Great to make it to Naas for last nights gig.. such energy and emotion in the room, brought us on the journey once again.. your tributes to the great women; Veronica Guerin, Lyra McKee and Ann Lovett still ring out this morning..
Christy's reply
hope you found your way back to Cavan…cross country is the divil…the Motorway shorter i the long run..provided you dont met Chief Inspector Martin Callinan ( retired on FULL pension)
Hello Christy,
Thank you to you and John Liverpool. Companeras! I like it. It makes we feel proud and like I belong.
I don’t know if you remember. Ages ago I mentioned a song about Robim Hood at Kirklees Hall. Child ballad 120B. There’s loads of Robin Hood Lore and energy round Kirklees Hall, it’s sited at one end of Brighouse.
Anyway, I started working on the song yesterday. There are a couple of recordings, all using different tunes..so I’m searching for a tune.
Bertrand Harris Bronson published a companion set to the Child ballads in 1959 called Traditional Tunes of the Child Ballads. I’ve done a bit od research online. It looks like there is no tune for 120B..
So…. I’m wondering about Wally Page’s Hachensacher. Fab tune, I love it. But I’m not confident. I know that I’m weak at tunes.
I wonder please, if you get time would you mind commenting. I’d really appreciate your thoughts. This is a precious local song of great age. I can’t make a mess of it, it has to be as good as I can make ir. I’ll try to post the words.
Rebecca
Christy's reply
regrets…very tied up here with my own process….wrestling with lyrics chords shapes refrains intros outros keys…cant wrestle with Robin at the mo
en route to collect grandkids from school I passed local shops. A young guy was playing tasty guitar through a sharp PA…as I got closer I was treated to a lovely version of Beeswing…I stopped to chat and make a donation…he was no older than 25 and was building his repertoire from songs he first heard in singarounds, then YouTube etc…
He really likes your take on Beeswing and we discussed the genius of Richard Thompson and a variety of singers. At my mention of John Martyn he looked blank and asked for confirmation of a name that was new to him…hopefully, as I type, a young busker is glued to YouTube and learning May You Never…
Now running behind. schedule, I turned to go…as an immaculate opening to James Taylor’s Fire and Rain rang out. I dragged myself away as I knew the young kids wouldn t buy the reason for them being detained from freedom. Sun and music keeping grandad spirits high..
Enjoy tomorrow’s gig
Dave
Christy's reply
like everything else in the world Busking has moved with the times….I particularly recall a number of Buskers from my travels….its a performance art that has changed completely…The Pecker Dunne was the first busker I encounterd…I heard him before a Kildare v Dublin GAA game in my home town over 60 years ago….then Abi Wallenstein in Hamburg who came on the road with me for a German Tour….Old Davey Johnson with his Piano Accordeon in a supermarket doorway in Fife….a lovely couple who used to play upon the streets of Cork, accordeon and fiddle I think, eccentric gentle and moving….theres a man on You Tube playing a Saw in Belfast…Maggie Barry shone …..herself and Michael Gorman travelled aplenty
a lot of buskers now use PA systems and blast out ….thats the way the world goes…everythings gotta be louder then everything else…
PS I assumed this was from Hawick until I got to the end and discovered it was fron Suffragette City
Looking forward to Killashee tonight Christy! Gang of women from Ventry will be in the audience—- you might even sing St Brendan! Either way looking forward to the gig !!!
I am not sure if this is a suitable place for a request so apologies if not.
Is it possible you could sing Ride On for Yenz Yu who has come from Fujian in China to see you in kilashee tonight. She is a big fan. She was once next in line to meet you but you got called away just before she had the chance.
Thank you, and enjoy the night.
Justin
Christy's reply
there is no more suitable place…
may Yenz Yu enjoy her visit to the Short Grass County…
Barney was on a flight sitting beside Luke Kelly.
He was nervous of the flying and Luke tried to reassure him
“Barney, if your time is up your time is up.
Have a drink and relax” He did and he did.
But after awhile piped up
“Luke, what if the pilots time is up ?”
Legend and gentleman
Here’s an oul snap from the past Christy! Barney havin’ a barbie and who should turn up! Alice chasing Barneys chickens around Donnycarney! And the Sweed’s lookin’ worried thinkin’ the Volvos are in trouble! https://twitter.com/peterkidder/status/1401962348915531797/photo/1
Christy's reply
love that..our beloved Barney McKenna still sending out the good vibrations
Hello Christy,
This last weekend we went for a meal in the local pub, the dusty Miller. On the next table was a woman very like me, taking her two elderly parents out for lunch. I felt how lucky she was to have them both. I spent the rest of the day mourning my mother. Since she died I’ve felt her in my heart and its made it ok. On Sunday it wasn’t ok. I light a candle for her every Monday.
I’m very sorry if the poem I posted upset you.
I’m taking a few days leave from work. Going to learn some new songs.
Lemon Sevens, Curragh of Kildare, two others that I can’t remember, I’ve got them written down.
Rebecca
Christy's reply
far from upsetting me..it reminded me of the beauty I’ve found in some of Seamus Heaney’s poetry..the imagery created in “Mid Term Break” is familiar territory to many who suffered family bereavement at an early age…
What a great show in MULLINGAR on March 2nd. Well done Christy. My young lad came home from Switzerland with his girlfriend, just to see you. (Didn’t mind if he saw me at all. )
You are a master with words and music. Thank you. 👏👏👏🤗
Christy's reply
Both myself and the Crew felt that Mullingar gig on Mar 2nd went very well… from the off it just seemed to flow..the audience were so receptive and willing to engage with new material…that room has been very good to us ..played it every year since it opened..the management and staff have always been 100% behind us….glad U3 had a good night..thanks for feedback
Greetings from the Antipodes, Christy. Very happy to have acquired a ticket to your show in Castlebar, Co. Mayo 28 October. Wonderful. I first saw you perform at the State Theatre Sydney in the early 2000s, I believe your last long haul down here, then the last time was 2018 in Ballybunion.
I am spending all October in your country doing a bit of very inept guitar ing and singing in the pub sessions there and some equally unskilled surfing on the West Coast. Your show will be the highlight of my trip this year.
Ride on, Christy.
Christy's reply
OK Phil
happy travels
hope you catch some tasty sessions and mighty rollers
I’m looking forward to getting back to the TFT in Castlebar
Hi All. This is ‘ off topic’ but may be of interest ? Tonight on http://www.tg4.ie at 21.30 and actually repeated at 3.15 am, there is a documentary on the musical partnership and enduring friendship between Chicago born of Kerry parents Dennis Cahill (RIP) and Martin Hayes it should be available globally and on the player afterwards. It follows their journey along the river of sound, their determination to be true to tradition while also being innovative, it’s poignant but also very funny at times. Looking forward to the gig on IWD on Weds. Beir bua agus beannacht. H
Christy's reply
we got to see this on the big screen at the IFI…..a beautiful tribute to Dennis….well done to all concerned….Martin in particular……
PS We missed Matt Purcell
Mid-Term Break
BY SEAMUS HEANEY
I sat all morning in the college sick bay
Counting bells knelling classes to a close.
At two o’clock our neighbours drove me home.
In the porch I met my father crying—
He had always taken funerals in his stride—
And Big Jim Evans saying it was a hard blow.
The baby cooed and laughed and rocked the pram
When I came in, and I was embarrassed
By old men standing up to shake my hand
And tell me they were ‘sorry for my trouble’.
Whispers informed strangers I was the eldest,
Away at school, as my mother held my hand
In hers and coughed out angry tearless sighs.
At ten o’clock the ambulance arrived
With the corpse, stanched and bandaged by the nurses.
Next morning I went up into the room. Snowdrops
And candles soothed the bedside; I saw him
For the first time in six weeks. Paler now,
Wearing a poppy bruise on his left temple,
He lay in the four-foot box as in his cot.
No gaudy scars, the bumper knocked him clear.
A four-foot box, a foot for every year.
Christy's reply
Seamus brings me right back to Oct 8th 1956…the day our Daddy died….
Yon potato feud got me thinking about what we call bread. It’s a quagmire of confusion round here. https://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/opinion/2124791.barmy-call-bread-bun-teacake/
Here a teacake is the thing, the ones with currants are called currant teacakes.
In sandwich shops we usually call it a draw and ask for “cheese salad on white”.
Hello Christy,
We’re heading up to Giggleswick today. Steve’s pipes teacher has moved up there. It’s ages since I’ve been in that lovely spot. Might wander into Settle while all the chanting and droning is happening.
She spent seven days creating the World, the Sun the Moon and the Stars
The Plough, and the Milky Way, then Jupiter and Mars
Then She opened up her rib cage, pulled out a little man
She put him down near Timahoe, that’s where it all began
No worries. I’ll battle on alone. May your musical exertions bear fruit.
Great to make it to Naas for last nights gig.. such energy and emotion in the room, brought us on the journey once again.. your tributes to the great women; Veronica Guerin, Lyra McKee and Ann Lovett still ring out this morning..
hope you found your way back to Cavan…cross country is the divil…the Motorway shorter i the long run..provided you dont met Chief Inspector Martin Callinan ( retired on FULL pension)
Hello Christy,
Thank you to you and John Liverpool. Companeras! I like it. It makes we feel proud and like I belong.
I don’t know if you remember. Ages ago I mentioned a song about Robim Hood at Kirklees Hall. Child ballad 120B. There’s loads of Robin Hood Lore and energy round Kirklees Hall, it’s sited at one end of Brighouse.
Anyway, I started working on the song yesterday. There are a couple of recordings, all using different tunes..so I’m searching for a tune.
Bertrand Harris Bronson published a companion set to the Child ballads in 1959 called Traditional Tunes of the Child Ballads. I’ve done a bit od research online. It looks like there is no tune for 120B..
So…. I’m wondering about Wally Page’s Hachensacher. Fab tune, I love it. But I’m not confident. I know that I’m weak at tunes.
I wonder please, if you get time would you mind commenting. I’d really appreciate your thoughts. This is a precious local song of great age. I can’t make a mess of it, it has to be as good as I can make ir. I’ll try to post the words.
Rebecca
regrets…very tied up here with my own process….wrestling with lyrics chords shapes refrains intros outros keys…cant wrestle with Robin at the mo
Christy, just like to wish all our companeras a very happy International Womans Day.
Cumann na mBan
Christy
A heartening tale from a sunny afternoon ramble…
en route to collect grandkids from school I passed local shops. A young guy was playing tasty guitar through a sharp PA…as I got closer I was treated to a lovely version of Beeswing…I stopped to chat and make a donation…he was no older than 25 and was building his repertoire from songs he first heard in singarounds, then YouTube etc…
He really likes your take on Beeswing and we discussed the genius of Richard Thompson and a variety of singers. At my mention of John Martyn he looked blank and asked for confirmation of a name that was new to him…hopefully, as I type, a young busker is glued to YouTube and learning May You Never…
Now running behind. schedule, I turned to go…as an immaculate opening to James Taylor’s Fire and Rain rang out. I dragged myself away as I knew the young kids wouldn t buy the reason for them being detained from freedom. Sun and music keeping grandad spirits high..
Enjoy tomorrow’s gig
Dave
like everything else in the world Busking has moved with the times….I particularly recall a number of Buskers from my travels….its a performance art that has changed completely…The Pecker Dunne was the first busker I encounterd…I heard him before a Kildare v Dublin GAA game in my home town over 60 years ago….then Abi Wallenstein in Hamburg who came on the road with me for a German Tour….Old Davey Johnson with his Piano Accordeon in a supermarket doorway in Fife….a lovely couple who used to play upon the streets of Cork, accordeon and fiddle I think, eccentric gentle and moving….theres a man on You Tube playing a Saw in Belfast…Maggie Barry shone …..herself and Michael Gorman travelled aplenty
a lot of buskers now use PA systems and blast out ….thats the way the world goes…everythings gotta be louder then everything else…
PS I assumed this was from Hawick until I got to the end and discovered it was fron Suffragette City
Looking forward to Killashee tonight Christy! Gang of women from Ventry will be in the audience—- you might even sing St Brendan! Either way looking forward to the gig !!!
we’ll have to be on our toes tonight….
Hi Christy,
I am not sure if this is a suitable place for a request so apologies if not.
Is it possible you could sing Ride On for Yenz Yu who has come from Fujian in China to see you in kilashee tonight. She is a big fan. She was once next in line to meet you but you got called away just before she had the chance.
Thank you, and enjoy the night.
Justin
there is no more suitable place…
may Yenz Yu enjoy her visit to the Short Grass County…
Barney was on a flight sitting beside Luke Kelly.
He was nervous of the flying and Luke tried to reassure him
“Barney, if your time is up your time is up.
Have a drink and relax” He did and he did.
But after awhile piped up
“Luke, what if the pilots time is up ?”
Legend and gentleman
Thank goodness that never happened.
They could have been called BAABBA…
Here’s an oul snap from the past Christy! Barney havin’ a barbie and who should turn up! Alice chasing Barneys chickens around Donnycarney! And the Sweed’s lookin’ worried thinkin’ the Volvos are in trouble!
https://twitter.com/peterkidder/status/1401962348915531797/photo/1
love that..our beloved Barney McKenna still sending out the good vibrations
Hello Christy,
This last weekend we went for a meal in the local pub, the dusty Miller. On the next table was a woman very like me, taking her two elderly parents out for lunch. I felt how lucky she was to have them both. I spent the rest of the day mourning my mother. Since she died I’ve felt her in my heart and its made it ok. On Sunday it wasn’t ok. I light a candle for her every Monday.
I’m very sorry if the poem I posted upset you.
I’m taking a few days leave from work. Going to learn some new songs.
Lemon Sevens, Curragh of Kildare, two others that I can’t remember, I’ve got them written down.
Rebecca
far from upsetting me..it reminded me of the beauty I’ve found in some of Seamus Heaney’s poetry..the imagery created in “Mid Term Break” is familiar territory to many who suffered family bereavement at an early age…
What a great show in MULLINGAR on March 2nd. Well done Christy. My young lad came home from Switzerland with his girlfriend, just to see you. (Didn’t mind if he saw me at all. )
You are a master with words and music. Thank you. 👏👏👏🤗
Both myself and the Crew felt that Mullingar gig on Mar 2nd went very well… from the off it just seemed to flow..the audience were so receptive and willing to engage with new material…that room has been very good to us ..played it every year since it opened..the management and staff have always been 100% behind us….glad U3 had a good night..thanks for feedback
Greetings from the Antipodes, Christy. Very happy to have acquired a ticket to your show in Castlebar, Co. Mayo 28 October. Wonderful. I first saw you perform at the State Theatre Sydney in the early 2000s, I believe your last long haul down here, then the last time was 2018 in Ballybunion.
I am spending all October in your country doing a bit of very inept guitar ing and singing in the pub sessions there and some equally unskilled surfing on the West Coast. Your show will be the highlight of my trip this year.
Ride on, Christy.
OK Phil
happy travels
hope you catch some tasty sessions and mighty rollers
I’m looking forward to getting back to the TFT in Castlebar
I’ve TG4 on now.
Just great.
Hi All. This is ‘ off topic’ but may be of interest ? Tonight on http://www.tg4.ie at 21.30 and actually repeated at 3.15 am, there is a documentary on the musical partnership and enduring friendship between Chicago born of Kerry parents Dennis Cahill (RIP) and Martin Hayes it should be available globally and on the player afterwards. It follows their journey along the river of sound, their determination to be true to tradition while also being innovative, it’s poignant but also very funny at times. Looking forward to the gig on IWD on Weds. Beir bua agus beannacht. H
we got to see this on the big screen at the IFI…..a beautiful tribute to Dennis….well done to all concerned….Martin in particular……
PS We missed Matt Purcell
Here is the last of the set.
https://youtu.be/ddRTztL6V4w
Mid-Term Break
BY SEAMUS HEANEY
I sat all morning in the college sick bay
Counting bells knelling classes to a close.
At two o’clock our neighbours drove me home.
In the porch I met my father crying—
He had always taken funerals in his stride—
And Big Jim Evans saying it was a hard blow.
The baby cooed and laughed and rocked the pram
When I came in, and I was embarrassed
By old men standing up to shake my hand
And tell me they were ‘sorry for my trouble’.
Whispers informed strangers I was the eldest,
Away at school, as my mother held my hand
In hers and coughed out angry tearless sighs.
At ten o’clock the ambulance arrived
With the corpse, stanched and bandaged by the nurses.
Next morning I went up into the room. Snowdrops
And candles soothed the bedside; I saw him
For the first time in six weeks. Paler now,
Wearing a poppy bruise on his left temple,
He lay in the four-foot box as in his cot.
No gaudy scars, the bumper knocked him clear.
A four-foot box, a foot for every year.
Seamus brings me right back to Oct 8th 1956…the day our Daddy died….
Hello Christy,
It looks like a very powerful exhibition.
https://www.kerlingallery.com/artists/brian-maguire#tab:thumbnails;tab-1:slideshow;tab-2:slideshow
Rebecca
Yon potato feud got me thinking about what we call bread. It’s a quagmire of confusion round here.
https://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/opinion/2124791.barmy-call-bread-bun-teacake/
Here a teacake is the thing, the ones with currants are called currant teacakes.
In sandwich shops we usually call it a draw and ask for “cheese salad on white”.
Hello Christy,
We’re heading up to Giggleswick today. Steve’s pipes teacher has moved up there. It’s ages since I’ve been in that lovely spot. Might wander into Settle while all the chanting and droning is happening.
She spent seven days creating the World, the Sun the Moon and the Stars
The Plough, and the Milky Way, then Jupiter and Mars
Then She opened up her rib cage, pulled out a little man
She put him down near Timahoe, that’s where it all began
Rebecca