What a gig last night in Galway! You got straight into it with ‘Ordinary Man’ and we all went with you. We were going up through the gears nicely but between the clutch slipping and the Transit being forced to switch lanes from one side of the hall, you steadied it up and gave us a turn driving at times for each chorus.
I said it to Hillary after, my heart was racing after an epic ‘Lisdoonvarna’ and what an encore with ‘Fairytale of NY’. We very much appreciate the mention of the yanks over for the gig. It was mighty Christy and thanks Hillary for looking after us. All the best with the next few gigs. Only wish we could go to them all!
Christy's reply
Salthill has always been a lively destination….first camped there way back in 1962 (ish) when myself and the late John Flood went west for the Galway Races…we never made it out to Ballybrit….our tent was pitched not far from O’Connor’s Music Pub which became the hub of our week…each night the late Christy O’Connor invited me up to sing “The Jug of Punch” and “Rosin The Bow”…John and I were very low in funds and the few drinks we got were very welcome…it was only a two man tent but a few nights it got crowded
10 years later I came back with Planxty to play “The Hanger”….another 10 years on and Moving Hearts played 3 nights in Castle Lounge for my great friend ,the late Des Kelly. ( In his younger days Des was leader of the great Capitol Showband, he went on to manage many Bands including Planxty from 1972-1975)
Across the 80s & 90s I gigged solo many times in CJ’s ….It was a top venue in its day and I have great memories of hot sweaty gigs in that thronged Salthill oasis of Music,always warmly welcomed by Benny O’Connor (with whom I scrummed down for Corinthians in 1965) ..Iggy Broderick and his Band always played support and got the audience well revved up
In 2001 I returned to Salthill for two nights in The Warwick which marked the beginning of a new era for me…since then, Leisureland has been the main halting site for Galway gigs…not forgetting one memorable, socially distanced, state sponsored,outdoor session in the Sportsground….a night of hope that ,perhaps, there might be light at the end of that dark covid tunnel….
I look forward to returning again next Friday Week…
“then everyone out to Salthill for the crack and for the porter
there’s bookies layin odds on two flies walkin up the wall shur
theres fiddles & trad, they’re disco mad, Karaoke and set dances
and some of us who’ve seen better days lookin to take their chances” ….
Hello Christy,
Thank you for the mention from John Liverpool about the enough is enough campaign. I have signed up and I will publicise their sign up page on Facebook. It feels like finally something sensible could happen.
I saw this posted by Adam Sherwood and had to share. https://youtu.be/Hdp_xYK2BWg
I want to thank you. Teaching is something g that has never come naturally to me, and I think it might be the same for you. But I never stop learning form you so, it looks like you just can’t help it. It’s strongest live, and that front row is one big classroom for me. I try not to drink at gigs, don’t want to fog the flow. Another kind of dumbing down, anaesthetise us.
Hi Christy,
Yes my dad is a Heart of Midlothian follower, whilst my brothers and i follow the hoops of parkhead.
Several Hearts players died in ww1 i believe, the gorgie boys or similar name. Most people died in that madness.
I had never, stupidly, connected the coloured discs with the yellow triangle, of course i should .
Rugby 7s here yesterday ( league 15s start next week) which was strenuous even with music in the background throughout to limber up to.
After that i was priviliged to play as enabler for Blair, a young man who loves the game and being part of a team. Tri or Clan mixed ability rugby is a truly uplifting sport, my pal Mick’s club at Sundays Well lead the way in Ireland, and at Hawick we are trying to provide the Scottish base for such an enriching bunch of lads to play the game. Worth checking SWrfc rebels out, and the am sure Mick Colopy would welcome a song or a message before their big games.
Rugby and music, what a great mix.
Rory
My grand total would be near six by six. Well 30+ anyway.
Christy's reply
In 1969 I did 287 gigs…I was at every one of them…some crack…I never knew what to do with myself on the free nights..I usually went to someone else’s gig…I’d always learn something….thats how I learned Pontchartrain, January Man,Sweet Thames,Bleacher Lassie, James Larkin,to name but 5 of hundreds
Mighty, manic, melodious, magnificent ! The West is Awake , ach ta Sam ar ais sa baile san Riocht …38 ! Go raibh mile maith agat. Beir bua agus beannacht. H
Christy's reply
Fair play to you H
You never let the side down
and now that ye have Sam back on the sideboard
its only natural, the slight dig, the wee rub,
sure we loves it girl !!
every time Kildare win the McKenna cup I do lose the run of myself
when our Women won the Intermediate All-Ireland a few years back I was on top of Everest for at least a week
Shine On
Hi Christy,
Well done on a magnificent return after your well earned break. The place was hopping before you came on Stage; in fact as I was driving into Galway this evening I noticed the whole City was hopping…… must be something in the wonderful air around here.
You got stuck into it from the throw in, and never pulled back….. despite some well meaning distractions which you kept on board.
Great to meet up again with lovely 4711ers,,,,, sure isn’t life good.
Thanks soo much Christy.
Christy's reply
Things sometimes dawn upon me in the throes of a gig….last night I had a bunch of rapscallions who’s enthusiasm, betimes, could have overwhelmed the whole affair…they were well up for the gig,I could tell they knew and loved the songs but they were a handfull…but I began to get used to their intrusions, acceptance slowly crept into my demeanour as I realized they were part of the gig…I began to appreciate their presence….how lucky and priviliged am I..a 77 year Folksinger, 56 years on the road,to have such a brilliant audience come out on a Saturday night to hear the songs….all of you gave me the energy and inspiration to put on that show… I decided to jump in at the deep end, straight into “Ordinary Man”,(Peter Hames classic)….along the way I stumbled on lyrics of Quinte. Blue Rose, Lingo Politico and Voyage but Ye picked me up, rubbed me down and sent me on my way again…..I’ve been working on some new songs recently and my practice regime has fallen slightly behind…Thank You…one and all
Hi Christy, just wanted to comment on your ‘dumbing down’ comment, you are spot on. Fingers crossed the Enough is Enough campaign over here gains some traction and dosen’t fizzle out, thought you might enjoy this by local Liverpool band She Drew The Gun, it’s a few years old now but gets more relevant by the day. https://youtu.be/Q15_m1XEdAI
Christy's reply
We are United here in our support of “ENOUGH IS ENOUGH”
We have taken Mick Lynch to our hearts…..
a plague upon the Tories
Dear Christy,
My dad’s fitba side , the jam tarts, were playing in a european match v zurich this week which naturally took me to the Yellow Disc and ‘in zurich’ , a great song castigating the big money stamping out protest. By it would be good to hear In Zurich again live, i think it gets the occasional waxing.
It leads, fascinatingly and powerfully into The powdered milk brigade ‘if only jesus had turned water into milk like his mother did’ , the justified disgust for expoitative big business rasps in your voice, before leading into one of my all time top 5 recordings of yours in the Blackbird accompanied Folk Tale, just completely relaxing, pure and uplifting….and on to contemplative sadness with the two conneeleys.
So there we have it, in less than 10 minutes i get a range of wonderful emotions and experiences.
Lang may your lum reek
Rory
Christy's reply
In so far as I can recall Rory,I don’t think I’ve ever gigged Jim Page’s “In Zurich”…your reminder has me thinking that maybe I’ll get it out and give it a rattle in the workroom….some stand out lines resound every time I pass a jewelry shop…
are you referring to Hearts of Midlothian ?
as always Rory, your back references to thon Box Set 1964-2004 always gives me a lift… happy to hear that those 6 discs are still get a spin….it was a satisfying project…early work all completed by my Editor, Consultant,Alec Adoo,Companero and Songster…Luke Traynor
then many late nights at Mid Atlantic Digital in Enniskilen with Robyn Roberts as we sought to make some sense of a huge diversity of songs..to find running orders , groupings, we had almost a thousand tracks to choose from….betimes we were almost demented ..
it was the song “Yellow Triangle” that inspired the colour coding of of the six discs..
Kepp coming back
Hello Christy,
Hope it’s a belter tonight. We were there in Salthill 3 years ago. We snuck onto the front row and got chatting to a lovely couple about hurling. The final was the day after the gig.
You sang Rosalita and Jack Campbell, and Pagan Ritual, sail on Jimmy. Highlights for me.
It was a great gig.
Rebecca
Christy's reply
We’re looking to The West, far across The River Shannon…
later We’ll be smiling out in Salthill
Hi C. Best wishes as you and the crew commence season 57 amarach i Gallimh, long may you sing & enjoy it, as you spread fun, joy and happiness. I see you are reciting a poem by Patrick Kavanagh from ” the Stony Grey Soil “of Monaghan in a publication by Claddagh Records, that particular poem was very good to me as it featured in the Leaving Cert exam of 1976 !! I was not familiar with ” October ” until today. The CD/LP is both a new and re issued publication titled ” Patrick Kavanagh Almost Everything” it includes his own voice as well as several other famous people from many walks of life. A printed collage of sketches of all the celebrated readers on the album includes a very striking sketch of your good self ! Beir bua agus beannacht. H
Christy's reply
I must praise Universal (Ireland) for their recent releases…they took on both Claddagh and Tara record labels and have done a series of tasty re-issues…some of my own old work has been re-vitalised… some important early releases have been given a new lease of life…expect more re-issues of works from the old Claddagh catalogue…..
their attention to detail has been exemplary…as the world dumbs down its great to witness archive material being treated with respect..I was delighted to get the call for the Paddy Kavanagh re-issue
Morning Christy hope all is well with and your ready to tog out again best of luck in the city of the tribes maybe go for the ground hurling not around Saturday night but give it stick and safe travelling to all the good people out there. I’m going to be missing from your Sept 2 gig also I m playing a pub gig and my son Adam who is 14 is doing his first gig with me he plays piano/keyboard so looking forward to that as I write this I can remember driving him to play school 10 years ago and we had your cd on in the car 3 songs each morning Honda 50 Farmer Michael Hayes and Easter Snow I remember him saying to me one morning Farmer Michael Hayes is a great song and here we are now.
Anyway come west along the road and face the puck out
Christy's reply
thats great to hear Iggy …to gig with your Son is a great buzz…let us know how it goes…all tuned up here for tonight…I have a new hurl for the long pucks…hoping to shoot some long distant points….
I hadnt heard that Andy I’s instruments appeared and have been returned. ‘Miraculous’ indeed. I’d given them up as lost and stolen. A relief for Andy no doubt. Thanks Rebecca for that news.
Christy's reply
a lifelong devotion to St Antony finally comes thru…
Free at last for another night out!
See you in Leisureland this Saturday night. Four of the five made the jail break this time and really looking forward to a few hours in song without our Governors supervision. Tis great to be out and about!
Could you give ‘1945’ a blast? Lads voted for Lisdoonvarna, tis an auld favourite especially when you give it an updated twist as only you can do.
See you down the chipper!
Dan, Derek, Michael and Sean
Christy's reply
I’ve never gigged that one…its not the first time its been requested….I must take a look at it..that could take a while…I’m a slow learner… will you be accompanied by prison officers ?
Hi Christy
A great triple header in Newry on 26.8 with Matt McGinn joined by Joshua Burnside and Ciara O’Neill amongst others in the North’s finest.
Regards
Rory
Ps my youngest Charlie says we need a ‘movie’ of your life!
What a gig last night in Galway! You got straight into it with ‘Ordinary Man’ and we all went with you. We were going up through the gears nicely but between the clutch slipping and the Transit being forced to switch lanes from one side of the hall, you steadied it up and gave us a turn driving at times for each chorus.
I said it to Hillary after, my heart was racing after an epic ‘Lisdoonvarna’ and what an encore with ‘Fairytale of NY’. We very much appreciate the mention of the yanks over for the gig. It was mighty Christy and thanks Hillary for looking after us. All the best with the next few gigs. Only wish we could go to them all!
Salthill has always been a lively destination….first camped there way back in 1962 (ish) when myself and the late John Flood went west for the Galway Races…we never made it out to Ballybrit….our tent was pitched not far from O’Connor’s Music Pub which became the hub of our week…each night the late Christy O’Connor invited me up to sing “The Jug of Punch” and “Rosin The Bow”…John and I were very low in funds and the few drinks we got were very welcome…it was only a two man tent but a few nights it got crowded
10 years later I came back with Planxty to play “The Hanger”….another 10 years on and Moving Hearts played 3 nights in Castle Lounge for my great friend ,the late Des Kelly. ( In his younger days Des was leader of the great Capitol Showband, he went on to manage many Bands including Planxty from 1972-1975)
Across the 80s & 90s I gigged solo many times in CJ’s ….It was a top venue in its day and I have great memories of hot sweaty gigs in that thronged Salthill oasis of Music,always warmly welcomed by Benny O’Connor (with whom I scrummed down for Corinthians in 1965) ..Iggy Broderick and his Band always played support and got the audience well revved up
In 2001 I returned to Salthill for two nights in The Warwick which marked the beginning of a new era for me…since then, Leisureland has been the main halting site for Galway gigs…not forgetting one memorable, socially distanced, state sponsored,outdoor session in the Sportsground….a night of hope that ,perhaps, there might be light at the end of that dark covid tunnel….
I look forward to returning again next Friday Week…
“then everyone out to Salthill for the crack and for the porter
there’s bookies layin odds on two flies walkin up the wall shur
theres fiddles & trad, they’re disco mad, Karaoke and set dances
and some of us who’ve seen better days lookin to take their chances” ….
(I forgot to sing this one last Sat night ! )
Hello Christy,
Thank you for the mention from John Liverpool about the enough is enough campaign. I have signed up and I will publicise their sign up page on Facebook. It feels like finally something sensible could happen.
I saw this posted by Adam Sherwood and had to share.
https://youtu.be/Hdp_xYK2BWg
I want to thank you. Teaching is something g that has never come naturally to me, and I think it might be the same for you. But I never stop learning form you so, it looks like you just can’t help it. It’s strongest live, and that front row is one big classroom for me. I try not to drink at gigs, don’t want to fog the flow. Another kind of dumbing down, anaesthetise us.
Rebecca
Hi Christy,
Yes my dad is a Heart of Midlothian follower, whilst my brothers and i follow the hoops of parkhead.
Several Hearts players died in ww1 i believe, the gorgie boys or similar name. Most people died in that madness.
I had never, stupidly, connected the coloured discs with the yellow triangle, of course i should .
Rugby 7s here yesterday ( league 15s start next week) which was strenuous even with music in the background throughout to limber up to.
After that i was priviliged to play as enabler for Blair, a young man who loves the game and being part of a team. Tri or Clan mixed ability rugby is a truly uplifting sport, my pal Mick’s club at Sundays Well lead the way in Ireland, and at Hawick we are trying to provide the Scottish base for such an enriching bunch of lads to play the game. Worth checking SWrfc rebels out, and the am sure Mick Colopy would welcome a song or a message before their big games.
Rugby and music, what a great mix.
Rory
My grand total would be near six by six. Well 30+ anyway.
In 1969 I did 287 gigs…I was at every one of them…some crack…I never knew what to do with myself on the free nights..I usually went to someone else’s gig…I’d always learn something….thats how I learned Pontchartrain, January Man,Sweet Thames,Bleacher Lassie, James Larkin,to name but 5 of hundreds
Ed, not counting, but 4 multiplied by 4 would probably be closer to the mark….. long may it continue.
The Broad Street
Holy gawd Patsy, you’re clocking up the mileage from Moate this weather. Is that the fourth gig? Dedication.
Good evening H.
you dont know the half of it Ed….we have listeners who’s loyalty knows no bounds….hail rain sunshine or snow
Mighty, manic, melodious, magnificent ! The West is Awake , ach ta Sam ar ais sa baile san Riocht …38 ! Go raibh mile maith agat. Beir bua agus beannacht. H
Fair play to you H
You never let the side down
and now that ye have Sam back on the sideboard
its only natural, the slight dig, the wee rub,
sure we loves it girl !!
every time Kildare win the McKenna cup I do lose the run of myself
when our Women won the Intermediate All-Ireland a few years back I was on top of Everest for at least a week
Shine On
Hi Christy,
Well done on a magnificent return after your well earned break. The place was hopping before you came on Stage; in fact as I was driving into Galway this evening I noticed the whole City was hopping…… must be something in the wonderful air around here.
You got stuck into it from the throw in, and never pulled back….. despite some well meaning distractions which you kept on board.
Great to meet up again with lovely 4711ers,,,,, sure isn’t life good.
Thanks soo much Christy.
Things sometimes dawn upon me in the throes of a gig….last night I had a bunch of rapscallions who’s enthusiasm, betimes, could have overwhelmed the whole affair…they were well up for the gig,I could tell they knew and loved the songs but they were a handfull…but I began to get used to their intrusions, acceptance slowly crept into my demeanour as I realized they were part of the gig…I began to appreciate their presence….how lucky and priviliged am I..a 77 year Folksinger, 56 years on the road,to have such a brilliant audience come out on a Saturday night to hear the songs….all of you gave me the energy and inspiration to put on that show… I decided to jump in at the deep end, straight into “Ordinary Man”,(Peter Hames classic)….along the way I stumbled on lyrics of Quinte. Blue Rose, Lingo Politico and Voyage but Ye picked me up, rubbed me down and sent me on my way again…..I’ve been working on some new songs recently and my practice regime has fallen slightly behind…Thank You…one and all
Hi Christy, just wanted to comment on your ‘dumbing down’ comment, you are spot on. Fingers crossed the Enough is Enough campaign over here gains some traction and dosen’t fizzle out, thought you might enjoy this by local Liverpool band She Drew The Gun, it’s a few years old now but gets more relevant by the day. https://youtu.be/Q15_m1XEdAI
We are United here in our support of “ENOUGH IS ENOUGH”
We have taken Mick Lynch to our hearts…..
a plague upon the Tories
Dear Christy,
My dad’s fitba side , the jam tarts, were playing in a european match v zurich this week which naturally took me to the Yellow Disc and ‘in zurich’ , a great song castigating the big money stamping out protest. By it would be good to hear In Zurich again live, i think it gets the occasional waxing.
It leads, fascinatingly and powerfully into The powdered milk brigade ‘if only jesus had turned water into milk like his mother did’ , the justified disgust for expoitative big business rasps in your voice, before leading into one of my all time top 5 recordings of yours in the Blackbird accompanied Folk Tale, just completely relaxing, pure and uplifting….and on to contemplative sadness with the two conneeleys.
So there we have it, in less than 10 minutes i get a range of wonderful emotions and experiences.
Lang may your lum reek
Rory
In so far as I can recall Rory,I don’t think I’ve ever gigged Jim Page’s “In Zurich”…your reminder has me thinking that maybe I’ll get it out and give it a rattle in the workroom….some stand out lines resound every time I pass a jewelry shop…
are you referring to Hearts of Midlothian ?
as always Rory, your back references to thon Box Set 1964-2004 always gives me a lift… happy to hear that those 6 discs are still get a spin….it was a satisfying project…early work all completed by my Editor, Consultant,Alec Adoo,Companero and Songster…Luke Traynor
then many late nights at Mid Atlantic Digital in Enniskilen with Robyn Roberts as we sought to make some sense of a huge diversity of songs..to find running orders , groupings, we had almost a thousand tracks to choose from….betimes we were almost demented ..
it was the song “Yellow Triangle” that inspired the colour coding of of the six discs..
Kepp coming back
Hello Christy,
Hope it’s a belter tonight. We were there in Salthill 3 years ago. We snuck onto the front row and got chatting to a lovely couple about hurling. The final was the day after the gig.
You sang Rosalita and Jack Campbell, and Pagan Ritual, sail on Jimmy. Highlights for me.
It was a great gig.
Rebecca
We’re looking to The West, far across The River Shannon…
later We’ll be smiling out in Salthill
The 1976 Leaving Cert. Honours or pass English? Dear God, it would take me back.
The Mind Boggles
Hi C. Best wishes as you and the crew commence season 57 amarach i Gallimh, long may you sing & enjoy it, as you spread fun, joy and happiness. I see you are reciting a poem by Patrick Kavanagh from ” the Stony Grey Soil “of Monaghan in a publication by Claddagh Records, that particular poem was very good to me as it featured in the Leaving Cert exam of 1976 !! I was not familiar with ” October ” until today. The CD/LP is both a new and re issued publication titled ” Patrick Kavanagh Almost Everything” it includes his own voice as well as several other famous people from many walks of life. A printed collage of sketches of all the celebrated readers on the album includes a very striking sketch of your good self ! Beir bua agus beannacht. H
I must praise Universal (Ireland) for their recent releases…they took on both Claddagh and Tara record labels and have done a series of tasty re-issues…some of my own old work has been re-vitalised… some important early releases have been given a new lease of life…expect more re-issues of works from the old Claddagh catalogue…..
their attention to detail has been exemplary…as the world dumbs down its great to witness archive material being treated with respect..I was delighted to get the call for the Paddy Kavanagh re-issue
I’m guessing this is it in rehearsal with a stand in. I’m sorry that I done know her name
https://youtu.be/og_vzaJPQXA
no problem
Hello Christy and All,
Here’s Morecambe and Wise giving it some welly
https://twitter.com/eric_ernie_col/status/1353222670729555969?s=20&t=h5bv6IrSkg4TjXthLP1ZjA
Rebecca
Morning Christy hope all is well with and your ready to tog out again best of luck in the city of the tribes maybe go for the ground hurling not around Saturday night but give it stick and safe travelling to all the good people out there. I’m going to be missing from your Sept 2 gig also I m playing a pub gig and my son Adam who is 14 is doing his first gig with me he plays piano/keyboard so looking forward to that as I write this I can remember driving him to play school 10 years ago and we had your cd on in the car 3 songs each morning Honda 50 Farmer Michael Hayes and Easter Snow I remember him saying to me one morning Farmer Michael Hayes is a great song and here we are now.
Anyway come west along the road and face the puck out
thats great to hear Iggy …to gig with your Son is a great buzz…let us know how it goes…all tuned up here for tonight…I have a new hurl for the long pucks…hoping to shoot some long distant points….
Good man St Anthony!
I hadnt heard that Andy I’s instruments appeared and have been returned. ‘Miraculous’ indeed. I’d given them up as lost and stolen. A relief for Andy no doubt. Thanks Rebecca for that news.
a lifelong devotion to St Antony finally comes thru…
Free at last for another night out!
See you in Leisureland this Saturday night. Four of the five made the jail break this time and really looking forward to a few hours in song without our Governors supervision. Tis great to be out and about!
Could you give ‘1945’ a blast? Lads voted for Lisdoonvarna, tis an auld favourite especially when you give it an updated twist as only you can do.
See you down the chipper!
Dan, Derek, Michael and Sean
I’ve never gigged that one…its not the first time its been requested….I must take a look at it..that could take a while…I’m a slow learner… will you be accompanied by prison officers ?
Hi Christy
A great triple header in Newry on 26.8 with Matt McGinn joined by Joshua Burnside and Ciara O’Neill amongst others in the North’s finest.
Regards
Rory
Ps my youngest Charlie says we need a ‘movie’ of your life!
Newry Town Hall brings back memories