Hello Christy,
Been feeling rough these last few days. Thought I’d better do a covid test. Positive. Damn! No wonder that guitar is feeling so heavy.
I’ve not had it before.
http://www.peterloo1819.co.uk. Is an interesting site. To Rochdale soon,to mark the tragic events of a glorious Summer day like today…not before several plays of Chris Wood’s ‘Hollow Point’…I remember Rory championing the song before I heard it…hope the sun shines on the Hawick music too.
All the best
Dave
Christy's reply
Chris Wood songs rank very high in my personal juke box…..have a good day
The veg hooch must have packed a punch! I’ll send a search party for The Morning Star…sadly,it might have gone into a black hole as the only pub of that name seems to be in Shaw…
The gig line up looks like treat …
Rioghnach Connolly and Honeyfeet
Marvara
Peter’s Field ( written by Sean Cooney from The Young’uns…featuring him,Eliza Carthy and Sam Carter)then they go to Folkeast festival…
But,I might miss it if I find your old hostelry and hit the vino collapso (TM M Harding)
Dave
Christy's reply
“I’ve been deaf in Dukinfield and I’ve been blind in Shaw ”
(Harry Bradshaw)
Christy and Hilary,
nearly but not quite as for the second time this week Bright Blue Rose finishes 3rd in a hurdle race at Wexford.
So no cigar this time for BBR but that won’t dampen your enthusiasm for such a beautifully crafted song, which i think i recall has a special place down in County Kerry.
Cheers
Rory
Christy's reply
I clearly recall Jimmy MacCarthy playing that song to me…..it was love at first ‘sight’….when I recorded it Liam O’Flynn and Paddy Moloney both played on the track….that was a stand out moment for me
Just hearing that the government has agreed a redress scheme for the Stardust victims – I’m sure they’d rather have their children home, but it’s a form of justice. Found it ironic hearing Joe Duffy play ” They never Came Home “. Wasn’t always on the RTE playlist. Thank you Christy for supporting many causes when it was not a popular thing to do. Difficult days here in the North with the race protests. Sad to see. Stay safe.
Christy's reply
We were driving to do the weekly shopping when news came on the radio….to hear Antoinette Keegan speak about her parents , to hear Joe read out the 48 names and then to hear the song played…we had to pull over and take it all in
Fingers crossed for some sanity in USA election…
Farage equals hate…stupidity is easy to cultivate
Here in Oz we only play politics, no real dramas unless USA orders us to war
Through it all, the candles of peace & hope waft their beautiful fragrance
We have love – we won’t let the fascists win
Play on!
Danny Harris – one more believer
Hello Christy,
Thankyou for pointing me towards Joan Baez. Loving her guitaring , it’s great to hear a soprano doing her thing. House of the rising sun is where I’m going.
There’s a song called something like What will you call your pretty little baby. It’s got a lot of things in it that sound like the writer of Cod Liver Oil and Orange Juice was listening to it very carefully…
I ordered a finger style guitar book from amazon. It’s stuck in customs. Maybe they’re learning finger style there too…
Did anyone catch any of the speed climbing in the Olympics yesterday. It’s people running up walls as fast as they can. New this year. It was all over in 4.74 seconds. A new world record…
Hope this weekend is good for all here.
Rebecca
Christy's reply
almost met the good woman last time she played in Dublin…it was a beautiful concert
caught the Brakedancing last night….tried it out myself listening to Kneecap….I think I put my back out..that 10k swim race was a challenge… as for “running up the walls”…..I prefer the hammer
Good luck to Rory and companeros….may the sun rise on the Hawickfest…
On Sunday pm,I’m planning to be in Rochdale…the Town Hall square. Hosting a weekend of music at a Feel Good event…and Sunday pm folk…free,no tickets needed,so just turn up.
The line up is intriguing and includes a set to mark the 205th tragedy of Peterloo ( the gathering that turned toslaughter in Manchester,attended by many from nearby towns such as Rochdale) If I’ve read the blurb correctly,Eliza Carthy is also there,but that’ll be a bonus to what looks like a fab set up.Doubt there’ll be cowboys,but I’ll keep you posted!
All the best
Dave
Christy's reply
if you’re on the Oldham Rd in Rochdale ,check out is The Morning Star pub still there… it was a Wilson’s house….I used to live next door over a Vegetable shop almost 60 years ago….we used to make wine out of the unsold vegetables
Morning Christy
Our festival started last night great way to kick it off…local lads the Humble Scribes played.
They earned 14p last month from spotify!
A mixture of their own and 3 covers chucked in being one each by Lindisfarne, Dream Academy and The Band.
Cold wet night in Hawick it was but it did not dampen the spirits of the music goers who braved the elements to enjoy the best that there is….live music.
All the best
Rory
Christy's reply
I hope that Hawick is rockin Rory….we saw the Kneecap film last night..its mega
Hi Christy,
The far right sambaed out of Brighton.
Kamala and a Tim 10/11 to beat Thrump.
And what could be the session to end all
sessions down in Brandon. I see glimpses …
Tabhair Aire
Bourkey
Well Christy, as many times as I have been on this site since seeing you in Belfast this spring I have always neglected to mention how happily surprised I was when you ended the gig with Sonnys Dream. I thought it was a song only known in our little part of the world in eastern Canada. I had goosebumps.. Ron Hynds the writer was from St John’s as was my mom and he got his first break I am told in Halifax where I am living now What a way to finish an amazing night. Many thanks again.
Slan go fóill
Brendan
Christy's reply
I head Hamish Imlach sing Ron’s beautiful song back around 1980….I covered it here on an album in 1984….then Mary Black covered it …since then Sonny’s Dream has entered Ireland’s repertoire of popular songs….so much so that Ron himself paid us a visit before he died RIP
You painted the city of NY Christy.They were all class venues that any artist would give their right and left hand to perform in.
The gig scene was good then in the 80s and 90s.It was all pure music with no fal dals,loop pedals or A1. Maybe we only remember the good.The smoke filled low ceiling places were deadly but the vibrancy and energy sustained us.My favourite spots seeing you were The Meeting Place,The Baggot Inn, The Hillgrovecin Dingle and of course Carnsore Point and Lisdoon.
Thanks Christy for coming back to me.You are a Gentleman. I will read out your posts on the night and that will bring your presence into the Halla and we will connect you to it that way.
I should have a good recording of the event and I will get it to you some way.The people of Brandon are delighted it is happening.It is the next best thing to ‘bothánaíocht’ that had been so strong here in Brandon in the 50s,60s and 70s.
Míle Buiochas aríst.
Paddy.
Christy's reply
Meeting Place, Baggott Inn, Hillgrove, Carnsore…..I’m on a magic carpet heading back to that world of telephone kiosks and (quadruple) green shield stamps
Go raibh Míle maith agat Christy for your lovely swift reply.I wrote it late after a gig.I never knew ‘St Brendan’ was banned.OMG weren’t they so tetchy in the 1980s.I suppose our two countries weren’t on the best of terms back then.
The only thing is, they still have their Gibraltar but we have our National Treasure in Christy and thousands of songs that capture history and provide valuable food to feed all our emotions.Your songs are not confined to borders.My wife Eileen and I emigrated to NY in 1985 with the price of the flight and not much more in our pockets but the desire to work hard and get on in life.
I went there first time in 1979 on the J1 with my Cork friend Eamonn Sheehan who never came back and now lives in Boston.We got some great gigs in many of the Irish places then but the passport was having at least 30 of your songs for a start.We were always met with the question Do you sing any Christy Moore?
Once they heard ‘Ordinary Man,’ ‘Crack Was 90,’Black is the Colour, Ride On,Cliffs of Doneen’ ‘ Follow me up to Carlow’ and all the others – we were in
In 1985, Eamonn Sheehan from Cork , Monty Monahan from Navan and myself formed a great band ‘Heather Breeze’ and we were able to do a great job covering all the big Irish Bands of that time Thin Lizzy,De Danann,Stocktons Wing + American Folk and Country,Rock to all the new packed Irish Pubs.I have vivid memories of driving from Brooklyn where we lived with my tapes blaring out to the great Irish Venues in Queens like Sally O Briens or the Bliss Tavern or the Bronx to Celtic House, The Terminal, Characters ,The Roaring Twenties and many more.The icing on the cake for us was meeting Tommy Makem and he adopted us like his new 3 sons when we started playing for him in ‘Tommy Makems Irish Pavillion in Manhattan’ – a true and pure gentleman.Tommy gave us loads of fabulous gigs – in house PA – sound engineer Ron and fed us every night and paid us way above the going rate.The gem for us was 7 nights always around Paddys Day so a full week.It was our ‘Nights at the Point’ or ‘Live at Vicar Street’.
We used advertise you at our gigs that Christy was coming to town and advised them to get their tickets.All the new emigrants were so happy to see you play in the Town Hall in NY.Many of us couldn’t leave to come home because of the Visa situation.I have great memories driving in the Souped up Dodge full of PA gear and listening to and singing with your tapes in quadrophonic sound as we motored home from gigs at 5a.m back to Bklyn. You and Jimmy Faulkner on Live in Dublin or Noel Hill and Tony on the Iron Behind The Velvet.The Ordinary Man came out in 1985 as well as the Ride On – I have them all now either on tape ,CD or Vinyl.I had the tapes only then and the tapes kept us connected.Those were great days and there was a great innocence associated with that time .Apologies for all the detail and as my daughters tell me ‘Are you still writing lengtheners’.I like to share with maybe new readers how important your songs and singing was to us when we had to emigrate to survive.
It was the time of 14% Mortgage rates and huge unemployment .The USA were good to allow us in and give us a much needed new hope and new future and anyone willing to work hard did well and had a good life there.
My parents lived in Dunlavin – Tom(96) and Annie.My mom at 89 went to see you in Kilashee as she now lives in McCauley place.My Dad was principal in Dunlavin NS for 40 years all the way from West Kerry.
You captured the emotion in Dunlavin Green.
What Saunders did was indeed a scaled down Gaza massacre.
I could ramble forever but just to say thank you Christy for being Christy and thank you for the music you have given to the Irish people and shared with all your listeners around the world.
You are an inspiration to us who are retired or semi retired but also a role model to all the young people attending your concerts and listening to the music.I will hopefully have a decent recording of our Brandon event.
Any of the readers on the chat and indeed outside the chat are more than welcome.14th August in Halla Le Chéile,Ballyguin,Brandon, Co Chiarraí – kicking off at 7.30 to 9.30p.m.
Beimid ag caint agus Slán tamall Christy.
Christy's reply
Thanks Paddy,I welcome “lenghtheners” when they are interesting as your post….lovely to read about your work with Tommy Makem, about all those venues you gigged….you obviously cherish the memories of those days flakin out the ballads in all those great venues…..the gig scene has changed completely since my early days…a lot changed for the better but I do miss some of those unique pub gigs that existed back in the day….
my first New York gig was Symphony Space in 1984, then there was The Town Hall a few times, Carnegie Hall , Brooklyn Academy and finally, the icing on the cake…3 nights in The Lansdowne Hotel in The Bronx….those 3 nights bate all….
I hope Ye have a great gathering on August 14th
Hello Christy,
Good stuff going on round here. Billy Bragg has been posting some pictures on Facebook of great big crowds of people at peaceful anti-racist events all over the UK last night. Someone else posted a response to Elon Musk
“It appears out civil war has a samba band!”
That was in Brighton. The samba guys and a load of drag queens turned up to greet potential rioters as they arrived in town.
Thanks for all your guitar stories recently. I love hearing about it all and the advice is invaluable. Joan Baez is perched on my turntable right now, ready to give the finger style a whirl…
Hi Christy,
August 14th 1984- The Fishermen hauled up
their nets and the farmers left their hay ( and got the cows milked early too) so that they could go to the Quay to Cathy’s to hear you play.
Anyway we are going to mark the 40th anniversary of your visit to Brandon with Tom McCarthy starting in Cathy’s – Teach an Chúinne at 3 p.m for an hour or so on Wednesday 14th August to sing some of your ‘set list’ from that time.Only large bottles of stout back then – no drink now but Cathy’s sister Rose, home from NY is opening up for a gathering at 3 p.m to help the people of Brandon mark the occasion.
Then At 7.30 p.m on the same evening 14 August in Halla Le Chéile, Ballyguin we will hear the stories from those who are still living, about the day that ‘ Christy Came to
Brandon’. Mairéad O Dubhda will recount dropping off her sister the nun Sr Betty and her friend Sr Claire, both Presentation sisters posed with Christy with a Guinness in the pub.They didn’t want to leave the pub as they were having such great fun and good banter with Christy.
Poor Sr Claire RIP, A School Principal in Longford was killed tragically 4 weeks later in a car accident.There will be Lots more stories that will be shared on the night with all Christy songs being sung and a few Planxty songs and tunes too with our Uilleann Piper Fergus Maunsell and other musicians and singers whoever shows up.Mike and Inga the German Couple still recall the great day that kicked off in the morning at 11 a.m. and was still going strong at 11 p.m that same night.Lots of great stories that are still recounted regularly.Mickey Dowd who parked his tractor against the Gable wall of the pub ( Bad brakes and poor battery) left the tractor running all day and Mickey forgot to go home until his sister came looking for him late into the night.We have recordings from the day that Mike and Inga recorded.I will try to maybe share them on the chat if I can get someone to turn it into a user friendly file.
Anyone who is in the vicinity of Brandon or anywhere really, is more than welcome to come along.We’ll have a good PA in the Halla and there is no charge – saor in aisce.If you have a story to tell from the day or a song to
Sing or you just want to
Come along to enjoy the evening tá Failte romhaibh go léir.
I have been contemplating about doing this for a long time. Christy, there is always a Céad Míle Failte Romhat for a visit to Brandon and the people would be honoured to have you.
Elsie Moore one of our super residents from the Moore clan lives in the Model Village as it is known locally.
Looking forward to some of the Magic Nights again in Vicar Street le cúnamh Dé in December.
Christy's reply
Paddy mo cara…what a glorious post…thanks for informing us of this wonderful event…to think that our magic day is so well remembered brings me great joy….40 years on I have vivid memories of the hooley that developed…( up as far as tea-time when it becomes a bit gargled)…..it was such a stroke of good fortune that Tom MaCarthy suggested a visit to Cathy’s when Haughey’s Helicopter failed to rendezvous….a visit to Innishvickallaune would never have matched the sheer pleasure of our visit to Brandon Village….
how I’d love to sit amongst you at this gathering….the song that emerged from that visit still resounds regularly, the chorus swells when we head for Gibralter…. did you know that the BBC banned the song because it mentioned Gibralter ? Banned songs have a way of becoming popular. RTE had a fatwa on many songs over the years… the Cruiser is long gone but the songs he banned still flourish…
I hope ye have a great gathering Paddy and I look forward to hearing reports
How’s it going Christy,
It’s been time since I have last commented here, I’m taking pride in the guitar learning and I’d be confident to say I know my chords, and the finger style is on its way.
I look forward to the gig below in Wexford in the coming days, this will be the second show of yours I will see, the first being in Lyrath and I well enjoyed it.
I wish you the best of luck with the remainder of your break and the album.
Christy's reply
You bring me right back to 65 years ago when I was trying to get the shape of a few chords, trying to vamp a few songs….chords were a struggle but well worth the effort , then came the finger style and , finally, the plectrum….when capos appeared I purred with pleasure…..keep up the good work Matty
Hi Christy..hope you are enjoying the Summer break.. looking forward to more album news and the first listen.. What a win for Kellie Harrington last night..did you see her singing ‘Grace’ in front of the Irish fans after? Win, lose or draw, music holds some power.. https://x.com/chrisdotlatchem/status/1820957234438066273
Christy's reply
What a beautiful and joyful celebration….Kellie captures the heart of the rowl, the raw bar, the culture of her proud community, She always remembers and honours her people and from whence she came….and she can fairly belt out a ballad when the time is right…may she enjoy the time ahead and have some rest and recreation…we all celebrate the courage,character and compassion of our Kellie Harrington
its a great song…. we heard it sung some years back in Kilmainham Jail beside the Cell where the Lovers parted
Anja agian. The concert is on the 30th of August in Galway. We are looking forward to it.
Anja + Stefan
Christy's reply
Me too..I love Galway…the rapid flow of The Claddagh, the breeze from Connemara, the Galway Hooker in Eyre Square, the trek out to Salthill on a Sunny Day, Frankie Gavin, Dolores Keane, Mate Lydon…..
I miss it more than ever words can say
Hello Christy,
“dont feed him on soft turnips
take him down to your green lawn”
That’s some catalogue you’ve got in your head. I was so impressed when this appeared on the screen. Like opening up a treasure chest.
Hello Christy,
Been feeling rough these last few days. Thought I’d better do a covid test. Positive. Damn! No wonder that guitar is feeling so heavy.
I’ve not had it before.
Rebecca
wishing you a speedy and full recovery
Hi Christy
http://www.peterloo1819.co.uk. Is an interesting site. To Rochdale soon,to mark the tragic events of a glorious Summer day like today…not before several plays of Chris Wood’s ‘Hollow Point’…I remember Rory championing the song before I heard it…hope the sun shines on the Hawick music too.
All the best
Dave
Chris Wood songs rank very high in my personal juke box…..have a good day
Morning Christy
The veg hooch must have packed a punch! I’ll send a search party for The Morning Star…sadly,it might have gone into a black hole as the only pub of that name seems to be in Shaw…
The gig line up looks like treat …
Rioghnach Connolly and Honeyfeet
Marvara
Peter’s Field ( written by Sean Cooney from The Young’uns…featuring him,Eliza Carthy and Sam Carter)then they go to Folkeast festival…
But,I might miss it if I find your old hostelry and hit the vino collapso (TM M Harding)
Dave
“I’ve been deaf in Dukinfield and I’ve been blind in Shaw ”
(Harry Bradshaw)
Christy and Hilary,
nearly but not quite as for the second time this week Bright Blue Rose finishes 3rd in a hurdle race at Wexford.
So no cigar this time for BBR but that won’t dampen your enthusiasm for such a beautifully crafted song, which i think i recall has a special place down in County Kerry.
Cheers
Rory
I clearly recall Jimmy MacCarthy playing that song to me…..it was love at first ‘sight’….when I recorded it Liam O’Flynn and Paddy Moloney both played on the track….that was a stand out moment for me
Just hearing that the government has agreed a redress scheme for the Stardust victims – I’m sure they’d rather have their children home, but it’s a form of justice. Found it ironic hearing Joe Duffy play ” They never Came Home “. Wasn’t always on the RTE playlist. Thank you Christy for supporting many causes when it was not a popular thing to do. Difficult days here in the North with the race protests. Sad to see. Stay safe.
We were driving to do the weekly shopping when news came on the radio….to hear Antoinette Keegan speak about her parents , to hear Joe read out the 48 names and then to hear the song played…we had to pull over and take it all in
Fingers crossed for some sanity in USA election…
Farage equals hate…stupidity is easy to cultivate
Here in Oz we only play politics, no real dramas unless USA orders us to war
Through it all, the candles of peace & hope waft their beautiful fragrance
We have love – we won’t let the fascists win
Play on!
Danny Harris – one more believer
we are teetering on the edge
Hello Christy,
Thankyou for pointing me towards Joan Baez. Loving her guitaring , it’s great to hear a soprano doing her thing. House of the rising sun is where I’m going.
There’s a song called something like What will you call your pretty little baby. It’s got a lot of things in it that sound like the writer of Cod Liver Oil and Orange Juice was listening to it very carefully…
I ordered a finger style guitar book from amazon. It’s stuck in customs. Maybe they’re learning finger style there too…
Did anyone catch any of the speed climbing in the Olympics yesterday. It’s people running up walls as fast as they can. New this year. It was all over in 4.74 seconds. A new world record…
Hope this weekend is good for all here.
Rebecca
almost met the good woman last time she played in Dublin…it was a beautiful concert
caught the Brakedancing last night….tried it out myself listening to Kneecap….I think I put my back out..that 10k swim race was a challenge… as for “running up the walls”…..I prefer the hammer
Hi Christy
Good luck to Rory and companeros….may the sun rise on the Hawickfest…
On Sunday pm,I’m planning to be in Rochdale…the Town Hall square. Hosting a weekend of music at a Feel Good event…and Sunday pm folk…free,no tickets needed,so just turn up.
The line up is intriguing and includes a set to mark the 205th tragedy of Peterloo ( the gathering that turned toslaughter in Manchester,attended by many from nearby towns such as Rochdale) If I’ve read the blurb correctly,Eliza Carthy is also there,but that’ll be a bonus to what looks like a fab set up.Doubt there’ll be cowboys,but I’ll keep you posted!
All the best
Dave
if you’re on the Oldham Rd in Rochdale ,check out is The Morning Star pub still there… it was a Wilson’s house….I used to live next door over a Vegetable shop almost 60 years ago….we used to make wine out of the unsold vegetables
Morning Christy
Our festival started last night great way to kick it off…local lads the Humble Scribes played.
They earned 14p last month from spotify!
A mixture of their own and 3 covers chucked in being one each by Lindisfarne, Dream Academy and The Band.
Cold wet night in Hawick it was but it did not dampen the spirits of the music goers who braved the elements to enjoy the best that there is….live music.
All the best
Rory
I hope that Hawick is rockin Rory….we saw the Kneecap film last night..its mega
Hi Christy,
The far right sambaed out of Brighton.
Kamala and a Tim 10/11 to beat Thrump.
And what could be the session to end all
sessions down in Brandon. I see glimpses …
Tabhair Aire
Bourkey
may the light shine down upon his all
Well Christy, as many times as I have been on this site since seeing you in Belfast this spring I have always neglected to mention how happily surprised I was when you ended the gig with Sonnys Dream. I thought it was a song only known in our little part of the world in eastern Canada. I had goosebumps.. Ron Hynds the writer was from St John’s as was my mom and he got his first break I am told in Halifax where I am living now What a way to finish an amazing night. Many thanks again.
Slan go fóill
Brendan
I head Hamish Imlach sing Ron’s beautiful song back around 1980….I covered it here on an album in 1984….then Mary Black covered it …since then Sonny’s Dream has entered Ireland’s repertoire of popular songs….so much so that Ron himself paid us a visit before he died RIP
You painted the city of NY Christy.They were all class venues that any artist would give their right and left hand to perform in.
The gig scene was good then in the 80s and 90s.It was all pure music with no fal dals,loop pedals or A1. Maybe we only remember the good.The smoke filled low ceiling places were deadly but the vibrancy and energy sustained us.My favourite spots seeing you were The Meeting Place,The Baggot Inn, The Hillgrovecin Dingle and of course Carnsore Point and Lisdoon.
Thanks Christy for coming back to me.You are a Gentleman. I will read out your posts on the night and that will bring your presence into the Halla and we will connect you to it that way.
I should have a good recording of the event and I will get it to you some way.The people of Brandon are delighted it is happening.It is the next best thing to ‘bothánaíocht’ that had been so strong here in Brandon in the 50s,60s and 70s.
Míle Buiochas aríst.
Paddy.
Meeting Place, Baggott Inn, Hillgrove, Carnsore…..I’m on a magic carpet heading back to that world of telephone kiosks and (quadruple) green shield stamps
Go raibh Míle maith agat Christy for your lovely swift reply.I wrote it late after a gig.I never knew ‘St Brendan’ was banned.OMG weren’t they so tetchy in the 1980s.I suppose our two countries weren’t on the best of terms back then.
The only thing is, they still have their Gibraltar but we have our National Treasure in Christy and thousands of songs that capture history and provide valuable food to feed all our emotions.Your songs are not confined to borders.My wife Eileen and I emigrated to NY in 1985 with the price of the flight and not much more in our pockets but the desire to work hard and get on in life.
I went there first time in 1979 on the J1 with my Cork friend Eamonn Sheehan who never came back and now lives in Boston.We got some great gigs in many of the Irish places then but the passport was having at least 30 of your songs for a start.We were always met with the question Do you sing any Christy Moore?
Once they heard ‘Ordinary Man,’ ‘Crack Was 90,’Black is the Colour, Ride On,Cliffs of Doneen’ ‘ Follow me up to Carlow’ and all the others – we were in
In 1985, Eamonn Sheehan from Cork , Monty Monahan from Navan and myself formed a great band ‘Heather Breeze’ and we were able to do a great job covering all the big Irish Bands of that time Thin Lizzy,De Danann,Stocktons Wing + American Folk and Country,Rock to all the new packed Irish Pubs.I have vivid memories of driving from Brooklyn where we lived with my tapes blaring out to the great Irish Venues in Queens like Sally O Briens or the Bliss Tavern or the Bronx to Celtic House, The Terminal, Characters ,The Roaring Twenties and many more.The icing on the cake for us was meeting Tommy Makem and he adopted us like his new 3 sons when we started playing for him in ‘Tommy Makems Irish Pavillion in Manhattan’ – a true and pure gentleman.Tommy gave us loads of fabulous gigs – in house PA – sound engineer Ron and fed us every night and paid us way above the going rate.The gem for us was 7 nights always around Paddys Day so a full week.It was our ‘Nights at the Point’ or ‘Live at Vicar Street’.
We used advertise you at our gigs that Christy was coming to town and advised them to get their tickets.All the new emigrants were so happy to see you play in the Town Hall in NY.Many of us couldn’t leave to come home because of the Visa situation.I have great memories driving in the Souped up Dodge full of PA gear and listening to and singing with your tapes in quadrophonic sound as we motored home from gigs at 5a.m back to Bklyn. You and Jimmy Faulkner on Live in Dublin or Noel Hill and Tony on the Iron Behind The Velvet.The Ordinary Man came out in 1985 as well as the Ride On – I have them all now either on tape ,CD or Vinyl.I had the tapes only then and the tapes kept us connected.Those were great days and there was a great innocence associated with that time .Apologies for all the detail and as my daughters tell me ‘Are you still writing lengtheners’.I like to share with maybe new readers how important your songs and singing was to us when we had to emigrate to survive.
It was the time of 14% Mortgage rates and huge unemployment .The USA were good to allow us in and give us a much needed new hope and new future and anyone willing to work hard did well and had a good life there.
My parents lived in Dunlavin – Tom(96) and Annie.My mom at 89 went to see you in Kilashee as she now lives in McCauley place.My Dad was principal in Dunlavin NS for 40 years all the way from West Kerry.
You captured the emotion in Dunlavin Green.
What Saunders did was indeed a scaled down Gaza massacre.
I could ramble forever but just to say thank you Christy for being Christy and thank you for the music you have given to the Irish people and shared with all your listeners around the world.
You are an inspiration to us who are retired or semi retired but also a role model to all the young people attending your concerts and listening to the music.I will hopefully have a decent recording of our Brandon event.
Any of the readers on the chat and indeed outside the chat are more than welcome.14th August in Halla Le Chéile,Ballyguin,Brandon, Co Chiarraí – kicking off at 7.30 to 9.30p.m.
Beimid ag caint agus Slán tamall Christy.
Thanks Paddy,I welcome “lenghtheners” when they are interesting as your post….lovely to read about your work with Tommy Makem, about all those venues you gigged….you obviously cherish the memories of those days flakin out the ballads in all those great venues…..the gig scene has changed completely since my early days…a lot changed for the better but I do miss some of those unique pub gigs that existed back in the day….
my first New York gig was Symphony Space in 1984, then there was The Town Hall a few times, Carnegie Hall , Brooklyn Academy and finally, the icing on the cake…3 nights in The Lansdowne Hotel in The Bronx….those 3 nights bate all….
I hope Ye have a great gathering on August 14th
Hello Christy,
Good stuff going on round here. Billy Bragg has been posting some pictures on Facebook of great big crowds of people at peaceful anti-racist events all over the UK last night. Someone else posted a response to Elon Musk
“It appears out civil war has a samba band!”
That was in Brighton. The samba guys and a load of drag queens turned up to greet potential rioters as they arrived in town.
Thanks for all your guitar stories recently. I love hearing about it all and the advice is invaluable. Joan Baez is perched on my turntable right now, ready to give the finger style a whirl…
Here’s something new
Withershins by Jamie Dickson
https://youtube.com/playlist?list=OLAK5uy_l9qBT78uq91NzYMJPMHFZc7MUNq0qxx9s&si=ftoEOIKz6VBN48-f
Rebecca
Billy Bragg….never shirks the call
Jamie Dickson…tasty pickin
Thnaks for sharing
Hi Christy,
August 14th 1984- The Fishermen hauled up
their nets and the farmers left their hay ( and got the cows milked early too) so that they could go to the Quay to Cathy’s to hear you play.
Anyway we are going to mark the 40th anniversary of your visit to Brandon with Tom McCarthy starting in Cathy’s – Teach an Chúinne at 3 p.m for an hour or so on Wednesday 14th August to sing some of your ‘set list’ from that time.Only large bottles of stout back then – no drink now but Cathy’s sister Rose, home from NY is opening up for a gathering at 3 p.m to help the people of Brandon mark the occasion.
Then At 7.30 p.m on the same evening 14 August in Halla Le Chéile, Ballyguin we will hear the stories from those who are still living, about the day that ‘ Christy Came to
Brandon’. Mairéad O Dubhda will recount dropping off her sister the nun Sr Betty and her friend Sr Claire, both Presentation sisters posed with Christy with a Guinness in the pub.They didn’t want to leave the pub as they were having such great fun and good banter with Christy.
Poor Sr Claire RIP, A School Principal in Longford was killed tragically 4 weeks later in a car accident.There will be Lots more stories that will be shared on the night with all Christy songs being sung and a few Planxty songs and tunes too with our Uilleann Piper Fergus Maunsell and other musicians and singers whoever shows up.Mike and Inga the German Couple still recall the great day that kicked off in the morning at 11 a.m. and was still going strong at 11 p.m that same night.Lots of great stories that are still recounted regularly.Mickey Dowd who parked his tractor against the Gable wall of the pub ( Bad brakes and poor battery) left the tractor running all day and Mickey forgot to go home until his sister came looking for him late into the night.We have recordings from the day that Mike and Inga recorded.I will try to maybe share them on the chat if I can get someone to turn it into a user friendly file.
Anyone who is in the vicinity of Brandon or anywhere really, is more than welcome to come along.We’ll have a good PA in the Halla and there is no charge – saor in aisce.If you have a story to tell from the day or a song to
Sing or you just want to
Come along to enjoy the evening tá Failte romhaibh go léir.
I have been contemplating about doing this for a long time. Christy, there is always a Céad Míle Failte Romhat for a visit to Brandon and the people would be honoured to have you.
Elsie Moore one of our super residents from the Moore clan lives in the Model Village as it is known locally.
Looking forward to some of the Magic Nights again in Vicar Street le cúnamh Dé in December.
Paddy mo cara…what a glorious post…thanks for informing us of this wonderful event…to think that our magic day is so well remembered brings me great joy….40 years on I have vivid memories of the hooley that developed…( up as far as tea-time when it becomes a bit gargled)…..it was such a stroke of good fortune that Tom MaCarthy suggested a visit to Cathy’s when Haughey’s Helicopter failed to rendezvous….a visit to Innishvickallaune would never have matched the sheer pleasure of our visit to Brandon Village….
how I’d love to sit amongst you at this gathering….the song that emerged from that visit still resounds regularly, the chorus swells when we head for Gibralter…. did you know that the BBC banned the song because it mentioned Gibralter ? Banned songs have a way of becoming popular. RTE had a fatwa on many songs over the years… the Cruiser is long gone but the songs he banned still flourish…
I hope ye have a great gathering Paddy and I look forward to hearing reports
Sister Claire RIP……
How’s it going Christy,
It’s been time since I have last commented here, I’m taking pride in the guitar learning and I’d be confident to say I know my chords, and the finger style is on its way.
I look forward to the gig below in Wexford in the coming days, this will be the second show of yours I will see, the first being in Lyrath and I well enjoyed it.
I wish you the best of luck with the remainder of your break and the album.
You bring me right back to 65 years ago when I was trying to get the shape of a few chords, trying to vamp a few songs….chords were a struggle but well worth the effort , then came the finger style and , finally, the plectrum….when capos appeared I purred with pleasure…..keep up the good work Matty
Hi Christy..hope you are enjoying the Summer break.. looking forward to more album news and the first listen.. What a win for Kellie Harrington last night..did you see her singing ‘Grace’ in front of the Irish fans after? Win, lose or draw, music holds some power.. https://x.com/chrisdotlatchem/status/1820957234438066273
What a beautiful and joyful celebration….Kellie captures the heart of the rowl, the raw bar, the culture of her proud community, She always remembers and honours her people and from whence she came….and she can fairly belt out a ballad when the time is right…may she enjoy the time ahead and have some rest and recreation…we all celebrate the courage,character and compassion of our Kellie Harrington
its a great song…. we heard it sung some years back in Kilmainham Jail beside the Cell where the Lovers parted
more album news in due course
Many thanks for all info,Christy
Greatly appreciated…my effusive response won’t get zapped by my phone…but ‘thanks’! D
Fáilte Romhat mo Cara
Anja agian. The concert is on the 30th of August in Galway. We are looking forward to it.
Anja + Stefan
Me too..I love Galway…the rapid flow of The Claddagh, the breeze from Connemara, the Galway Hooker in Eyre Square, the trek out to Salthill on a Sunny Day, Frankie Gavin, Dolores Keane, Mate Lydon…..
I miss it more than ever words can say
Hello Christy,
“dont feed him on soft turnips
take him down to your green lawn”
That’s some catalogue you’ve got in your head. I was so impressed when this appeared on the screen. Like opening up a treasure chest.
Rebecca