It’s great here,when comments/ your replies evoke old memories…it’s la relief to now know where Dan Dare lives ..
In the early 60s,there was a bunch of us playground cowboys,hooked on the adventures of The Lone Ranger. A friend,Michael ,used to regale us of his out of school adventures with the great man…so,no great surprise when Michael gathered us in the playground one day in 1963 to tell us he was leaving the school. As we waited for the exciting punchline,he started crying …not just leaving,but the whole family heading to Australia….the first ‘Ten Pound Poms’,I knew…and,weeks later,off they went -never to be seen or heard from again. I hope life was good for them and,somewhere in Oz,there’s an extended family who know that The Lone Ranger and Tonto had their finest hour in the streets of South Manchester….
Enjoy the day
Dave
Christy's reply
Comm to Suffragette City from The Black Lagoon,
Sun batin down on a City thronged with masses from Galway and Armagh..savage queues for the Blessed Sacrament in various Cathedrals, celebrants running out of hosts as tongues protrude in sacred anticipation…there’ll not be a fry to be had by the time the porter shops open…all Northern and Western motorways jammed full of jalopies with Sam maguire written all over them..in many homes Olympics will take e a back seat until tea time…I fancy China to take gold in the Tiddley Winks, England look good for the Dwallflunking, Scotland will surely Toss the Caber and Wales for the Scrabble..with regard to ourselves here in Bognia, I’ve put 10 Euro each way on Conor McGregor to take Gold in the the Charmaton …
the mastering has passed muster, the sleevenotes are neatly typed, launch dates are being discussed by the powers, I’m wondering what to wear and the breakfast is boiled..
So it’s All Ireland Football Final w end and tonight Kevin Meehan and his band The Hightstool Prophets will be on Up for the Match, best of luck to them. Wishing both teams a sporting game tomorrow.Beir bua agus beannacht. H
Just read reviews of a terrific recent gig…BBC Proms at the Albert Hall,featuring Nick Drake’s music….orchestra,guest musicians and Nick’s gem of a sister,Gabrielle…and,hallelujah,the audio is on YouTube…lovely stuff…
Hi christy, hard to beat buying an LP in a shop. As a 2nd option trying Bandcamp is a good source as i believe that in Bandcamp you are effectively buying direct from the artist ( or poss their small label) and so most funds go to them for the Lp or Cd or the download.
Rory
Ps the lads at the sex pistols would not have approved from buying direct from EMI though
Christy's reply
hard to beat the spontaneous verse, live on the air….lingering momentarily, never to he heard again…
Hello Christy,
Bought a couple of new albums in Drogheda.
Listening to The Dubliners in Session. It’s very songy! Just my cup of tea.
Still got a Clancy brothers one waiting. Something about a nightclub in the title.
Rebecca
Christy's reply
hard to bate the pot of scald..well brewed with brown sugar and a splash of creamy unpasteurised milk….maybe a few ginger nuts on the side
I’ve been trying to listen to more podcasts recently since there’s only so many times I can watch The Sopranos!
I listened to the 3 episodes of Free State Podcast you were on. It sounded like an interesting day in the studio and I like the free flowing nature of a podcast interview. I heard some stories I didn’t know and I’d recommend them to anyone. It was lovely the way you (and Joe) could break out a verse of a song at any time.
I hope you are enjoying your break and gearing up for the football on Sunday!
Take care, Kevin
Christy's reply
I was hopin to have a wee chat with Dion but thon Dungiven Boy held the floor…hes some buck is Joe… a quare hawk but he dont suck bird’s eggs..full credit to him….His Ma and Pa sang on the H Block album in 1979
“I’ll wear no prison uniform
nor meekly serve my time
that England might brand Ireland’s fight
800 years of crime”
Thanks to Ed…good to get info that proves memories to be accurate!
Thinking of John Mayall,and sad news of his passing….90 years from Macesfield to California….and second to none as a music catalyst,spotting raw talent and giving opportunities to flourish.The list of ex bandmates is a hall of fame …a talent in itself.
Enjoy the break
Dave
Christy's reply
John Mayall, Happy Traum, and the Donald gets a nicked ear, it may have happened when the secret service jumped on him…
Dagrab, you’re spot on, that name ‘Athlone’ appears on those radios. Around the mid-70s a new transmittor was built, ‘Tullamore’ and on Radio Eireann they’d refer to the “Tullamore” frequency. But we got over it. Anyways VHF as it was called, then FM, was coming in and basically taking over.
Christy's reply
was yours a Bush, a Pye , a Philips or a Panasonic…we swore by the Bush
Hello Christy,
I’m thinking you’ve probably put last week’s Drogheda gig to bed now. It’s going to take the rest of us a bit longer.
So here’s the stuff from the last day or so.
There’s a couple of things from the gig, forgot till now.
The rabbits in a coop. Thankyou! This is such an old Yorkshire thing, strong feelings about the past. My mother told me that her granddad kept rabbits in a coop. It’s deep, like so many flashes we get from these old songs.
Shane McGowan. OK I’m going to say it. It was palpable, happened about 3 quarters into the song. Do you agree? There he was, right with us in the room. The feeling of him was so strong. And the whole room embraced him.
Something I’ll hold for a long time.
There’s a good vinyl shop 100 yards down the road from the Highlanes Gallery. We picked up Atlantic Bridge by Davy Spillane there. Wild piping and full on Atlantic fusion. Very new to me and I’m loving it along with your beating of the old drum.
Rebecca
Christy's reply
Yea..Shane dropped into the TLT that night….he’s never too far away when the singing starts
Hi Christy,
Not biased at all.
Hurling is the best game in the world.
We don’t qualify for the football tournaments.
And if we do chances are we’ll never win one.
Our fine athletes might return from Paris
with some medals or might not.
But no matter what happens every year
we will have the hurling championship.
Leinster titles and Munster titles.
Quarter finals and semi finals.
And every once in awhile we get a final like yesterday.
Tabhair Aire
Bourkey
Christy's reply
well Bourkey, no doubt but twas a classic….with the McCarthy sorted we must now prepare ourselves for tomorrows Sam decider….your Bucks versus the Boys from the County Armagh…apart from those directly involved its unlikely to have the drama or excitement of the Hurling Final…..the poor auld GAA is a pale imitation of what once was such a great spectacle…high fielding as balls landed in high at midfield, 8s and 9s leapt high to catch clean or break down to hungry half backs and half forwards, players in their proper places hoping for action to come their direction…
I once played senior for Moorefield in a friendly against Round Towers in 1962…I scored one magnificent goal but Billy Bell took me off at half time when Toss McCarthy arrived late from his shift in Irish Ropes…I confess ,the only reason I got a run was Moorefield turned up with only14 players and Billy put me in at Full forward until half time…(I had to cycle home and get my boots)..after that it was back to Junior Football until I got a run out with Clonmel Commercials in 1963 in a friendly against Ardfinnan..I never made the panel after that..I think was was 25th sub when Commercials won the senior title in 1964…but I quaffed deeply from the cup and tore into “Brennan on the Moor”
Sad news that Happy Traum has died…last week in NYC. A legend for many reasons…RIP
Following the earlier exchange,I googled Country meets Folk and Wally Whyton…there’s a few good online references ,including some programme details.
Until the late 60s,my parents had a massive wireless set. The illuminated dial fascinated me (still would) showing loads of place names…I remember Hilversum and possibly Athlone…I may well have made up the latter!
Great times of discovery ..
Dave
Christy's reply
70 years ago ,Niall Roche, a school mate from Primary School, convinced us that he could see Dan Dare inside his family wireless…I had no reason to not believe him…
An amazing game yesterday played in a wonderful spirit. Clare were worthy winners – as would Cork have been. Great speech from Jarlath too, remembering those who had to leave their land behind. Was a personal highlight to hear the crowd singing along to the great Clare anthem that was played immediately the game ended- nothing less than Lisdoonvarna . Heard a blast of Cod Liver Oil and the Orange juice too (Merry Wallopers rather than Hamish I believe). Will be a different type of game next Sunday- don’t expect they’ll play “30 people on the bridge ” if Armagh win.
Christy's reply
doubtless it will be either Bridie Gallagher or The Sawdoctors….may the best team win…I’ll not declare my fancy…I’ve gotta play both parishes in the coming months..I’ll stick with the Lily Whites fort he McKenna cup
Christy, I hope all’s well with you. I wanted to thank you so much for the gig on Friday, I loved Companeros, one of my favorites. Your rendition of Ruby too I thought was off the hook 🙂 I loved hearing again too about the connections you have with Yellow Furze and Beaupark, my own Mother was from Kentstown and coincidentally the next day I was at a wedding in the Boyne Hill estate in that neck of the woods. So be well Christy and thanks again for sharing the music and songs with us. Brian.
Christy's reply
Good man Brian….perhaps our Mothers might have passed each other on the road…Nancy grew up in Ardmulchan where her Father,Jack Power, worked for Sir Alexander Maguire….she went to school in The Yellow Furze in the 1920s and then into to Navan to “The Mercy”convent for secondary …I have a medal here beside me which she won for singing at Féile na Míde in 1930
MaColl’s Companeros is one of my fave songs to sing…
“against Batista,The Fidelistas,
courage was their armour
as they fought at Fidel’s side
With Che Guevara”…. ( from The Good Ship Granma by Ewan MacColl)
Christy, Greetings and salutations. i am writing to ask a favor, shocker i am sure, but hear me out please. I am a recent cancer survivor and after being cleared, as many do, everything changed for me and i decided to start really living. long story short, i booked a trip to Ireland as my bucket list trip and i have never been. As i was planning the trip i noticed that you were playing while i am visiting and unfortunately the great northern hotel and concert is presently sold out on September 19th. i plan to continue to exhaust all avenues and am willing to pay to come see you play. it’s a dream of mine. i am not one to ask for handouts or favors but in this case, could be my once in a lifetime chance. not sure how or if you can help but i appreciate your time and consideration. Anything is appreciated more than you know and i hold no expectations.
huge fan
jimmy
Christy's reply
Good to hear from you, great to read your story..wish you a safe trip and a happy landing…I’ll forward your query to the promoter..
There I’d be, I recorded some of them, Jim Lloyd beaming out on 693 and 909 metres, medium wave. I recall you’d have to switch frequency as the signal would go from one. Meanwhile, Athlone, and subsequently Tullamore, was broadcasting Radio Eireann on medium wave.
Christy's reply
“Take The Floor” “The Foley Family” “The Kennedys of Castlerosse”…..Radio Éireann in its hay day…anyone remember any of these ?
Mark Radcliffe has a folk radio show…BBC radio
Cerys Matthews on Radio 6,Sundays has an ace mix across genres.
Another lifetime had BBC radio with Jim Lloyd and Frances Line…we might be two of few who recall those shows!
Dave
Christy's reply
and before that there was “Country meets Folk” with Wally Whyton and Jim Lloyd…my very first radio performance back in 1967….Brian Brocklehurst playd Double bass with every one on that show…I travelled down to London from Fallowfield very nervous at the prospect…Dominic Behan got me in the door there..later I did another BBC show which I think was called Focus on Folk,..The Ian Cambell Band were headlining that and I got a gig at their club in Digbeth…things were looking up https://klofmag.com/2012/02/bbc-radio-2-folk-awards-2012-winners
thanks for the info on 2012 awards at The Lowry…reading it brings back the night
Morning Christy
It’s great here,when comments/ your replies evoke old memories…it’s la relief to now know where Dan Dare lives ..
In the early 60s,there was a bunch of us playground cowboys,hooked on the adventures of The Lone Ranger. A friend,Michael ,used to regale us of his out of school adventures with the great man…so,no great surprise when Michael gathered us in the playground one day in 1963 to tell us he was leaving the school. As we waited for the exciting punchline,he started crying …not just leaving,but the whole family heading to Australia….the first ‘Ten Pound Poms’,I knew…and,weeks later,off they went -never to be seen or heard from again. I hope life was good for them and,somewhere in Oz,there’s an extended family who know that The Lone Ranger and Tonto had their finest hour in the streets of South Manchester….
Enjoy the day
Dave
Comm to Suffragette City from The Black Lagoon,
Sun batin down on a City thronged with masses from Galway and Armagh..savage queues for the Blessed Sacrament in various Cathedrals, celebrants running out of hosts as tongues protrude in sacred anticipation…there’ll not be a fry to be had by the time the porter shops open…all Northern and Western motorways jammed full of jalopies with Sam maguire written all over them..in many homes Olympics will take e a back seat until tea time…I fancy China to take gold in the Tiddley Winks, England look good for the Dwallflunking, Scotland will surely Toss the Caber and Wales for the Scrabble..with regard to ourselves here in Bognia, I’ve put 10 Euro each way on Conor McGregor to take Gold in the the Charmaton …
the mastering has passed muster, the sleevenotes are neatly typed, launch dates are being discussed by the powers, I’m wondering what to wear and the breakfast is boiled..
So it’s All Ireland Football Final w end and tonight Kevin Meehan and his band The Hightstool Prophets will be on Up for the Match, best of luck to them. Wishing both teams a sporting game tomorrow.Beir bua agus beannacht. H
thats a great steer from afar….míle maith agat
Hi Christy
Just read reviews of a terrific recent gig…BBC Proms at the Albert Hall,featuring Nick Drake’s music….orchestra,guest musicians and Nick’s gem of a sister,Gabrielle…and,hallelujah,the audio is on YouTube…lovely stuff…
Dave
good man Dave
Hi Christy,
You influenced some characters in my book, In the Glades,
https://a.co/d/7mCKK7g
Thanks for all you do!
round we go..heel to the toe..dancing to the reel in the flickering light…I first heard that in Culver City
Hi christy, hard to beat buying an LP in a shop. As a 2nd option trying Bandcamp is a good source as i believe that in Bandcamp you are effectively buying direct from the artist ( or poss their small label) and so most funds go to them for the Lp or Cd or the download.
Rory
Ps the lads at the sex pistols would not have approved from buying direct from EMI though
hard to beat the spontaneous verse, live on the air….lingering momentarily, never to he heard again…
Hello Christy,
Bought a couple of new albums in Drogheda.
Listening to The Dubliners in Session. It’s very songy! Just my cup of tea.
Still got a Clancy brothers one waiting. Something about a nightclub in the title.
Rebecca
hard to bate the pot of scald..well brewed with brown sugar and a splash of creamy unpasteurised milk….maybe a few ginger nuts on the side
Hello Christy,
I’ve been trying to listen to more podcasts recently since there’s only so many times I can watch The Sopranos!
I listened to the 3 episodes of Free State Podcast you were on. It sounded like an interesting day in the studio and I like the free flowing nature of a podcast interview. I heard some stories I didn’t know and I’d recommend them to anyone. It was lovely the way you (and Joe) could break out a verse of a song at any time.
I hope you are enjoying your break and gearing up for the football on Sunday!
Take care, Kevin
I was hopin to have a wee chat with Dion but thon Dungiven Boy held the floor…hes some buck is Joe… a quare hawk but he dont suck bird’s eggs..full credit to him….His Ma and Pa sang on the H Block album in 1979
“I’ll wear no prison uniform
nor meekly serve my time
that England might brand Ireland’s fight
800 years of crime”
found these from the bbc folk awards
https://adamsherwoodconcertphoto.smugmug.com/Bbc-folk-awards-2012
thanks Adam…did you happen to get a shot of the Rose up on the Balcony
Ps. Macclesfield,Cheshire…John Mayall’s birth place. D
there used to be a tasty club in macclesfield
Hi Christy
Thanks to Ed…good to get info that proves memories to be accurate!
Thinking of John Mayall,and sad news of his passing….90 years from Macesfield to California….and second to none as a music catalyst,spotting raw talent and giving opportunities to flourish.The list of ex bandmates is a hall of fame …a talent in itself.
Enjoy the break
Dave
John Mayall, Happy Traum, and the Donald gets a nicked ear, it may have happened when the secret service jumped on him…
Dagrab, you’re spot on, that name ‘Athlone’ appears on those radios. Around the mid-70s a new transmittor was built, ‘Tullamore’ and on Radio Eireann they’d refer to the “Tullamore” frequency. But we got over it. Anyways VHF as it was called, then FM, was coming in and basically taking over.
was yours a Bush, a Pye , a Philips or a Panasonic…we swore by the Bush
Hello Christy,
I’m thinking you’ve probably put last week’s Drogheda gig to bed now. It’s going to take the rest of us a bit longer.
So here’s the stuff from the last day or so.
There’s a couple of things from the gig, forgot till now.
The rabbits in a coop. Thankyou! This is such an old Yorkshire thing, strong feelings about the past. My mother told me that her granddad kept rabbits in a coop. It’s deep, like so many flashes we get from these old songs.
Shane McGowan. OK I’m going to say it. It was palpable, happened about 3 quarters into the song. Do you agree? There he was, right with us in the room. The feeling of him was so strong. And the whole room embraced him.
Something I’ll hold for a long time.
There’s a good vinyl shop 100 yards down the road from the Highlanes Gallery. We picked up Atlantic Bridge by Davy Spillane there. Wild piping and full on Atlantic fusion. Very new to me and I’m loving it along with your beating of the old drum.
Rebecca
Yea..Shane dropped into the TLT that night….he’s never too far away when the singing starts
Hi Christy,
Not biased at all.
Hurling is the best game in the world.
We don’t qualify for the football tournaments.
And if we do chances are we’ll never win one.
Our fine athletes might return from Paris
with some medals or might not.
But no matter what happens every year
we will have the hurling championship.
Leinster titles and Munster titles.
Quarter finals and semi finals.
And every once in awhile we get a final like yesterday.
Tabhair Aire
Bourkey
well Bourkey, no doubt but twas a classic….with the McCarthy sorted we must now prepare ourselves for tomorrows Sam decider….your Bucks versus the Boys from the County Armagh…apart from those directly involved its unlikely to have the drama or excitement of the Hurling Final…..the poor auld GAA is a pale imitation of what once was such a great spectacle…high fielding as balls landed in high at midfield, 8s and 9s leapt high to catch clean or break down to hungry half backs and half forwards, players in their proper places hoping for action to come their direction…
I once played senior for Moorefield in a friendly against Round Towers in 1962…I scored one magnificent goal but Billy Bell took me off at half time when Toss McCarthy arrived late from his shift in Irish Ropes…I confess ,the only reason I got a run was Moorefield turned up with only14 players and Billy put me in at Full forward until half time…(I had to cycle home and get my boots)..after that it was back to Junior Football until I got a run out with Clonmel Commercials in 1963 in a friendly against Ardfinnan..I never made the panel after that..I think was was 25th sub when Commercials won the senior title in 1964…but I quaffed deeply from the cup and tore into “Brennan on the Moor”
Hi Christy
Sad news that Happy Traum has died…last week in NYC. A legend for many reasons…RIP
Following the earlier exchange,I googled Country meets Folk and Wally Whyton…there’s a few good online references ,including some programme details.
Until the late 60s,my parents had a massive wireless set. The illuminated dial fascinated me (still would) showing loads of place names…I remember Hilversum and possibly Athlone…I may well have made up the latter!
Great times of discovery ..
Dave
70 years ago ,Niall Roche, a school mate from Primary School, convinced us that he could see Dan Dare inside his family wireless…I had no reason to not believe him…
An amazing game yesterday played in a wonderful spirit. Clare were worthy winners – as would Cork have been. Great speech from Jarlath too, remembering those who had to leave their land behind. Was a personal highlight to hear the crowd singing along to the great Clare anthem that was played immediately the game ended- nothing less than Lisdoonvarna . Heard a blast of Cod Liver Oil and the Orange juice too (Merry Wallopers rather than Hamish I believe). Will be a different type of game next Sunday- don’t expect they’ll play “30 people on the bridge ” if Armagh win.
doubtless it will be either Bridie Gallagher or The Sawdoctors….may the best team win…I’ll not declare my fancy…I’ve gotta play both parishes in the coming months..I’ll stick with the Lily Whites fort he McKenna cup
Christy, I hope all’s well with you. I wanted to thank you so much for the gig on Friday, I loved Companeros, one of my favorites. Your rendition of Ruby too I thought was off the hook 🙂 I loved hearing again too about the connections you have with Yellow Furze and Beaupark, my own Mother was from Kentstown and coincidentally the next day I was at a wedding in the Boyne Hill estate in that neck of the woods. So be well Christy and thanks again for sharing the music and songs with us. Brian.
Good man Brian….perhaps our Mothers might have passed each other on the road…Nancy grew up in Ardmulchan where her Father,Jack Power, worked for Sir Alexander Maguire….she went to school in The Yellow Furze in the 1920s and then into to Navan to “The Mercy”convent for secondary …I have a medal here beside me which she won for singing at Féile na Míde in 1930
MaColl’s Companeros is one of my fave songs to sing…
“against Batista,The Fidelistas,
courage was their armour
as they fought at Fidel’s side
With Che Guevara”…. ( from The Good Ship Granma by Ewan MacColl)
Christy, Greetings and salutations. i am writing to ask a favor, shocker i am sure, but hear me out please. I am a recent cancer survivor and after being cleared, as many do, everything changed for me and i decided to start really living. long story short, i booked a trip to Ireland as my bucket list trip and i have never been. As i was planning the trip i noticed that you were playing while i am visiting and unfortunately the great northern hotel and concert is presently sold out on September 19th. i plan to continue to exhaust all avenues and am willing to pay to come see you play. it’s a dream of mine. i am not one to ask for handouts or favors but in this case, could be my once in a lifetime chance. not sure how or if you can help but i appreciate your time and consideration. Anything is appreciated more than you know and i hold no expectations.
huge fan
jimmy
Good to hear from you, great to read your story..wish you a safe trip and a happy landing…I’ll forward your query to the promoter..
There I’d be, I recorded some of them, Jim Lloyd beaming out on 693 and 909 metres, medium wave. I recall you’d have to switch frequency as the signal would go from one. Meanwhile, Athlone, and subsequently Tullamore, was broadcasting Radio Eireann on medium wave.
“Take The Floor” “The Foley Family” “The Kennedys of Castlerosse”…..Radio Éireann in its hay day…anyone remember any of these ?
I fondly recall Jim Lloyd, “Folk on Two”. I used to tune in on medium wave every week.
hard to beat the Medium wave in Athlone
Hi Christy
http://www.mikeharding.co.uk. Is a great site for a mooch….which may take awhile!
Mark Radcliffe has a folk radio show…BBC radio
Cerys Matthews on Radio 6,Sundays has an ace mix across genres.
Another lifetime had BBC radio with Jim Lloyd and Frances Line…we might be two of few who recall those shows!
Dave
and before that there was “Country meets Folk” with Wally Whyton and Jim Lloyd…my very first radio performance back in 1967….Brian Brocklehurst playd Double bass with every one on that show…I travelled down to London from Fallowfield very nervous at the prospect…Dominic Behan got me in the door there..later I did another BBC show which I think was called Focus on Folk,..The Ian Cambell Band were headlining that and I got a gig at their club in Digbeth…things were looking up
https://klofmag.com/2012/02/bbc-radio-2-folk-awards-2012-winners
thanks for the info on 2012 awards at The Lowry…reading it brings back the night