“I got feelings in my skin”
“What kind of feelings?”
“It’s hard to say, kid. You know quite a bit before water boils, it gets to heavin’ around? That’s the kind of feeling I got”
– John Steinbeck, In Dubious Battle
Dear Christy, I have been fortunate enough to hear from you on this board previously, and I hope you receive this message.
To keep it brief, you were very kind when you met by Dad (Ted – a long time listener) in Basingstoke UK a few years back. He was holidaying with my Mum from Sydney where they emigrated to back in 1990 from Dublin.
In an incredible twist of fate, they (along with my sister and her family) are moving to London in 2023 after a brief sojourn in Dublin, which gives us the opportunity to come and see you on January 9th at Vicar Street (it will our first visit to this venue).
Could I please trouble you for a dedication of THE VOYAGE to my parents Ted and Audrey King, as their own voyage continues with this new phase of their life in a return to Europe after 32 years Down Under?
Christy's reply
First call out request for 2023…first up best dressed…..
a memory from The Anvil in Basingstoke always lingers….I stepped out of the dressing room about an hour before gig time…standing there was George Harrison…..thats my Basingstoke story
Hello Christy
Trust John Liverpool to come up with such a great question. I’ve been thinking about it since yesterday.
Things have got simpler and clearer over the years. The mad intensity of youth is something that I don’t miss.
When I was in Manchester, the professor once said to me, “that’s a nice noise”. I get it now. He had bushy eyebrows that went in different directions.
So I think that age helps. These days I can sing a lot more varieties of songs. Getting in to them is no effort now. And I’m not obsessed with perfection anymore. So I’m better at letting it do its thing.
Started wandering through the Ancient Irish Airs book. Do you still have it?
I got to mumber 8, the dawning of the day.
It’s beautiful.
Patrick Kavanagh must have known it.
Rebecca
Christy's reply
bushy eyebrows, nostril tufts,earhole mullets and baldy heads….its great to be alive and part of it all
Good summary of Dylan, Christy.
Spot on.
BTW cricket: you Irish buggers can certainly play the game!
Lazy Aussie team tried the tortoise & hare trick but came a gutser…
Do many in Ireland have any interest in Australian Rules Football or is it considered a quaint local custom?
More & more Irish players – male & female – are popping up in teams over here & featuring among the best regularly.
Hope the shows are crackers Mooresy – sounds like they’re belters
Best wishes to all you mob
Danny Harris – before the flood
Christy's reply
there is an increasing minority interest in Cricket here …the success of the current XI may well attract further participants…..
“back home there’s Cricket in Cloughjordan
and the gentle crack of Croquet on the lawn”
Australian Rules recieves scant attention in the media here as some Irish players make their mark down under….I attended a few games during my visits and found it an exciting spectacle….our own Gaelic Football has deteriorated in recent times…it has evolved into a very different spectacle from that which thrilled in days of yore ( I still support the Lily Whites, my County Team and Moorefield, my Home Team)…Hurling remains a thrilling and unique spectacle…the “clash of the ash” still sets this old heart a flutter…
Today I will attend Ireland V South Africa here in Dublin…my interest runs deep, I’ve met many of the players, (did gigs for both Ireland and Leinster squads over the years )
The reeds stood upon well thank you, the chanter reed is always the most unpredictable in my set at least. I have to tweak it which means the drones need some work but the reeds are 3 minutes work for lots of fun. I don’t know how Liam coped with changing towns/cities all the time, he must have been tuning all the time?
After seeing you in Armagh, friendly people by the way, we went to Donegal, Teelin to be precise, and I was fortunate enough to play my pipes overlooking the wonderful tidal estuary there. I played the Irish March and Sí Bheag, Sí Mhór, which I know you know having played them with Liam Og many times. I also played a number of other tunes but the Liam stuff always warms my heart, not that I am suggesting I play like Liam (who does??) I’m just deeply inspired by him. Liam’s musicality was off the scale, it’s the thing that impresses me most, such talent.
Thanks
Christy's reply
Liam’s pipes were usually well behaved….
I must confess that ,50 years ago, I did not appreciate the complexity of the instrument. In later years I’ve grown to appreciate the enormity of the task involved in mastering the Uileann Pipes…
Hi Christy, reading the last two posts about Bob Dylan & Richard Thompson got me thinking, have you managed to get around to reading The Lyrics yet by Paul McCartney? Beatles fans might not learn anything ‘new’ about the group itself but for any music fan it is a fasinating insight into the art of song writing. From cord structures and the interpretation of certain words to observations such as writing a lyric like “Well she was just seventeen. You know what I mean” might be OK for a young nineteen year old to write but not really apprporiate for a sixty year old to write. Don’t want to get to heavy but wondered if you think getting older has effected the way you write or even sing a song?
Christy's reply
Hey John,
I wrote a lengthy reply to your question last night which, for some reason, has disappeared into the Elon….tonight I simply dont have time to re-engage on thoughts of Macca..except to say that I consider him to be a top man
Back again Christy , would love to hear Sweet Thames Flow Softly in Cork Sunday night, or if not than Beeswing. I remember when you first started singing Beeswing I saw you in the Savoy in Cork. This was before the age of the Google machine was in full flight! So all I had was a man some man called Thompson and some lyrics in my head, and off I went into HMV the next day asking the kind man behind the counter who it might be, then off I went pouring through Richard Thompsons albums to find the song (so I’m grateful you opened me up to him also!). Not long after this ,you played the Opera House and I spent half the gig sweating as a nervous teenager afraid to call out but I got the courage and roared out for Beeswing and you said it was a Noble Call! I suppose it’s the beauty and joy that the music and lyrics can bring us and also the obsession one can get with a song! My daughter Hannah was sung Beeswing to get her to sleep as a baby she’s very excited for Sunday night! Please God it will be a great night Sunday for a great man (Don).
Christy's reply
Good man Tim..Hope you and Hannah have a great night as we honour Don in D’Opera House…. I’m kinda excited myself..
Hi C. I just read this excellent review in Hot Press of the recent Bob Dylans gigs in London it captures the buzz beautifully. “The Dignity that is within this melodic ballad….. Dignity is responsible for the happy and overwhelmed audiences, the five-star reviews, the sold-out theatres and halls. You walk out into the night feeling that some of it has rubbed off on you. You might not even know that that’s what it is, but it feels wondrous, magical. You’ve witnessed something stately and unique, and you stand a little taller as you walk through the sudden downpour on Regent Street, humming in the rain, proud that you were there to not only bear witness, but to join together. That’s something far more than entertainment.” It could just as easily refer to your own gigs !! here is the full review https://www.hotpress.com/live-review/the-palladium-of-modern-song-bob-dylan-and-his-band-in-london-22936558?utm_source=whatsapp&utm_campaign=article&utm_medium=web&fbclid=IwAR3tftH__3ddjaV_r5pgJ1Qb6iuHvDrIVuMrVb_26QB6VygtppGqvX1yDkg Beir bua agus beannacht. H
Christy's reply
always great to read a review from a critic who takes the time and care to get under the skin of such an important artist….Dylan is “the man who leads the van”
impossible to analyse, decipher,rationalise ,nor is it necessary…lets all take him as we find him…he loiters in the dark corners, he burns bright, rides high and low. is mighty crack,his lips lazy his mind sharp and beautiful..I love what Arlo said in Whelans one night..
“being a songwriter is like fishing downstream from Dylan….. hey Bob, throw some of the small ones back in”
Hello Christy,
Thanks to Bourkey for posting the John Steinbeck passage. It was a beautiful gig and so are those words.
We had a rough journey back with the ferry and the weather, but we made it.
Lots of Liam Og in the car as we buzzed through the night. Him and Seamus Heaney Digging, Glamoured Yellow Bittern…
Brendan’s Voyage by Shaun Davey made me think of how stupid it was for me to request the song of the same name at the gig. Our trove of songs is more meagre here. It’s taken me a while to learn that a Kerry song should be sung in Kerry. Sorry.
It’s feeling strange here. The land is spiritually stifled. The first time we came to Ireland the placeness of it hit me between the eyes. The pure wildness of it. Now it feels friendly and normal. England is weird.
Still, I’ve lived in this little place for 20 years and we nurture it’s magic and humanness.
Hello to all,
Just been reading through the comments and good vibes people had been getting from Christy’s recent gigs minded me of this passage from John Steinbeck’s “The Grapes of Wrath”
And perhaps a man brought out his guitar to the front of his tent. And he sat on a box to play, and everyone in the camp moved slowly in toward him. Many men can chord a guitar, but perhaps this man was a picker. There you have something – the deep chords beating, beating while the melody runs on the strings like little footsteps. Heavy hard fingers marching on the frets. The man played and the people moved slowly in on him until the circle was closed and tight, and then he sang, “Ten-Cent Cotton and Forty-Cent Meat.” And the circle sang softly with him. And he sang, “Why Do You Cut Your Hair, Girls ?” And the circle sang. He wailed the song, “I’m Leaving Old Texas,” that eerie song that was sung before the Spaniards came, only the words were Indian then.
And now the group was welded to one thing, one unit, so that in the dark the eyes of the people were inward, and their minds played in other times, and their sadness was like rest, like sleep. He sang the “McAlester Blues” and then, to make up for it to the older people, he sang “Jesus Calls Me to His Side.”
The children drowsed with the music and went into the tents to sleep, and the singing came into their dreams.
And after a while the man with the guitar stood up and yawned. Good night, folks, he said.
And they murmured, Good night to you too.
And each wished he could pick a guitar, because it is a gracious thing.
All the best
Bourkey
Christy's reply
Steinbeck..once read, never forgotten….
way way back my dearly departed, very best, schoolboy friend was Pat (Meg)McGowan…in early teenage years he got me reading Steinbeck, Hemingway,Orwell et al..he continued his literary journey right thru life, his adult life lived and died in London Pat (Paul) McGowan..late of Moorefield Rd., Newbridge…Son of Joe & Etna, brother of Maureen, Sheila, Turlough,Brian and Frank (Panto)…. we shared many wonderful experience as young Gasúns…
A long shot, but worth the punt – I’m currently in the Sahara Desert (as part of a charity drive from Armagh through Africa to raise funds for the Cancer Fund for Children) and all being well – hope to be home in time to see you in the Carrickdale Hotel on 11th Nov…! Would there be any possibility of including The Voyage in your setlist for my wife Orla – we used it in our wedding ceremony, and 5 children later – it holds even greater connotations for us. Sincere thanks for any consideration and see you in due course. Beir bua! Brendan
Christy ola,
Today in the park some of us sang Sickbed of Kilcullen …frank ryan bought me whisky etc…
Six of us also sang, as we walked round madrid, Viva La Quinta Brigada, and clapped along in memory of all those great men who fought and died in spain.
La luta continua
Rory
Loved the concert in Armagh on `Thursday, we (RebeccaH) were sat to your right. Great to hear how your set list changes, I thought about calling out for North and South of the River but wasn’t sure it that was the right call.
Thanks for the compliment about my singing, you were more kind than I deserved
Thanks Steve
Steve
Christy's reply
it would have been the perfect call..next time, do not hesitate (no one else does !!) hope your reeds are behaving themselves…
Went to see Christy live there a few weeks ago in the Armagh City Hotel and I have to honestly say that it was one of the greatest concerts I’ve been to. Christy, his guitar and his stories lit up a packed City Hotel with melodies flowing in the air from row to row and from seat to seat, Christy had us all in the palm of his hand. I loved Christy inviting the young lad Miceal up for Nancy Spain (one of my personal favourites), such a lovely gesture that not only will the young talented lad remember but all of us the audience. Thanks Christy for a brilliant evening of music in my hometown of Armagh. Keep er lit!
Christy's reply
keep coming back Sara..thats the kinda talk we like to hear !
I love that room…its as good as any Concert Hall (made so by those who gather for the songs)
Hi Christy,
In the transit ( no weekend in amsterdam sadly) to support the boys in green in madrid against franco’s allies in the battle for madrid, viva la quinta brigada
Rory
Thanks for the reply Christy.
Until very recently The Voyage for me has a meaning of coming together to ride the Strom of live and love.
Over the past few weeks, when listening to it, it has a new meaning when I listen to the words… I think of my journey of me through tough times and coming out the other side re. Mental health and having the support around you to ride that storm and together with me and the support network around you… All is gd x
Maybe an idea when you sing it on the 29th Nov in Vicar Street have that in your mind… It’s brings a new meaning in today’s times for everyone.
Hello Christy,
We’re in Donegal for a few days before heading home. We’re in a cottage in Teelin. I think my harp has put down roots.
I sat and played it yesterday, and as I sang Little Musgrave I reflected on how my life has been transformed by hearing and listening to your music. I’ve learnt a whole new instrument, Sung my heart out, discovered a new country. Its a great journey.
When I was a kid, halloween was all about making ghost costumes out of old sheets and going round the neighbour’s saying “trick or treat”. They gave us sweets or pennies. These days the kids come round with their mums. They wear costumes they’ve bought in the supermarket It’s lost its soul. I give them sweets.
I preferred Guy Fawkes night, when we celebrated the man who tried to blow up parliament. November 5th.
Wed build a bonfire in the garden. My dad would let off a few fireworks but the fire was the best bit.
We ate baked potatoes and parkin.
It’s a kind or gingerbread with black treacle and oats in it.
My mum made it a week in advance and it sat in a tin till the day, getting all luscious and sticky.
“Remember, remember the fifth of November
Gunpowder, treason and plot”
Rebecca
Christy's reply
I heard Liam Clancy when I was 16…that changed my direction
“I got feelings in my skin”
“What kind of feelings?”
“It’s hard to say, kid. You know quite a bit before water boils, it gets to heavin’ around? That’s the kind of feeling I got”
– John Steinbeck, In Dubious Battle
lovely hurlin
Dear Christy, I have been fortunate enough to hear from you on this board previously, and I hope you receive this message.
To keep it brief, you were very kind when you met by Dad (Ted – a long time listener) in Basingstoke UK a few years back. He was holidaying with my Mum from Sydney where they emigrated to back in 1990 from Dublin.
In an incredible twist of fate, they (along with my sister and her family) are moving to London in 2023 after a brief sojourn in Dublin, which gives us the opportunity to come and see you on January 9th at Vicar Street (it will our first visit to this venue).
Could I please trouble you for a dedication of THE VOYAGE to my parents Ted and Audrey King, as their own voyage continues with this new phase of their life in a return to Europe after 32 years Down Under?
First call out request for 2023…first up best dressed…..
a memory from The Anvil in Basingstoke always lingers….I stepped out of the dressing room about an hour before gig time…standing there was George Harrison…..thats my Basingstoke story
Hello Christy
Trust John Liverpool to come up with such a great question. I’ve been thinking about it since yesterday.
Things have got simpler and clearer over the years. The mad intensity of youth is something that I don’t miss.
When I was in Manchester, the professor once said to me, “that’s a nice noise”. I get it now. He had bushy eyebrows that went in different directions.
So I think that age helps. These days I can sing a lot more varieties of songs. Getting in to them is no effort now. And I’m not obsessed with perfection anymore. So I’m better at letting it do its thing.
Started wandering through the Ancient Irish Airs book. Do you still have it?
I got to mumber 8, the dawning of the day.
It’s beautiful.
Patrick Kavanagh must have known it.
Rebecca
bushy eyebrows, nostril tufts,earhole mullets and baldy heads….its great to be alive and part of it all
Good summary of Dylan, Christy.
Spot on.
BTW cricket: you Irish buggers can certainly play the game!
Lazy Aussie team tried the tortoise & hare trick but came a gutser…
Do many in Ireland have any interest in Australian Rules Football or is it considered a quaint local custom?
More & more Irish players – male & female – are popping up in teams over here & featuring among the best regularly.
Hope the shows are crackers Mooresy – sounds like they’re belters
Best wishes to all you mob
Danny Harris – before the flood
there is an increasing minority interest in Cricket here …the success of the current XI may well attract further participants…..
“back home there’s Cricket in Cloughjordan
and the gentle crack of Croquet on the lawn”
Australian Rules recieves scant attention in the media here as some Irish players make their mark down under….I attended a few games during my visits and found it an exciting spectacle….our own Gaelic Football has deteriorated in recent times…it has evolved into a very different spectacle from that which thrilled in days of yore ( I still support the Lily Whites, my County Team and Moorefield, my Home Team)…Hurling remains a thrilling and unique spectacle…the “clash of the ash” still sets this old heart a flutter…
Today I will attend Ireland V South Africa here in Dublin…my interest runs deep, I’ve met many of the players, (did gigs for both Ireland and Leinster squads over the years )
Hi, Christy
The reeds stood upon well thank you, the chanter reed is always the most unpredictable in my set at least. I have to tweak it which means the drones need some work but the reeds are 3 minutes work for lots of fun. I don’t know how Liam coped with changing towns/cities all the time, he must have been tuning all the time?
After seeing you in Armagh, friendly people by the way, we went to Donegal, Teelin to be precise, and I was fortunate enough to play my pipes overlooking the wonderful tidal estuary there. I played the Irish March and Sí Bheag, Sí Mhór, which I know you know having played them with Liam Og many times. I also played a number of other tunes but the Liam stuff always warms my heart, not that I am suggesting I play like Liam (who does??) I’m just deeply inspired by him. Liam’s musicality was off the scale, it’s the thing that impresses me most, such talent.
Thanks
Liam’s pipes were usually well behaved….
I must confess that ,50 years ago, I did not appreciate the complexity of the instrument. In later years I’ve grown to appreciate the enormity of the task involved in mastering the Uileann Pipes…
Hi Christy, reading the last two posts about Bob Dylan & Richard Thompson got me thinking, have you managed to get around to reading The Lyrics yet by Paul McCartney? Beatles fans might not learn anything ‘new’ about the group itself but for any music fan it is a fasinating insight into the art of song writing. From cord structures and the interpretation of certain words to observations such as writing a lyric like “Well she was just seventeen. You know what I mean” might be OK for a young nineteen year old to write but not really apprporiate for a sixty year old to write. Don’t want to get to heavy but wondered if you think getting older has effected the way you write or even sing a song?
Hey John,
I wrote a lengthy reply to your question last night which, for some reason, has disappeared into the Elon….tonight I simply dont have time to re-engage on thoughts of Macca..except to say that I consider him to be a top man
Back again Christy , would love to hear Sweet Thames Flow Softly in Cork Sunday night, or if not than Beeswing. I remember when you first started singing Beeswing I saw you in the Savoy in Cork. This was before the age of the Google machine was in full flight! So all I had was a man some man called Thompson and some lyrics in my head, and off I went into HMV the next day asking the kind man behind the counter who it might be, then off I went pouring through Richard Thompsons albums to find the song (so I’m grateful you opened me up to him also!). Not long after this ,you played the Opera House and I spent half the gig sweating as a nervous teenager afraid to call out but I got the courage and roared out for Beeswing and you said it was a Noble Call! I suppose it’s the beauty and joy that the music and lyrics can bring us and also the obsession one can get with a song! My daughter Hannah was sung Beeswing to get her to sleep as a baby she’s very excited for Sunday night! Please God it will be a great night Sunday for a great man (Don).
Good man Tim..Hope you and Hannah have a great night as we honour Don in D’Opera House…. I’m kinda excited myself..
Hi C. I just read this excellent review in Hot Press of the recent Bob Dylans gigs in London it captures the buzz beautifully. “The Dignity that is within this melodic ballad….. Dignity is responsible for the happy and overwhelmed audiences, the five-star reviews, the sold-out theatres and halls. You walk out into the night feeling that some of it has rubbed off on you. You might not even know that that’s what it is, but it feels wondrous, magical. You’ve witnessed something stately and unique, and you stand a little taller as you walk through the sudden downpour on Regent Street, humming in the rain, proud that you were there to not only bear witness, but to join together. That’s something far more than entertainment.” It could just as easily refer to your own gigs !! here is the full review https://www.hotpress.com/live-review/the-palladium-of-modern-song-bob-dylan-and-his-band-in-london-22936558?utm_source=whatsapp&utm_campaign=article&utm_medium=web&fbclid=IwAR3tftH__3ddjaV_r5pgJ1Qb6iuHvDrIVuMrVb_26QB6VygtppGqvX1yDkg Beir bua agus beannacht. H
always great to read a review from a critic who takes the time and care to get under the skin of such an important artist….Dylan is “the man who leads the van”
impossible to analyse, decipher,rationalise ,nor is it necessary…lets all take him as we find him…he loiters in the dark corners, he burns bright, rides high and low. is mighty crack,his lips lazy his mind sharp and beautiful..I love what Arlo said in Whelans one night..
“being a songwriter is like fishing downstream from Dylan….. hey Bob, throw some of the small ones back in”
Hello Christy,
Thanks to Bourkey for posting the John Steinbeck passage. It was a beautiful gig and so are those words.
We had a rough journey back with the ferry and the weather, but we made it.
Lots of Liam Og in the car as we buzzed through the night. Him and Seamus Heaney Digging, Glamoured Yellow Bittern…
Brendan’s Voyage by Shaun Davey made me think of how stupid it was for me to request the song of the same name at the gig. Our trove of songs is more meagre here. It’s taken me a while to learn that a Kerry song should be sung in Kerry. Sorry.
It’s feeling strange here. The land is spiritually stifled. The first time we came to Ireland the placeness of it hit me between the eyes. The pure wildness of it. Now it feels friendly and normal. England is weird.
Still, I’ve lived in this little place for 20 years and we nurture it’s magic and humanness.
I heard this last night
https://youtu.be/19-monW6j_Q
Rebecca
Steinbeck, Liam Óg,Heaney,
“Come fill my bowl,
come soothe my soul
for I’ll get no more drink
when my life is past”…..( McGiollagunna/McDonagh)
Hello to all,
Just been reading through the comments and good vibes people had been getting from Christy’s recent gigs minded me of this passage from John Steinbeck’s “The Grapes of Wrath”
And perhaps a man brought out his guitar to the front of his tent. And he sat on a box to play, and everyone in the camp moved slowly in toward him. Many men can chord a guitar, but perhaps this man was a picker. There you have something – the deep chords beating, beating while the melody runs on the strings like little footsteps. Heavy hard fingers marching on the frets. The man played and the people moved slowly in on him until the circle was closed and tight, and then he sang, “Ten-Cent Cotton and Forty-Cent Meat.” And the circle sang softly with him. And he sang, “Why Do You Cut Your Hair, Girls ?” And the circle sang. He wailed the song, “I’m Leaving Old Texas,” that eerie song that was sung before the Spaniards came, only the words were Indian then.
And now the group was welded to one thing, one unit, so that in the dark the eyes of the people were inward, and their minds played in other times, and their sadness was like rest, like sleep. He sang the “McAlester Blues” and then, to make up for it to the older people, he sang “Jesus Calls Me to His Side.”
The children drowsed with the music and went into the tents to sleep, and the singing came into their dreams.
And after a while the man with the guitar stood up and yawned. Good night, folks, he said.
And they murmured, Good night to you too.
And each wished he could pick a guitar, because it is a gracious thing.
All the best
Bourkey
Steinbeck..once read, never forgotten….
way way back my dearly departed, very best, schoolboy friend was Pat (Meg)McGowan…in early teenage years he got me reading Steinbeck, Hemingway,Orwell et al..he continued his literary journey right thru life, his adult life lived and died in London Pat (Paul) McGowan..late of Moorefield Rd., Newbridge…Son of Joe & Etna, brother of Maureen, Sheila, Turlough,Brian and Frank (Panto)…. we shared many wonderful experience as young Gasúns…
Hey Christy!
A long shot, but worth the punt – I’m currently in the Sahara Desert (as part of a charity drive from Armagh through Africa to raise funds for the Cancer Fund for Children) and all being well – hope to be home in time to see you in the Carrickdale Hotel on 11th Nov…! Would there be any possibility of including The Voyage in your setlist for my wife Orla – we used it in our wedding ceremony, and 5 children later – it holds even greater connotations for us. Sincere thanks for any consideration and see you in due course. Beir bua! Brendan
get out of that Sahara before the cement arrives
Christy ola,
Today in the park some of us sang Sickbed of Kilcullen …frank ryan bought me whisky etc…
Six of us also sang, as we walked round madrid, Viva La Quinta Brigada, and clapped along in memory of all those great men who fought and died in spain.
La luta continua
Rory
no doubt about it Rory..you is livin the dream
Hello Christy,
A tune for travelling homeward today.
https://youtu.be/Q8riZlnDdHs
It’s wild out there this morning.
Rebecca
blissful chanter
Hi Christy,
Loved the concert in Armagh on `Thursday, we (RebeccaH) were sat to your right. Great to hear how your set list changes, I thought about calling out for North and South of the River but wasn’t sure it that was the right call.
Thanks for the compliment about my singing, you were more kind than I deserved
Thanks Steve
Steve
it would have been the perfect call..next time, do not hesitate (no one else does !!) hope your reeds are behaving themselves…
Went to see Christy live there a few weeks ago in the Armagh City Hotel and I have to honestly say that it was one of the greatest concerts I’ve been to. Christy, his guitar and his stories lit up a packed City Hotel with melodies flowing in the air from row to row and from seat to seat, Christy had us all in the palm of his hand. I loved Christy inviting the young lad Miceal up for Nancy Spain (one of my personal favourites), such a lovely gesture that not only will the young talented lad remember but all of us the audience. Thanks Christy for a brilliant evening of music in my hometown of Armagh. Keep er lit!
keep coming back Sara..thats the kinda talk we like to hear !
I love that room…its as good as any Concert Hall (made so by those who gather for the songs)
Hello Christy,
It was a good day yesterday. We visited Silver Strand beach at Glencolmcille and walked along the cliffs there.
Glorious
I took a panorama shot. There were about 8 of us there but most people headed down the steps to the beach.
https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=pfbid036E6dfj1fy76LprpCDu84GeVwwk4FZVfPsTnnx8istX9eWexEyHxmAQ5VNc4Aapy6l&id=847680135
Rebecca
happy times
Hi Christy,
In the transit ( no weekend in amsterdam sadly) to support the boys in green in madrid against franco’s allies in the battle for madrid, viva la quinta brigada
Rory
Adelante !
First heard Planxty when I was 13! Instantly knew it was the music for me! Thanks Boss!
I did’nt hear them until I was 26
Thanks for the reply Christy.
Until very recently The Voyage for me has a meaning of coming together to ride the Strom of live and love.
Over the past few weeks, when listening to it, it has a new meaning when I listen to the words… I think of my journey of me through tough times and coming out the other side re. Mental health and having the support around you to ride that storm and together with me and the support network around you… All is gd x
Maybe an idea when you sing it on the 29th Nov in Vicar Street have that in your mind… It’s brings a new meaning in today’s times for everyone.
Thank you
Julie Higgins, Up Dunloy lol x
sounds good Julie
Hello Christy,
We’re in Donegal for a few days before heading home. We’re in a cottage in Teelin. I think my harp has put down roots.
I sat and played it yesterday, and as I sang Little Musgrave I reflected on how my life has been transformed by hearing and listening to your music. I’ve learnt a whole new instrument, Sung my heart out, discovered a new country. Its a great journey.
When I was a kid, halloween was all about making ghost costumes out of old sheets and going round the neighbour’s saying “trick or treat”. They gave us sweets or pennies. These days the kids come round with their mums. They wear costumes they’ve bought in the supermarket It’s lost its soul. I give them sweets.
I preferred Guy Fawkes night, when we celebrated the man who tried to blow up parliament. November 5th.
Wed build a bonfire in the garden. My dad would let off a few fireworks but the fire was the best bit.
We ate baked potatoes and parkin.
It’s a kind or gingerbread with black treacle and oats in it.
My mum made it a week in advance and it sat in a tin till the day, getting all luscious and sticky.
“Remember, remember the fifth of November
Gunpowder, treason and plot”
Rebecca
I heard Liam Clancy when I was 16…that changed my direction