Good morning, Christy. Great to read that your superb performances are going on and on. I wish you a happy summer break. Greets from a sunny and hot day here. Günter
I had an interesting Friday ,with good music memories too…Started in sun baked Didsbury. Breakfast with my music companeros,Fred…at a cafe in the shadow of what was The Cavalcade pub over 50 years ago…the site of my first and epic,Planxty gig (I’d seen you solo,a few times by then)a room packed beyond capacity and fab sound/ tight playing …there’s still no memorial plaque on the building,despite the passage of time and praise lauded on Planxty and members since!
In the afternoon,I was in town to see a small,fascinating, folklore exhibition…’Weird as Folk’ at. http://www.theportico.co.uk. Well curated and great to see LP covers noting the collecting skills of Harry Boardman RIP…
By evening I was knackered and counting zzzzzzs before you’d have left the TLT…rock’n’roll,eh?
Hi Christy and everyone,
Time for a shameless plug….
Our Live Music Hawick festival is coming up.
4 days of music took a lot of preparing so all support welcomed.
Thur 8 Aug Film ‘ IT MIGHT GET LOUD’ 2008 about Page, Edge,White after Humble Scribes live
Fri 9 ADAM HOLMES plus local support
Sat 10 street Busking all welcome, daytime DJ workshops plus DJs in venues at night inc Aly Brown,
Big Neil and the Allstars live gig ,
Main gig JOSHUA BURNSIDE plus Seanie Bermingham
Sun 11 park Bandstand show Hawick Sings plus Joshua Burnside
final auditorium gig NATI supported by Devin Casson and Seanie Bermingham.
Discount packages available on Heart of Hawick website
Rory
Hi Christy,
The Undertones gig in the Rosin was a great success.
Packed out the door. More shiny head than spiky hair.
Great energy in the room as always. They had a great run
of tunes from 1978-1981. And they were all present and
accounted for last night – good vibrations indeed.
Young niece was mighty impressed.
(Not better than Taylor obvs)
How did it Drogheda go ?
Bourkey
Christy's reply
Just back in the door…
I love that TLT Theatre in Drogheda…
its an unlikly scenario
but once you enter the air, acoustics and vibe of a gig room greet you..
Heading to the TLT Drogheda tonight with my Ma and 9 year old son (Harry McDermott). We were there last year and he loved it. You very kindly played a request of Beeswing last year, however he had gone to the toilet and missed it. At the moment his favourite song is Johnny Jump Up. It would be great if you had time to play it tonight.
Thanks and look forward to a great night.
Phil
Christy's reply
Its a very special when 3 generations from a family come to a gig together…..I think back to 1950s…I was 9 and went to Croke Park with my Mother, Father and Grandfather..we were in the old Hogan Stand… a man came down the row with a basket “anyone for the last few choc ices”..Meath scored a goal and my father threw me up in the air….(Daddy was a Kildare man but Mammy was a proud Meath woman…greater love hath no man )
Christy hi
Exactly 40 years ago today Mary Manning made her heroic stance.
Viva Mary.
Rory
Christy's reply
Mandate are holding a gathering this evening to mark the occasion…I was invited to participate but could not due to gig in Drogheda this evening…..sent a video of a few verses of “Dunne’s Store” as written by Sandra Kerr
Hello Christy,
It’s great to hear about your gigging adventures. Thankyou for all the stories.
We’re all safely tucked away in Drogheda, down a stoney lane, round the back of a big house in a little apartment. It’s beautifully quiet and there’s a field of barley at the bottom of the garden. Just drinking coffee and thinking about your gig tonight.
It’s great travelling with an instrument I can carry myself!
Rebecca
Christy's reply
you might like to visit the Highlanes Gallery in Drogheda….always interesting exhibitions and good coffee shop….currently showing Aleana Egan
Thanks Christy,
Do be loving reading of The Magic Nights,
On the Road from back in the day.
I’ld have been of three years of age when
The Dubliners and Planxty played Teac Furbo
If I knew then what I know now …
I’ld have leaped my playpen, stuffed me 20 majors
in me plastic pants and headed down to listen in…
Aw but I was so much younger then …
Enjoy the gig tomorrow
Bourkey
Christy's reply
If memory serves the two gigs coincided with the Galway Races….we were all staying in Teach Furbo so the night porter was kept busy in the residents lounge…the day after the second gig I missed the Planxty van and travelled by train with Cíarán Bourke back to The Black Lagoon …I had the guitar, Cíarán had harmonica and whistle, we had an almighty session on the train and the bar was dry by the time we hit Kingsbridge (Heuston)….Cíarán was an important member of The Dubliners who sometimes got overlooked…he played good rhythm guitar, sang good song,also played harmonica and whistle…he was a true free spirit.he hung out in Prosperous for months and stayed with my brother-in-law Davoc Rynne..Cíarán was a great man to get the session started….
Planxty.
19 July 1972.
The Grove, Baylough, Athlone.
Fifty two years ago.
Yez played the Dean Crowe later that year, October or November, which I was at.
Christy's reply
My abiding memory of the Dean Crowe in 1972…Johnny Divilly drove around Athlone with a Tannoy on top of the wagon…..”Tonight at 8pm, all roads lead to the Dean Crowe Hall to hear chart-topping Planxty play” we stayed in The Shamrock Lodge and the following day made for Teach Furbo where we played two nights with The Dubliners….were you the fellow at the back of the Dean Crow doling out the diddley eye ?
Hi Christy,
No match day car for SAM.
Two high stools in Tonerys bar,
watching with the neighbors.
They’ll have the sandwiches ready at halftime.
The kettle will go on but there won’t be many takers.
Louise reminiscing about the gigs Planxty played with Donovan.
Always welcome to hear The Raggle Taggle gypsy/
Tabhair dom do lamh on the airwaves.
Any memories of those gigs ?
Tabhair Aire
Bourkey
Christy's reply
52 years on I have vivid memories of those gigs…
for the previous 6 years i had been playing solo around folk clubs in the UK…serving my time, gathering songs, making a living and discovering a new and exciting after 3 years in The National Bank….
then I move back home to join a band with 3 musicians whom I held in the highest regard….after a few months trying to get gigs we were taken by Des Kelly of Galway….Des had been leader of The Capitol Showband who were very successful across the 1960s…Des was a huge aupporter of Planxty…he put us on the road with a Van and PA and began to get us good gigs around the country…our first 3 singles were on Des’s label Ruby Records and we began to get noticed….by the time we got the support slot on the Donovon we were in good shape and enjoying our lives in Planxty….when we opened for Donovon in The Hanger our star was beginning to rise….after that tour we were signed to Phil Coulter who rented us out to Polydor UK….
for me , the early days were the best….just the four of us, Liam and I shared the driving, Andy the shamboola, Donal wrote the riffs and turned the knobs on our Marshall 100 watt and and Binson Echo..our speakers were Hurley Crazy Boxes also of Galway origin (I think)
Going to Galway in those days was always a treat…I often found it very hard to leave…Mickey Finn, Corky, Mick Lally,The Smalls, Pete Galligan, Brian Mooney, The Rabbitte Brothers were all part of a great Galway scene…
Johnny Mulhearn’s great songs “Hard Cases” and “Contintental Ceili” are imbued with the spirit of the time
Hello Christy and All,
Well we’re on the right boat, going to the right place. I’m trusting the man at the tiller to know the way. Sitting by a lovely big window, the sea is soft and grey. It’s a good day for travelling. An hour of good sea and we should be able to see Ireland.
That sounds like a bit of a journey Pete. You had great companions with those cds. Our driving companions have been Christy, Roisin Elsafty, Katie Theasby and Arty McGlynn. More to follow as we hit the road in Ireland.
Last time we were here was January. Good to be back in the land of magic.
Rebeccah: Thanx. I know, I have a lot to catch up, not just CM music, but other musicians mentioned on this Guestbook (the latest is John Spillane by way of Hilary). Vinyl? Love them… but they don’t travel well. On an 8+ hours car trip to Palm Springs in 2022 following COVID Liberation, I had CM’s Early Years, his 4-CD set of Magic Nights On the Road among others to ease driving doldrums. I think there’s a market for a compact, ultra-slim, portable, skip-free, USB-based record player, don’t you? B&O, are you listening? 🙂
Hi christy and fellow 4711ers
Sometimes horrors distract me from the music.
Muhammed Bhar was distressed by the sound of shelling in his neighbourhood, says his mother.
Try to find out about Muhammed, remember him until….eventually there was no one left to speak.
Rory
Christy's reply
such horrific savagery
let us rememember Muhammed Bhar
Hi Christy,
Great to hear you featured all of this week on the Louise Duffy show Radio1, on the ” living legends” slot………On Monday she described you as ” the voice of the people”, how right she is. Songs played so far were, Beeswing, The good Ship Kangaroo, and Nancy Spain. Looking forward to what the next 2 will be.
Hope you are taking a few days off and taking a break from the Album pressure.
Ride on.
Patsy
Christy's reply
happy to hear we are getting a spin…..to have those songs going out over the air waves is something I cherish and appreciate….
Hi Christy, hope you are keeping well. Before i plan a trip over the water just wondered if you have any plans to do some gigs in England anytime soon? I missed you last time in Canterbury.
Christy's reply
nothing planned Jon…..with passing time,sadly, another trip becomes less likely….
Good morning, Christy. Great to read that your superb performances are going on and on. I wish you a happy summer break. Greets from a sunny and hot day here. Günter
http://www.theportico.org.uk
Some interesting events also planned there…D
Hi Christy
Great that it was an ace TLT gig…
I had an interesting Friday ,with good music memories too…Started in sun baked Didsbury. Breakfast with my music companeros,Fred…at a cafe in the shadow of what was The Cavalcade pub over 50 years ago…the site of my first and epic,Planxty gig (I’d seen you solo,a few times by then)a room packed beyond capacity and fab sound/ tight playing …there’s still no memorial plaque on the building,despite the passage of time and praise lauded on Planxty and members since!
In the afternoon,I was in town to see a small,fascinating, folklore exhibition…’Weird as Folk’ at. http://www.theportico.co.uk. Well curated and great to see LP covers noting the collecting skills of Harry Boardman RIP…
By evening I was knackered and counting zzzzzzs before you’d have left the TLT…rock’n’roll,eh?
Have a good day
Dave
Hi Christy and everyone,
Time for a shameless plug….
Our Live Music Hawick festival is coming up.
4 days of music took a lot of preparing so all support welcomed.
Thur 8 Aug Film ‘ IT MIGHT GET LOUD’ 2008 about Page, Edge,White after Humble Scribes live
Fri 9 ADAM HOLMES plus local support
Sat 10 street Busking all welcome, daytime DJ workshops plus DJs in venues at night inc Aly Brown,
Big Neil and the Allstars live gig ,
Main gig JOSHUA BURNSIDE plus Seanie Bermingham
Sun 11 park Bandstand show Hawick Sings plus Joshua Burnside
final auditorium gig NATI supported by Devin Casson and Seanie Bermingham.
Discount packages available on Heart of Hawick website
Rory
Hi Christy,
The Undertones gig in the Rosin was a great success.
Packed out the door. More shiny head than spiky hair.
Great energy in the room as always. They had a great run
of tunes from 1978-1981. And they were all present and
accounted for last night – good vibrations indeed.
Young niece was mighty impressed.
(Not better than Taylor obvs)
How did it Drogheda go ?
Bourkey
Just back in the door…
I love that TLT Theatre in Drogheda…
its an unlikly scenario
but once you enter the air, acoustics and vibe of a gig room greet you..
Oh my! Thankyou! We loved every minute. x
Hi Christy have you any gigs on the back burner for Scotland . Sean’s like years since you graced our shores
Hi Christy,
Heading to the TLT Drogheda tonight with my Ma and 9 year old son (Harry McDermott). We were there last year and he loved it. You very kindly played a request of Beeswing last year, however he had gone to the toilet and missed it. At the moment his favourite song is Johnny Jump Up. It would be great if you had time to play it tonight.
Thanks and look forward to a great night.
Phil
Its a very special when 3 generations from a family come to a gig together…..I think back to 1950s…I was 9 and went to Croke Park with my Mother, Father and Grandfather..we were in the old Hogan Stand… a man came down the row with a basket “anyone for the last few choc ices”..Meath scored a goal and my father threw me up in the air….(Daddy was a Kildare man but Mammy was a proud Meath woman…greater love hath no man )
Christy hi
Exactly 40 years ago today Mary Manning made her heroic stance.
Viva Mary.
Rory
Mandate are holding a gathering this evening to mark the occasion…I was invited to participate but could not due to gig in Drogheda this evening…..sent a video of a few verses of “Dunne’s Store” as written by Sandra Kerr
Hello Christy,
It’s great to hear about your gigging adventures. Thankyou for all the stories.
We’re all safely tucked away in Drogheda, down a stoney lane, round the back of a big house in a little apartment. It’s beautifully quiet and there’s a field of barley at the bottom of the garden. Just drinking coffee and thinking about your gig tonight.
It’s great travelling with an instrument I can carry myself!
Rebecca
you might like to visit the Highlanes Gallery in Drogheda….always interesting exhibitions and good coffee shop….currently showing Aleana Egan
Thanks Christy,
Do be loving reading of The Magic Nights,
On the Road from back in the day.
I’ld have been of three years of age when
The Dubliners and Planxty played Teac Furbo
If I knew then what I know now …
I’ld have leaped my playpen, stuffed me 20 majors
in me plastic pants and headed down to listen in…
Aw but I was so much younger then …
Enjoy the gig tomorrow
Bourkey
If memory serves the two gigs coincided with the Galway Races….we were all staying in Teach Furbo so the night porter was kept busy in the residents lounge…the day after the second gig I missed the Planxty van and travelled by train with Cíarán Bourke back to The Black Lagoon …I had the guitar, Cíarán had harmonica and whistle, we had an almighty session on the train and the bar was dry by the time we hit Kingsbridge (Heuston)….Cíarán was an important member of The Dubliners who sometimes got overlooked…he played good rhythm guitar, sang good song,also played harmonica and whistle…he was a true free spirit.he hung out in Prosperous for months and stayed with my brother-in-law Davoc Rynne..Cíarán was a great man to get the session started….
No.
that solves that then
Planxty.
19 July 1972.
The Grove, Baylough, Athlone.
Fifty two years ago.
Yez played the Dean Crowe later that year, October or November, which I was at.
My abiding memory of the Dean Crowe in 1972…Johnny Divilly drove around Athlone with a Tannoy on top of the wagon…..”Tonight at 8pm, all roads lead to the Dean Crowe Hall to hear chart-topping Planxty play” we stayed in The Shamrock Lodge and the following day made for Teach Furbo where we played two nights with The Dubliners….were you the fellow at the back of the Dean Crow doling out the diddley eye ?
Hi Christy,
No match day car for SAM.
Two high stools in Tonerys bar,
watching with the neighbors.
They’ll have the sandwiches ready at halftime.
The kettle will go on but there won’t be many takers.
Louise reminiscing about the gigs Planxty played with Donovan.
Always welcome to hear The Raggle Taggle gypsy/
Tabhair dom do lamh on the airwaves.
Any memories of those gigs ?
Tabhair Aire
Bourkey
52 years on I have vivid memories of those gigs…
for the previous 6 years i had been playing solo around folk clubs in the UK…serving my time, gathering songs, making a living and discovering a new and exciting after 3 years in The National Bank….
then I move back home to join a band with 3 musicians whom I held in the highest regard….after a few months trying to get gigs we were taken by Des Kelly of Galway….Des had been leader of The Capitol Showband who were very successful across the 1960s…Des was a huge aupporter of Planxty…he put us on the road with a Van and PA and began to get us good gigs around the country…our first 3 singles were on Des’s label Ruby Records and we began to get noticed….by the time we got the support slot on the Donovon we were in good shape and enjoying our lives in Planxty….when we opened for Donovon in The Hanger our star was beginning to rise….after that tour we were signed to Phil Coulter who rented us out to Polydor UK….
for me , the early days were the best….just the four of us, Liam and I shared the driving, Andy the shamboola, Donal wrote the riffs and turned the knobs on our Marshall 100 watt and and Binson Echo..our speakers were Hurley Crazy Boxes also of Galway origin (I think)
Going to Galway in those days was always a treat…I often found it very hard to leave…Mickey Finn, Corky, Mick Lally,The Smalls, Pete Galligan, Brian Mooney, The Rabbitte Brothers were all part of a great Galway scene…
Johnny Mulhearn’s great songs “Hard Cases” and “Contintental Ceili” are imbued with the spirit of the time
Hello Christy and All,
Well we’re on the right boat, going to the right place. I’m trusting the man at the tiller to know the way. Sitting by a lovely big window, the sea is soft and grey. It’s a good day for travelling. An hour of good sea and we should be able to see Ireland.
That sounds like a bit of a journey Pete. You had great companions with those cds. Our driving companions have been Christy, Roisin Elsafty, Katie Theasby and Arty McGlynn. More to follow as we hit the road in Ireland.
Last time we were here was January. Good to be back in the land of magic.
Rebecca
safe travels
Rebeccah: Thanx. I know, I have a lot to catch up, not just CM music, but other musicians mentioned on this Guestbook (the latest is John Spillane by way of Hilary). Vinyl? Love them… but they don’t travel well. On an 8+ hours car trip to Palm Springs in 2022 following COVID Liberation, I had CM’s Early Years, his 4-CD set of Magic Nights On the Road among others to ease driving doldrums. I think there’s a market for a compact, ultra-slim, portable, skip-free, USB-based record player, don’t you? B&O, are you listening? 🙂
O the crack was 90 in the Isle of Man
You are very welcome !
Hi christy and fellow 4711ers
Sometimes horrors distract me from the music.
Muhammed Bhar was distressed by the sound of shelling in his neighbourhood, says his mother.
Try to find out about Muhammed, remember him until….eventually there was no one left to speak.
Rory
such horrific savagery
let us rememember Muhammed Bhar
Hi Christy,
Great to hear you featured all of this week on the Louise Duffy show Radio1, on the ” living legends” slot………On Monday she described you as ” the voice of the people”, how right she is. Songs played so far were, Beeswing, The good Ship Kangaroo, and Nancy Spain. Looking forward to what the next 2 will be.
Hope you are taking a few days off and taking a break from the Album pressure.
Ride on.
Patsy
happy to hear we are getting a spin…..to have those songs going out over the air waves is something I cherish and appreciate….
Hi Christy, hope you are keeping well. Before i plan a trip over the water just wondered if you have any plans to do some gigs in England anytime soon? I missed you last time in Canterbury.
nothing planned Jon…..with passing time,sadly, another trip becomes less likely….