leeds Canal remembering times gone by and revelling in the beauty of the day. Turning back and I sought to find The old Grove pub where I did my first gig in 1968.What a house of music it was. I’m told it still hosts a Folk Club once a week, a club that will celebrate 50 years of shanties this year. I could not find it midst acres of high rise apartments and blocks of spanking new, but empty, offices. The voracious Tiger passed this way…
What a beautiful venue lies behind the colonial facade of Leeds City Hall. We drove around the back to the Tradesman’s entrance, itself an imposing edifice. Inside everything was ready. The coffee was wafting; the guitars were welcoming, Paddy, Mick, Geoff, Dickon, Davey, Johnny and all the local crew had set the stage once more. Everything was precisely in place and in tune as we sat down to rehearse and soundcheck in this Hall of former glory. Every now and then I enter an empty venue that has special character and atmosphere. This Leeds City Hall has that air about. Lovely welcoming staff too, proud of their splendid venue but neither snooty nor haughty with it. I’m always nervous first day of a tour in another country and today is no exception. All such feelings were soon dispelled by a great soundcheck. We overhauled a few old favourites for the night that was to come, tightened up Little Musgrave and ran across the Lakes of Pontchartrain. I have two new guitars and I’m finding them perfect for the job. They are both Maton guitars made in Melbourne, Australia. I love the feel of them. Declan put me on to them. (As he did the Taks 30 years ago)…I did trade in a couple of Martin Guitars but I’m hanging on to the 3 Taks. The workhorses have served me well for 30 years
Set List – Leeds, City Hall
1. After The Deluge
2. Yellow Furze Woman
3. Nancy Spain.
4. Quinte Brigada.
5. Listen
6. Missing You.
7. Morecambe Bay
8. Ord. Man
9. Weekend in Amsterdam
10. City of Chicago
11. Little Musgrave
12. Lakes of Pontchartrain (in Memory of Mick Waterson)
13. Companeros
14. Veronica.
15. Let the Sun come in.
16. Biko Drum.
17. Ride On.
18. Don’t forget your shovel.
19. Does this train stop on Merseyside?
20. The Voyage
21. North and South of The River.
22. Bright Blue Rose.
23. Smoke and Strong Whisky
24. John O Dreams
25. Joxer goes to Stuttgart
26. Burning Times
27. Cliffs of Dooneen.
28 The Dalesman’s Litany
29. Lisdoonvarna
2 hours 5 minutes
April 2nd– Cardiff, Millennium Hall
We pulled out of Leeds at 11am arriving into Cardiff at 3am. We may have passed 50 serving petrol stations with not one customer in sight. Everyone was home asleep, safe and sound, with 5 gallon drums of petrol underneath their beds. We have become lemming like. To think that a gormless gobshite can set off such panic buying is mind boggling and probably an unfortunate sign of what lies ahead. 3 days ago I was fearful of the tour being stymied by fuel shortage but, hey presto, all our trials lord are soon over.
The Cardiff venue is timber clad and beautiful. Such a reception we got…the wonderful listeners of Wales surrendered their ears full on for 2 hours and 10 minutes. I was well spent as the curtain came down. There was minestrone soup and fresh bread in the dressing room. We had a right good supper and climbed aboard the coach for the hop to London.
Set List – Cardiff.
1. Quinte Brigada
2. Missing You
3. Morecambe Bay
4. This is the day
5. Smoke and Strong Whisky
6. Michael Hayes.
7. Haiti
8. Honda 50
9. No Time for Love……. (For Bradley Manning)
10. Magdalene laundries
11. Hattie Carroll
12. Nancy Spain
13. Shovel
14. Beeswing
15. Sun Shine In
16. Amsterdam
17. Bright blue rose
18. Biko Drum
19. Delirium Tremens (back after a year.)
20. Ordinary Man
21. Back Home in Derry
22. After The Deluge
23. Voyage
24. Aisling
25. Fairytale of New York
26. Ride On
27. Joxer goes to Stuttgart
28. Sonny’s Dream
29. Lisdoonvarna
2 hours 10 minutes
April 3rd – Free Day in London.
After 2 gigs the voice is husky, a day off will help it rest. Time to walk, to look and listen, to eavesdrop on the world, to wonder what makes this great City function. One thing for sure, the machine is still run on the energy, labour and toil of the working people, those who do the manual labour at the coalface. Walking in and around Westminster today the gap between the classes is greatly magnified. I took a visit to South London to meet Gerry Diver and Lisa Knapp. We sang a few songs and shared a few yarns.
April 4th – Royal Festival Hall – Southbank, London.
This time 46 years ago I was tramping around London trying to get the start, barely knocking it out. I was just becoming aware of the Folk Club scene. My main source of livelihood came from hanging around the fringes of the Irish music scene in Fulham, Hammersmith, Kilburn and Cricklewood. I would travel anywhere that might gain me a chance to sing. I was living in a small snug room in Gunnersbury. The landlord was from Wicklow. He and his family lived in a small neat house in Silver Crescent where he rented out 2 bedsits. I got bad vibes for not going to Mass, even worse if I brought “company” back to my wee eyrie. That said, they were decent people. Still, I was glad to see the back of it. 46 years later I’m back again. I marvel at the journey which has taken me to where I play tonight…this brilliant venue on The Thames and it’s all ours for two nights. As I write this the crew are putting the final touches to preparations. Declan is in the next room playing and I’m here twittering away nervously as I get ready to do it all one more time…
The Concert kicked off well. At recent gigs we have occasionally opened with Jackson Browne’s song “How Long”. It has a complex arrangement and can be a risky starter. Tonight we nailed it. At the end there was quite a pause before applause emerged. I find these very rare and silent moments quite magical, I glow in that silence for it means that we have connected and it stirs something deep within me. The music writer Ken Hunt was in the room tonight and his presence put me in mind of “Sacco and Vanzetti”. I started Woody Guthrie’s song too fast tonight and could not haul it back in. “Missing You” will slot in anywhere in our set, it always settles an audience. After years of constant performance I still find new things to do in it, new ways to turn a phrase… each time I sing this song I am reminded of Elvis Costello singing backing vocals on the recording over 25 years ago.
Earlier in the day Declan and I played “Barrowland”, it has dropped out of the set this past year but made a very welcome return tonight, it worked so well. I stumbled during the first chorus but Declan gave me a perfect prompt when the second chorus came around… (This gig is going well). “Farmer Michael Hayes” continues to improve. The less energy I give it, the stronger it becomes… it gets better as it develops its own personality, very different from that of its predecessor, the Planxty version from 1978. The opening chords of “Morecambe Bay” was greeted warmly by the audience, unusual for a song of this nature and one so recently recorded… I am still in awe of the process that has 2,200 people listening to a song in total silence, this is such a privilege for us, to perform in such precious air, to play to such determined listening, at the end of the song I was feeling quite dark and emotional so I followed on into “Matty “. Another song of darkness, one so well observed by Johnny Mulhearn. this song transports me, every time, to a distinct place that I now know intimately, a place where I have never been for it only exists within the verses of this song. At this juncture a woman on the balcony began a strange conversation with me, one that continued intermittently for the remainder of the night. it got to me briefly but not in a heavy way, her constant banter did unsettle the room but I felt there was compassion as well as impatience with, what sounded like, drunkenness ( who would I be I to preach)… When I find myself in trouble during a gig I usually reach for a well tried favourite. I tore into “Ordinary Man” and drove it hard and high up into the balcony. Then “Veronica” appeared out of the blue (we don’t have a set list, it emerges thru the night). I still seek to remember Veronica Guerin. Her courage knew no bounds. Remembering Veronica Guerin reminds me that our silence is acquiescence… It feels like its time to rattle it up a bit, time for Declan to crank up the old Stratocaster with a blast of “Smoke and Strong Whiskey “. This always proves interesting for we regularly find new detours in the arrangement, different energies… some nights it softens, more times it hardens, It allows for verses to be done in different sequence, I love soaring and then taking it back to whisper, the entire room coming with us as David Meade adjusts the sound accordingly… he is the best sound engineer I have worked with. Knowing that even a whispered word will be carried throughout the room gives me great confidence to try things out, to take chances. His brother Johnny Meade looks after the guitars and constantly tunes my strings. This gives me the freedom to communicate with the audience, to figure the set without having to tune constantly. Declan does his own tuning while I’m twittering away, tuning is itself a precise craft, one at which Declan excels, I need the freedom to feel the room, to suss the gig, to figure out the next song.
I hear a call for “Casey” and oblige, I have started singing the verses accapella which prevents the lyric getting swamped by mass audience percussion (which does have its place)… once Casey is established we bring the rhythm in but keep on top of it. we’re slipping into audience mode now as people seem ready to sing, next up came my brother Barry’s classic song ” City of Chicago”… then its time for another Kildare song , “My Little Honda 50”, a recent hit with Cerys Matthews on BBC Radio 6 and with Janice Long on BBC Radio 2. Some of our more serious listeners have trouble with this funny, well crafted song but myself and Declan just love Tom Tuohy’s tribute to the Peoples Motorbike. As Tom himself might say “feck the begrudgers”. Then “Little Musgrave” appeared from nowhere, time to bring things back down again, I threw it over at Declan and straightway he picked up the appropriate guitar, poised and ready in an inst. this is the 4th version of this old ballad that I have sung over 4 decades, it began with Jimmy Faulkner back in the early 70’s, (some of Jimmy’s beautiful licks still reverberate,) then came the version I did with Planxty in the 80’s, then a solo version came around and now, 40 years later another version emerges with Declan adding new colour and nuance to the ancient song. It stilled the great hall last night here in London.
In Cardiff 3 nights ago, there came a Holy Man who called for “Delirium Tremens”. He being the chaplain to the Welsh Rugby team I gave in to his request. After a 2 year hiatus DTs hopped up again and away we went. Song number 16 was Declan’s “Sunshine In”. He has just recorded his first solo album and he will do a series of Solo Gigs soon. (Keep an eye out for The Sinnor). the requests were starting to come quick and fast, from way back up on the right an agreeable voice called for ” North and South” and we turned in a solid version, we have recently pared it down a bit, tightened it up with a facelift…
Sometimes a need to sing “Gortatagort” comes over me, no request, and no plan. Just a desire to fantasize once more upon that sacred mountain that lies East of Bantry Bay. It was sad, lonesome and extremely beautiful. I bow to its author John Spillane, that poet of Cork. Then I started up “Quinte Brigada”… probably a little too soon for it shattered the spell the previous song had cast. The crowd rose to my bait and sang lustily as we remembered all those who gave their lives in the fight against Fascism. my poor old neighbour up in the balcony was still under the weather, we sang a version of ” Butterfly” to her and it turned out to be my favourite song of the night. Its first flight in over 2 years, its very brokenness nearly broke my heart; I hope the Newbridge Girl heard it.
Time now to dig deep with ” The Shovel” as the end came in sight, Christie Hennessy’s well honed song always marks the turn for home in my mind, Ewan McColls ” Sweet Thames” has to be performed on the South Bank, its 45 years since I first heard him sing it. Then Bobby Sands “McIlhatton” appeared after which we fired off a “Joxer” for Damien Duff who was somewhere out there in that vast room (He scored such a beautiful goal for Fulham at Craven Cottage last weekend) We finished with Jimmy Mac’s “Ride On” before exiting stage left. The audience called us back on, a Lady in the front row suggested “Burning Times” after which there was only one way to go – we set out for “Lisdoonvarna”.
The gig was done. 2 hours 10 minutes later we arrived back to our dressing room, mugs of strong tea and supper awaited us, a happy pair of men as we sat in the warmth of the afterglow waiting for the adrenalin to subside.
April 5th
Had a restless night last night and ended up doing the above song-by-song reflection of last nights gig. It set me up rightly for a good kip. A Grey London day but, as always, the Thames draws me down to the riverside, through Westminster and over to the South bank, a great place to observe the world go by. North Bank Rules, South Bank Lives…
I just got word that Barney McKenna has passed this morning. He took ill suddenly at home in Howth and, by all accounts, had a peaceful passing. Sat and watched him play at The Lowry Theatre in Salford just 5 weeks back. He was playing beautifully and, for me, he stole the night when he stepped forward and, with quiet dignity, thanked everyone “as Gaeilge ” in our native tongue. Like every one who met Barney I too have great memories of those occasions. We travelled together to Australia and New Zealand; we met up in England, Scotland, Germany, Holland and Belgium. my favourite anecdote – I was sitting beside him on a flight from Sydney to Perth and as soon as the seatbelt sign was switched off Barney pressed the call button and when the Australian Airlines Assistant arrived he asked, ” excuse me Miss, could I ever get a pint of Guinness and 20 Sweet Afton”.
Barney’s playing remains the backbone of all the great Dubliners recordings. Back in the day when they were blazing a trail that rhythm section of Barney’s and Luke’s Banjos, tenor and five string, along with the acoustic Guitars of Ronnie and Ciarán created a driving pulse that was second to none, a rhythm which many of us still seek to groove. The Clancy’s created a genre, The Dubliners picked it up and ran with it. Both in Music and in Life Barney seemed always in his own world….it was forever a pleasure to encounter the man even though, betimes, I could not grasp his drift. He always greeted me fondly and with a hearty laugh… fun was never far away when Barney was around. To his family and friends I extend my condolence, in particular to John Sheehan who has lost his comrade, gone on to join Luke Kelly, Ciarán Bourke and Ronnie Drew…
(Written one week later) Goodnight Bernard….
We bantered out in Teac Furbo, Spiddal when The Dubliners and Planxty shared the stage for 2 nights during Galway Race Week back in 1973. He came into the studio in the 1970’s and played on “Johnny Jump Up”. That went out an album called “Christy Moore” circa 1975. I recall that Barney was booked for a session at 7.30 on Tue evening. He eventually showed at 2 am the following Friday morning. He had a right team in tow and it turned into a grand session. I ran the tape out to him once and he nailed it in one take. More recently I did a session with him in 2009 when U2 recorded a tribute to Ronnie Drew. In Salford last month He played the sweet notes right to the very end. We played “The Herald Boot Fund” gig at The State Cinema in Phibsboro in 1972. He introduced me to his Mother. Mrs McKenna always called her lovely Son Bernard.
“O they were the Quare Ones,
Fol de dee get outa that,
O they were the Quare Ones
I’ll tell you ”
We finished the 2nd gig in RFH London by dedicating “John O’Dreams” to the memory of Barney McKenna (1939-2012)
Royal Festival Hall (2nd Night)
1. How Long
2. Missing You
3. North and South
4. Motherland
5. Delirium Tremens
6. Magdalene
7. Smoke and Whiskey
8. Nancy Spain
9. McIlhatton
10. Black Colour
11. Quinte Brigada
12. Sunshine In
13. Little Musgrave
14. Honda 50.
15. Michael Hayes
16. Morecambe Bay
17. Hattie Carroll
18. Biko Drum
19. Island Swans
20. Shovel
21. Ride On
22. Chicago
23. Victor Jara
24. Sonny’s Dream
25. No Time For love
26. John O’ Dreams (in memory of Barney McKenna)
2 hours
April 6th – Back In Liverpool
A free day on Merseyside. a long Riverside walk, a rehearsal with Declan as we try and sort out a few glitches in Little Musgrave and look at re-visiting “Suffocate” by Noel Brazil, “Johnny Don’t Go” by John Spillane …try and catch up with some lost sleep and rest the vocals for tomorrow night in The Philharmonic…
April 7th
4am – a fight on the street outside our hotel – screaming, tussling, boxing, rolling, wrestling, swearing ,crying… even looking on from the 4th floor it’s heart thumping head racing stuff, it eventually subsides to a flicker as they troop off in different directions some trying to get back into their hotel. I’m wide awake now with little chance of sleep but I’m blest to have a few films stored on my computer so I get immersed in a film called “Dear John” which takes me away on a two hour fantasy. It got a lot of bad reviews but this Lasse Halstrom directed movie did the job for me this dark Liverpool night. I have also watched “Extremely Loud, Incredibly Close” in recent days. I found it harrowing and beautiful. The young boy at the centre delivers an amazing performance and I found myself believing Sandra Bullock’s character for the first time in years. Having watched and thoroughly enjoyed this film I decided to Google some reviews. I was amazed to find it almost 100% panned as a dreadful film. The Guardian Critic suggested it was the worst film ever to receive an Oscar nomination. * I watched it in the back of the van on the overnight journey from Leeds to Cardiff last weekend and it was simply harrowing and beautiful*. On the trip from London to Liverpool I watched Matt Damon in “We bought a Zoo”. That Matt man sure can act. Such a variety of roles this past 10 years yet he inhabits them all effortlessly… no shenanigans, this man simply gets on with the job and plies his trade, performs his art.
I always anticipate The Philharmonic, the room has history, and even a signed portrait of the young Queen Elizabeth on the wall of the dressing room… had a few gremlins to wrestle. We began the first song when suddenly the houselights came back up which was a distraction, then as I hit the first chorus I broke a string, something that is a rarity these days. We had two writers in the room – Kevin Littlewood who penned “On Morecambe Bay” and Ian Prowse author of “Does This Train stop on Merseyside”. What a great pair of songs to be able to sing, to do so in the company of the writers is a privilege. We sat together afterwards with Ian, Kevin, Allan O’Hare and their partners, had a grand yarn. Then we met a few more songsters at the stage door, some reminiscing, signing, photographs before we dived into the van for the trip from the River Mersey to the River Tyne. What mighty Rivers you have here… they are the life’s blood of your great cities
Liverpool, Philharmonic Set
1. North and South of the River
2. Missing You
3. Haiti
4. Smoke and Whiskey
5. Black Colour
6. Quinte
7. Magdalene
8. Chicago
9. Delirium Tremens
10. No Time for Love
11. Nancy Spain
12. Morecambe Bay
13. Ordinary man
14. Michael Hayes
15. Honda 50
16. Little Musgrave
17. Sun Shine In
18. Does this train stop on Merseyside?
19. Ride On
20. Back Home in Derry
21. Victor Jara
22. Tyrone Boys
23. Sweet Thames
24. Shovel
25. John O’Dreams (in memory of Barney McKenna)
26. Butterfly
27. Four Strong Winds
28. Cliffs of Dooneen
29. Lisdoonvarna
2 hours 5 minutes
April 8th – Newcastle-Upon-Tyne.
We arrived on The Tyne at 3 am. Never left the room all day. Needed to chill out and watch Ulster v Munster from Thomond Park. It’s lovely to get back to City Hall after almost 20 years. Declan and I felt we played best here tonight but we can only judge it from our perspective. (Some who were at all 6 gigs felt Liverpool was the best). There was a Ruby Walsh fan in the room but we have had to side-line that song for ecological reasons. The flat season is almost upon us so all the jump jocks will be taking off. Its time for Lester and Scobie to waste .I fancy Katie Walsh each way in The National.
1. Little Musgrave
2. Butterfly
3. Matty
4. Morecambe Bay
5. North & South
6. Burning Times
7. Barrowlands
8. Companeros
9. Veronica
10. D. T.s
11. Mc Illhatton
12. Tyrone Boys
13. Nancy Spain
14. Listen
15. Ordinary Man
16. Sun Shine In
17. Missing You
18. Quiet Desperation
19. Smoke & Strong Whiskey
20. Voyage
21. Ride On
22. Lisdoon
23. John O ‘Dreams (in memory of Barney Mc Kenna)
Encore
24. Shovel
1 hour 48 mins
I am writing this aboard the Stena out of Holyhead. We finished our gig in Newcastle City Hall 5 hours ago whereupon Michael Devine and I made a dash for the ship of fame. It was a good gig last night. We opened with Little Musgrave. Took a chance starting with a 10 minute song but we played a good version and away we flew. The venue had a very different feel to The Sage Theatre where we have played all our recent Tyneside Gigs this past decade. I thought it would be good to have a change and so it proved. Feels good to be steaming home with the satisfaction of a tour well done. Paddy Doherty has been at the helm since day one. He vets every venue and every accommodation. He plans the travel logistics with Michael Devine who is our Tour Manager. Paddy co-ordinates our production with David and Johnny Meade on Sound, Geoff Ryan on lighting and Dikon Whitehead on monitors. This tour was booked out by Paul Charles at Asgard and was promoted by AAA Promotions (apart from London RFH which were in-house promotions). Publicity was by Richard Wooton, Claire Horton and Gareth Davies. There were many others involved too, Staff at all the venues welcomed us and gave us all the assistance required. From the get-in at Leeds to load-out at Newcastle a week later, all went without a hitch. It is a wonderful industry within which we operate. Declan and I are at the core for 2 hours every night but there are many others working around us, assisting us to get our music across. Last but not least – none of it would happen if you, our listeners, did not come out and purchase the tickets with which we finance this entire operation.
Its early morning now, 5.30 am as we sail up the Liffey and turn into Dublin Port. time to get home to our Loved Ones… past Masers Art and Harry Nama’s Hares, over the East Link past Paul Durcan’s… along the Glass Bottle Bank and along Sandymount where Molly Bloom did soliloquy, thru the Merrion Gates and I can smell the tea brewing… Michael drops me home, bags and boxes and the tour is done…
Christy
P.S. Will be shortly be announcing some more dates …
For anyone in the vicinity, there is a stunning exhibition of sculpture currently showing in the Carlow Arts Centre. The work of Eileen McDonage is on show there until 7th May. The sheer size of the work suggests that it may be some time before an exhibition such as this is seen again. For anyone interested in sculpture, stone and art, I recommend this exhibition. It is profound and moving in both its psysical and spiritual dimensions. Eileen McDonagh has sculpted may pieces of Public Art to be seen around Ireland. I was aware of may of the pieces but until now I was not aware of the artist. The are all contained in a book available from Carlow Arts Centre for €20.
The Centre itself is well worth a visit … great location and facilities. It contains an excellent theatre in which I would like to play. (Be warned it is not open to the general public during the day). For times check out the arts centre website – click on the link here: Carlow Centre for Contemporary Art.
March-April 2012
I’m writing this in The Riverside Hotel in Enniscorthy. Amazed to hear that it is 6 years since we played here as I have very clear recall of the last time. Jimmy McCarthy came to that gig and joined us afterwards for a mug of tea in the Bridle Suite. Having the writer of a song in the audience is always an interesting phenomenon; I am certainly affected by it. This venue is in a lovely location. It is on the bank of the River Slaney with a grand 5K walk at the front door. It is the sort of venue that I like… always hot and welcoming, always full, relaxed and inspirational, without any of the haughty vibrations to be found in some of our more refined centres of creativity. (Is it Folk or is it Art, does anybody know? Can someone please tell me where the Blarney Roses grow?)
Recently I read a small number of reviews from disgruntled listeners complaining about gigs not starting on time. Understandably, they aimed their arrows at me. Just a few things to say; Declan and I have a rehearsal and sound check at 5 o’clock before every gig. We then return to the dressing room at about 6.30 and wait to be called to the stage. Looking back over last years starting times it is very seldom later then 8.10. Starting Time is totally outside our remit, Declan and I are always in the dressing room ready and raring to go… the decision to start lies with those running the gig… no point Declan and I commencing at 8 sharp if there are hundreds of people still seeking entrance. People can be delayed for many reasons, parking difficulties, trying to get to the gig after work, getting an extra glass before the gig, finding the bleddy kip, losing a cufflink or ear-ring. Our crew will have been at the venue since mid-day setting up the stage, they too will be standing by… sometimes we all simply have to wait a little longer. Best for everyone to assume that the gig will begin at the advertised time… if the show is a bit late, for whatever reason, try and relax and not get your keks in a twist… suck a gobstopper, look around, (I always love watching the audience from behind the curtain), phone a friend, listen to Cal, say the Serenity Prayer, eavesdrop on adjacent listeners, make new friends, strike up conversations, kiss your partner on the lips, share your gig with total strangers… if none of this works and your blood begins to boil, write to us here and give out shite, we will always listen to you…
President Michael D. and Sabina O’Higgins got quickly into their stride upon assuming residency at Áras an Uachtaráin. I feel relieved “that tis them that’s there”. I wish them both peace of mind and every happiness above in The Park. I met them recently at a gathering of artists in The Abbey Theatre, Dublin. Poets, Painters, Musicians and Writers invited there by Paula Meehan and Theo Dorgan to support the Commission for Prison Reform. Afterwards The President and Sabina greeted us all in The Green Room. It was heart-warming to see him give so generously of himself but that has always been his way. Over the years I have encountered Michael D. on a number of occasions and he has always been a remarkable man to meet. Most recently I heard him read his poetry at Féile na Laoch in Coolea Co Cork. It was 2 in the morning when he stood beneath the stars in that open field where we had all gathered to celebrate creation itself. I recall another time many years ago when he was The Minister for Arts and Culture and he took time out to present me an award in Galway. I consider our President to be a true man of the people. He also possesses skills of diplomacy and a long honed understanding of our constitution. I feel confident that he will do his utmost to safeguard and lead the nation during these difficult and fraught times. I salute President Michael D. Higgins.
A few months back I wrote about a gig at the Grand Social Club in Dublin. The gig, with Mairtín O’Connor’s band, was superb and the venue itself was really good. Subsequently I attended some powerful gigs there, one by Andy Irvine and another from Four Men and a Dog. It seemed that, once again, we might have finally a good venue for Folk music in the capital city. There certainly is a need for one. When I began playing in Dublin in the 60s there were many good venues run by people who loved music. I recall gigs in The (old) Embankment run by Peggy Jordan, early days in The Abbey Tavern Howth, Rathmines Folk Club, Parnell House and of course Slattery’s of Capel Street. In the late 60’s we had Betty McDermott’s Coffee Kitchen in Molesworth Street and Gerry O’Grady’s Auld Triangle. In the 70s The Meeting Place emerged and in the 80’s and 90’s Mother Redcaps came to the fore. Sadly any hopes of The Grand Social becoming a good venue have faded. It would appear that the main ingredient for a successful Folk Music venue is missing from this ideal location. Once more we live in hope.
Declan Sinnott has recorded his first Solo Album. It will be released later in the year when he will also perform some solo gigs. Details will be posted here in due course. I am looking forward to this release. He has performed 5 of the songs so far and I have enjoyed hearing each one of them. We will work separately for the first 6 months of 2013 so that he can promote his album. It will also afford me the opportunity to do some solo gigs again… dust off some old songs and give the Bodhrán a good rattle. This has been, by far, the longest time that either of us have spent in a band, albeit a 2 man combo… my longest period prior to this was 3 years in Planxty – first time round in ’72,’73,’74. I still look forward to every gig that Declan and I play. He is a true comrade in the playing of the music. Always ready and willing to rehearse, full of ideas and strong opinions but also patient with my limited chords and forgiving of my errors in live performance. He has coaxed me into learning a few new riffs and often makes subtle changes to old accompaniments that give them a new lease of life. I will keep you posted on this site when his gigs are in place.
Rugby… It was Thursday 16th March as we assembled in Co Kildare. Our purpose was to play a gig for the Ireland Rugby squad, a pleasure I have enjoyed on 7 previous occasions. It was less then 48 hours before they were due to take to the field in Twickenham and face England once again. Previous gigs had always taken place a week before games so this time round there was an understandable tension in the room. As Declan and I took to the stage the sound system went awry with distortion which added to my nervousness. I likened it to an opening kick-off going straight into touch. My response was to go into an acapella song that was entirely unsuitable as an opener. I was like a fox caught in the headlights. Things settled down after we got off to a shaky start but soon settled into a groove. Declan’s electric was not working but the gig began to turn for me as some of the players came up and shared the stage with us. First up was Damien Varley who sang and played “Bright Blue Rose” and ‘”Faithfull Departed”. Donnaca O’Callaghan gave a great rendition of “All I Remember”. he is garnering a grand repertoire and never sings the same song twice. Kevin McLaughlin came from the blind side and delivered a lovely “Ride On”. Felix Jones came flying up from the full back position and showed a great pair of hands on the Bodhrán with McIlhatton and Quinte Brigada… It was great to be meeting these new players at close quarters. The new team manager Mick Kearney came up a tore into “Tell Me Ma” (a bit like Tommy Bowe, he is a one verse operator). This opened the floodgates and they were suddenly coming from all sides. Donnaca Ryan rose high and gave us a heart felt rendition of ‘Black is The Colour”, then Gordon Darcy came right thru the middle of the room with “City Of Chicago”, Rala O’Reilly took on “The Contender” and did justice to Jimmy Macs tender ballad (Dennis Leamy did a great version 3 years ago). Fergus McFadden then came on and stumped both Declan and Myself with “Rock and Roll kids”; neither Declan nor I could play it. I did not realise that Fergus was a nephew to my old friend Austin O’Donnell from The Curragh. Austin was a grand ballad singer… we often passed the guitar around back in the sixties, 3 chords and a dozen stout as we sought to serenade Red Prender’s beautiful daughters. Declan Kidney then spoke briefly and Rory Best thanked us for the gig. It was apparent that they were all focused on Saturdays Mighty Clash as we left them and drove for Killarney for the following days gig. (Alas they suffered a heavy defeat; it was terrible to witness their disillusionment. However most of the squad will wear the green again and have another day… time now to put the International caps away and focus upon the European Club semi-finals)
What a joy it is to meet up with songs that shine. Early on I was attracted to the entire repertoire of The Clancy Brothers and Tommy Makem. At 16, almost everything I sang came from The Clancy’s. then I got Waltons blue book of ballads back around 1962 and learned songs that were original to my hungry ears; “The Bard of Armagh”, “Rosin The Bow” and ” Down by the Liffeyside”. That same year I got the PW Joyce Collection in the Newbridge Library. There I found “The Rambler from Clare”, “The Enniskillen Dragoon” and, best of all, “The Curragh of Kildare”. I still remember working out the melody of “The Curragh” with Donal Lunny at our piano in Moorefield Terrace. We then took 2 lines from Verse 3 and used it as a chorus. Sometime after that, maybe 1964 I got my hands on Colm O’Lochlainn’s Dublin Street Ballads. That, and its successor, became the bible, reference books and sat nav of many the budding Balladeer. My first song from O’Lochlainn was “Mary from Dungloe” which I used to do as an up-tempo song. I still remember singing it at the Thurles fleadh with an auld battered 30 shilling guitar with binder twine as strap. Other songs from these yellow books included “Come by The Bower”, “James Larkin”, “Dublin Jack” “Carnloch Bay” and “Bold Rake”. To this day they remain 2 great reference books. Then I finished with the books and I began to encounter songs from singers. Patsy Halloran sang the “Galtee Mountain Boy “in Clonmel in 1963. I heard Robbie McMahon sing “Spancilhill” in John Minogue’s Hotel upon the windswept hill of Tulla in 1964… such exciting times I enjoyed as I travailed the country searching out songs. It was a time of nil technology and none the worse for it. We had to work to gain songs, we had to travel search and wait. After I moved across the water in ’66 the songs began to come towards me more regularly – Mainly because I went to Folk clubs every night of the week. I heard Tony Downes sing “Plane Crash at Los Gatos” in Manchester, Jackie and Bridie singing “Seth Davy” in Liverpool in 1967. Shortly afterwards Hamish Imlach taught me “Black is The Colour”. I was surrounded by songs and infatuated by those who sang them. Mike Waterson sang “The Lakes of Pontchartrain” to me in 1968. I heard “John of Dreams” from Bill Caddick in Wolverhampton. The same year I flew to St Helier to play in the Jersey Folk Club. There I met Barney Rush. I was transfixed when he sang “Nancy Spain” and he then followed it with “The Crack was 90 in The Isle of Man “… that was all of 45 years ago. In between I have been seduced by hundreds of songs and here I am still listening and learning. Beautiful songs still come my way; “Listen” from Hank Wedell, “Gortatagort” from John Spillane, “Magdalene Laundries” from Joni Mitchell, and “Motherland” from Natalie Merchant. I hear new songs and “new” traditional songs around every corner. All that said, we singers need you listeners too, it’s when we sing them out to you that they truly come to life… Only then does the circle of song become complete.
The Spoken Word session with Janice Long is available by clicking the link here.
We are now preparing for the first leg of our British Tour. It commences in Leeds on April 1st and continues in Cardiff, London, Liverpool and Newcastle. The second leg in November takes in York, Manchester, Edinburgh, Stirling and Glasgow.
See you down the road…
Christy
PS. Recently we have added dates in Newbridge, Mountmellick, Galway, Electric Picnic, Tullamore, Charleville, Castlebar, Sligo, Derry, Carrickmacross, Cork and Cavan. We will play Dublin in December.
February 7th 2012
I’m back in Manchester again 45 years on. Back then I went from club to club doing floor spots and trying to pick up a gig anywhere I could. Pickings were lean, but for my Auntie Kathleen out in the Lancashire town of Bury, I might not have survived my folk apprenticeship. She often put me up and fed me. Kathleen ran a lovely old-world country pub called The Pack Horse Inn in Birtle which lies in the hills between Bury and Rochdale. It was off the beaten track and could always be relied upon for a good late night session. I recall nights there with Hamish Imlach, Billy Connolly, Gerry Rafferty, Packie Manus Byrne, The Grehan Sisters, and Mike Harding. We’d roll back there after gigs in the City and sing ’til dawn…
This time round I’m back here for The BBC Folk Awards and there is protest in the air. I’m told that the gig (at the new Lowry Theatre) may be picketed tonight. There has been furore in The Mudcat Forum about the Folk awards and some of the controversy has made it through to the National papers. A number of disgruntled Folkies are calling for more transparency in the voting process. There have been accusations of “bribery and corruption”. I get the whiff of sour grapes…
Later… It was an interesting evening. I heard some great performances particularly from Brendan Power, Tim Edey and June Tabor. We played “On Morecambe Bay”, which was one of 4 nominated songs. I got to meet the author, Kevin Littlewood for the first time. I was invited to present an award to Bill Leader. Bill was honoured for his work in recording a huge legacy of Folk Music. His early work with Topic and Transatlantic Labels yielded great recordings by artists as diverse as Pentangle, Hamish Imlach, John Martyn and Bert Jansch. He then went to form his own label and he came to Ireland in 1971 to record the “Prosperous” album. Planxty came about as a direct result of Bill Leader’s recording prowess. He arrived with a Revox reel to reel recorder and two microphones and set to work getting us four into shape, encouraging us and teaching us too. Many of Bill’s Albums have become classics through time. I think of Nic Jones, Tony Rose, The Dransfields and Martin Wyndham Read to name but a few. Also honoured at the Folk Awards was Ian Campbell who wrote songs such as “The Old Man’s Song” and “The Sun is Burning”. His band, The Ian Campbell Folk group, were very popular in Britain in the 60s and 70s. Many fine musicians served their apprenticeship with Ian. He ran The “Jug of Punch” club in Birmingham and I still recall the excitement I felt when I first played there. At the awards I also met Mike Harding, Ralph McTell, Maddy Prior and The Dubliners. A great night was had by all.
We travelled down to London half expecting snow to intervene but we arrived at the BBC where I did an interview with Janice Long for her BBC Radio 2 programme to go out in March. I last met Janice in 1991 when I was promoting the “Smoke and Strong Whiskey” album. She is a true songster. We had a grand chat and I sang a few songs. On Friday I hooked up with both Acoustic and UNCUT magazines and also met with Martin Chilton of The Daily Telegraph. Before he began writing about music Martin used to be a football writer and he shared some great yarns from The English Premiership. Stories about players I have watched and managers I have listened to. Next morning we returned to Broadcasting House for Saturday Morning Live which was presented by Anita Anand. She coaxed poems from Matt Harvey and wrestled down the line with the wonderful Willie Daly (He is Ireland’s number one Matchmaker and works his magic in Lisdoonvarna every September).
On Sunday Morning we had a pre dawn call to get ourselves over to BBC TV in Shepherds Bush for an early encounter with Andrew Marr. He hosts an excellent programme on BBC2 on Sunday mornings. He interviews Prime Ministers, World Famous Film Directors, Ministers of Culture and luminaries from many walks of life. That Sunday Morning I was invited to sing a song and decided upon “Sweet Thames Flow Softly”. Regrettably I failed to deliver a good performance. Andrew gave us a glowing intro, I hit the opening chord and the guitar was completely and inexplicably out of tune. In horror I glanced over at Declan who instantly abandoned the prepared accompaniment and gave me a solid rhythm to work upon. It was a disappointing affair for us but every one was generous in the aftermath. A number of our regular listeners were critical of Andrew Marr but I disagree with them entirely. I found him to be a gracious host, enjoyed meeting him and marvelled at his ability to interact with such diverse subjects and guests in a one hour programme.
That done we scuttled back to Broadcasting House for a meeting with Cerys Matthews who hosts a music programme on BBC Radio 6 . Cerys sat in with Declan and I for a grand auld natter. We played “On Morecambe Bay” and “Voyage”. Many of you will be familiar with Cerys’s work. She is a fine singer and musician, a proud woman of Wales and it was a pleasure to sing for her. Then I moved to a different studio to meet up with my old buddy John Walker and do an interview with him for his Sounds of the Seventies broadcast. We also spoke at length for his podcast. That was a good morning’s work for a Sunday morning. Contented, Michael Devine and I set sail for Holyhead while Declan and Paddy took off for Heathrow.
I’ve seen some great movies lately; The Station Agent, an Unfinished Life, Jack goes Boating, Descendants and Hereafter. For anyone slightly interested in Irish Music I recommend Gerry Diver’s “Speech Project”. He has delivered a unique recording which was years in the making. I played a small part in it. I particularly like the tracks featuring the voice of the late Margaret (Maggie) Barry. Other tracks include the voices of Joe Cooley, Martin Hayes, Shane McGowan, Damien Dempsey and Danny Meehan.
We went to see Janis Ian in Vicar St recently. She delivered a stunning gig. The room was packed and there was an air of expectancy as she took the stage. I have seen some great gigs at this venue and, for me, Janis equalled the best of them. We have previously heard Paul Simon in Vicar St with a luxurious Big Band, Bob Dylan and his band too. Janis Ian, with her lone acoustic Martin Guitar, filled that space with sound and lyrics and held us spellbound for 2 hours after which she met and signed for the hundreds who wished to meet her. She was as large and encompassing as any big band. We simply loved her gig.
I must admit that I am missing the guest book these days. We have to rebuild the site as it has been vandalised too often in recent months. I have a certain amount of sympathy for these intruders. Although it is annoying when the site is vandalised, such inconvenience pales when in comparison to the mind set of those creative instincts that are so senselessly employed. I miss the daily banter, the feedback, the queries, the assistance offered. I have come to enjoy it over the past 5 years. I hope that we all re-engage when the team have the site re-opened.
We returned to Cork today Feb 17th. We organised a gig in The Triskel Arts Centre in support of the workers at Vita Cortex who are still occupying their factory work place in Cork. Declan Sinnott and were joined by Greenshine and Tana O’Brien. 30 of the workers were at the gig. I realise it was but a drop in the ocean but when I saw them on TV recently I simply wanted to offer them my support. Everyone I approached agreed immediately to stand with me. The Triskel, Declan Sinnott, Paddy Doherty, Michael Devine, David Meade and Frank Connolly at SIPTU gave their full support. A lot depends upon the outcome of this strike. If Jack Ronan and his associates get away with their mean scheme, a blueprint will exist to deprive long serving workers of their hard earned redundancy payments. Let us support the Vita Cortex Workers any way we can.
I received the following letter recently. It is heart warming to hear of the song being sung at a commemoration where so many Brigadistas lost their lives.
Dear Christy,
I found myself in the meso El Cid in Morata, which was the Republican HQ of the 15th Brigade then, after a hearty meal, listening once again to Spanish musicians singing your “Quince Brigada” in both English and Spanish yesterday, and thought of you and Bob Doyle, who began these commemorative walks with local school-teacher Seve Monteroback in 2003, on a rainy miserable afternoon.
Now the event has grown to become a large occasion, with dozens of cars and three full buses heading out from Madrid to cover a part of The battlefield and we had a sunny day this year, Lay a few flowers, listen to some history and a few local veterans, and unveil a statue in the local museum of that battle.
And after the lunch, in a cheerful crowd of British, Irish, Spanish and the odd other nationality, to sing the songs of the war, and this of course includes yours!
Salud!
Harry Owens.
On October 8th 2011, there was a gathering of men and women who had been “On the Blanket” in Armagh Prison and in the H Blocks of Long Kesh. I was invited to sing with them but a prior commitment (gigs in Germany) prevented my being there. I recorded this 18 minute video at home in my work room and it was played to the gathering on the night. You can view it by clicking on here
Declan Sinnott did an interview with Mick O’Brien on SinÉ radio in 2009. I did not get to hear it until Olivia (From 4711ers.org) passed it on. You can listen to it by clicking on here (Declan’s interview starts around 11 minutes in)
I attended an Andy Irvine gig in Dublin last night. He was enthralling. Many new songs since I last heard him. Check out his dates (www.andyirvine.com) and catch him if you can.
PS we now have a new library section available here.