Hello Christy,
Thankyou for all the sore throat remedies. It’s reassuring to see your depth of knowledge about getting the vocal chords revving like a kitten.
Just sitting here in the workroom this morning, drinking black coffee. The yew harp is sitting beside me, looking as gorgeous as ever. The beauty will be returning very near to home tomorrow. Made in Peebles.
I’ve been eating, sleeping and breathing songs this last week. I always practise, but there’s something different about the prep before a gig, isn’t there. I go to sleep singing songs, dream gigs and wake up still singing them. It’s a good place to be.
I’m looking forward to meeting Rory and Scotty, the soundman, tomorrow. I’ll pack today, as its an early start in the morning.
I’m really looking forward to tonight’s gig. Arrived in Dublin last night, settled into my hotel room and charged up my Leap card for the DART ride to Dún Laoghaire. Also interested to see what the Pavilion is like, I’ve never been inside before.
I said to Hank Williams, how lonely does it get ?
Hank Williams hasn’t answered yet.
But I hear him coughing all night long.
Oh, a hundred floors above me in the Tower of Song
Just washed me ears out with some Flying into Mystery, then dried off with some Clancy Brothers & Tommy Makim.
Nice way to start the day. “Officially” retired in a week so the next chapter of life yawns open.
It will feature love & fun & music & nonsense & rabid sports following
Gliding into Curiosity
Keep it up Christy – it’s a joy to behold
Danny Harris, with Father Time snapping at my heels
Christy's reply
“you could ate your fry off the back of her neck”…..
sang the Sixteen Fishermen Raving,
out on the Town on E
Sixteen Peacocks leave their nest
and go Flying into Mystery
Hi Christy , my wife (Teresa) & I are looking forward to seeing you in Dun Laoghaire tomorrow night & I’m wondering if there’s any chance that you’d please sing Little Musgrave?
I’ve been going to your gigs for over 40 years.
The first one was in the Abbey Tavern in Howth around 1980 & you had Ralph Mc Tell on as a guest……do you remember that one??
Many thanks!
Christy's reply
Hey Foxy….you’ve put me on the spot….its a great song..one I’ve not sung “live” (but once) since the last Planxty gig in London in 2005….
“I’d gladly give one hundred pounds to be on yonder plain”
I often sings it here to myself in the tower of song
maybe I’ll sing it tonight Foxy but ,truth be told, its unlikely
that said, anything can happen when the lights go down..
we’ll just have to wait and see..
I’m still in the scratcher here
recovering from last nights fun
Hi Christy,
Here it is, the night before musical Christmas in Hawick.
Friday we have The Voice event for kids followed by Belfast’s Joshua Burnside at night giving us joy with his gig.
Saturday, despite the weather, we have Buskers all over the town, a couple of daytimeshows including our favourite Yorkshire harpist, with musical workshops too.
At night theres a Blues band gig and also a DJ with punk and reggae of course.
Sunday is an open air show followed by local songsmiths in an already near sell out gig to end the day.
It is the enthusiasm of forums like yours that increases the energy, apetite and confidence for us all.
Hawick is the place for live music.
Rory
Christy's reply
May the light shine down upon all of your endeavours
May the assembled throng find glory as good sounds reverberate
May the Reggae and Harp, the Blues and Punk bring Ecstacy to Hawick
May you be as happy as a dog with two mickies…..
……we kicked off again last night…after a month long lull we returned to the collosseum of song….cobwebs soon blown away as the assembled gaggle provided fuel for lift off…Giuseppe and Scapegoats appeared in a 30 song set that verged upon the two hour mark…the longest set since The Plague….our grandaughter,6 year old Sylvie, was in attendance….she lasted almost 90 minutes
I certainly shall,many thanks.
Have a friend who is also going to show me Tamlaghtduff the next day.
Thanks
Rory
Christy's reply
From Musgrave Park to Crumlin Road
then to an H Block Cell
He went straight On The Blanket
then on Hunger Strike as well
altho his weapon had been changed
to a Blanket from a gun
Francis Hughes was Number Two
when The Hunger Strke Begun
Hi christy,
Bbc radio 4 have a series starting this sunday 4.30pm on the greatest poet of my years.
Seamus Heaney ( a british poet apparently….) digging is such a beautiful, meaningful piece , for one tiny example.
It is to my shame i am yet to attend his home place bellaghy centre when its open, and i shall remedy that.
I saw he and liam in their poet and piper tour, bliss.
Rory
Christy's reply
if you are ever gonna visit Bellaghy..I can recommend lodgings
I watched that film you mentioned a few nights ago, Between Two Women….and it was beautiful..I’m not a movie buff at all, but I was browsin away and remembered your mention…some things from the late 50’s must’ve hung around til the late 70’s or very early 80′ when I would’ve been the same age as young lad in the film. The simple toy of a space gun, putting the tracks together on the electric train etc…it was almost like being in the room at times…the whistle kettle etc…one thing made me want to hear it again, maybe silly, but the sound of the train doors closing..gorgeous…could almost feel how heavy they were…Last year here in our little square we had a 3 day visit of a film crew and cast, making ‘The Miracle Club’ which was lovely to stand and watch occasionally…it’s coming out soon with the brilliant Maggie Smith, and we were lucky enough to have here in the square for a couple of days, the equally brilliant Stephen Rea, Laura Linney and Kathy Bates…it’s out in the States I believe, but look forward to seeing it here next month…just your movie mention reminded me of it…
Christy's reply
Back in Newbridge in the 1950s we had two cinemas…The Odeon and The Palace….Films changed every two nights, matinees on Saturday and Sunday…Mr Brud Barry was the projectionist in The Palace, Paddy Kane in The Odeon….the Ushers that I recall were Celene Barry, Peggy Lowry, Mary Heffernan,Ms Woodgate….
I tell you Lar…..the world came to us…me and The Meg McGowan,Joe Coffey…I still recall the ‘romantic’ double seats coming in..not that we ever got to use them..twas a mortal sin even to think about such things..the everlasting fires of hell lurked round every corner…but that was all before your time Lar ..and you only a nipper…any duck eggs these days ?
In my youth, I was a chorister in St Martin’s choir in Brighouse. We learnt the 15th century carol, Sir Christmas
“Buvez bien, buvez bien
Par toute la compagnie.”
We werent doing too badly with the French until we went carol singing.
It was the custom to go to different people’s houses and sing to them in exchange for a tipple or two.
We were welcomed at a dozen or so houses and, by the end of it had descended into a rabble of Yorkshire oiks, barging about and bawling our heads off
Booveh bya, BOOvay byaN
ParTOOtuhluh COMpaneeeUH!!!
My throat was sore for days…
Christy's reply
honey,lemon, whiskey, lemon,sugar, kettle, brandy port, zubes, vit cccccc, slat gargle, hail marys, padre pio, holy water, rub of relic
Hello Christy,
How’s about the time they all set down for the scrum. Sinews are tightening and the energy rising.
The scrum half says, “I haven’t got the ball!”
Back come the reply, “Fxxk the ball, let’s get on with the game!”
Gotta love those forwards.
I agree about the selfie thing. Why waste time faffing about with your mobile when the time would be much better spent actually meeting someone. A chance encounter is a precious thing. The mobile is not.
Great news from http://www.davidrooney.com Some limited edition,high quality prints available…Inc the superb cover art for ‘Flying into Mystery’ (50 signed by your good self)…also, several from the powerfully poignant ‘Famine’ series …
Always good to hear of David Rooney updates. His website is always worth a visit.
Have a good day
Dave
Christy's reply
David Rooney’s etchings are unique,betimes harrowing but always beautiful
Christy I suspect when you’r out and about hardly a day goes by when your not stopped & asked fot an autograph (or a selfie). I know you have been luckey enougth to meet some of your musical heros, the likes of The Clancy Brothers & Ewan McCall as well as bumped into the likes of Ray Charles, Billy Connolly and Dame Edna on the road. I was wondering if you had an old autograph book amongst the treasures in your work room and if so whos names are in it?
I heard an interview with Donny Osmond a few days back where he said Paul McCartney once asked him for his autograph. Although the autograph was for McCartneys daughter (Mary) Osmond said he couldn’t believe Paul McCartney was asking him for his autograph and not the other way round, so I suppose your never to famous to ask for an autograph.
Christy's reply
I almost got Ronnie Delaney’s autograph after he won the 1500 Metres at the Melbourne Olympics in 1956….(it was in Croke Park ,behind the Old Hogan Stand , maybe 1957)
I got Mark Knobfler’s autograph in Sydney…it was for one of the family who,like myself, is a great admirer…
The selfie is the thing these days….it only happens for me in and around gig situations…most of the time I can move around unnoticed …a little auld fella in a cap trying to remember where he parked the car….or did I come by bus…
sometimes I’ll say to the selfie sham, never mind the photo, lets just have a chat…but they dont have time for the like of that old fashioned behaviour…ah shite and onions
Hello Christy,
I love watching the scrums in rugby. Sounds like you guys were pretty damn good at them in the Corinthians. I dreamt last night about a sport called Meatball. It seemed completely sensible at the time…
Dunno about tha cable thing…. I might be bundling it all up together and sending it away.
Cecil Sharpe house sounds like a great place to work. The early music shop was up a load of stairs in the centre of Bradford, when I was a kid. Then it moved to the top of town on Manningham Lane. It was upstairs from Woods music shop. I spent many happy hours there staring at harpsichords.
old tight head prop to young inexperienced scrum half
during a Munster Junior First Round Cup Tie
between Cashel and Thomond in 1964
“dont you ever pass that ball to me again”
Hi Christy, if I’m well informed you and your wife have (or had) something special to celebrate this year. I send you congratulations and wish you both many more years together.
Hi Christy,
I was listening to the early years on the wander in to the office today, Home By Bearna is such a great tune it fairly made me skip on to work.
So i looked for the video of it with you driving that Blue box van , and found it on the You Tùbe site of a collection of videos by Alan Donohoe.
Jings there are some real crackers in there, so flicking through the scores of videos i see a few that you might like to peruse whilst waiting for some sunshine.
Among them are a grainy old video of Donal Lunny and 2 others playing at what looks like a rainy Croke park in 1968 with a title Emmet Spiceland.
Margaret Barry sings The Blarney Stone on another.
Theres yourself on a late,late with Connolly was there.
For your homestead Cill Dara Abu 2012 song by Paddy Mangan.
Following that same theme Feadog ( paddy kavanagh) with Sweet County Kildare with a lovely river flowing under the bridge.
Newbridge ( i remember visiting Jayo there after he moved back across the Irish Sea) have their St Patrick’s day parade in yet another.
To top it off Donal has a Bouzouki solo from 79 in another video.
I could go on invading Rebecca’s video link territory but i have to get back to work and i struggle with technology anyway.
Hope you can enjoy.
Rory
Hello Christy,
Thankyou for all the sore throat remedies. It’s reassuring to see your depth of knowledge about getting the vocal chords revving like a kitten.
Just sitting here in the workroom this morning, drinking black coffee. The yew harp is sitting beside me, looking as gorgeous as ever. The beauty will be returning very near to home tomorrow. Made in Peebles.
I’ve been eating, sleeping and breathing songs this last week. I always practise, but there’s something different about the prep before a gig, isn’t there. I go to sleep singing songs, dream gigs and wake up still singing them. It’s a good place to be.
I’m looking forward to meeting Rory and Scotty, the soundman, tomorrow. I’ll pack today, as its an early start in the morning.
Yippee!
Rebecca
Hi Christy,
I’m really looking forward to tonight’s gig. Arrived in Dublin last night, settled into my hotel room and charged up my Leap card for the DART ride to Dún Laoghaire. Also interested to see what the Pavilion is like, I’ve never been inside before.
All the best,
Anne
I said to Hank Williams, how lonely does it get ?
Hank Williams hasn’t answered yet.
But I hear him coughing all night long.
Oh, a hundred floors above me in the Tower of Song
Just washed me ears out with some Flying into Mystery, then dried off with some Clancy Brothers & Tommy Makim.
Nice way to start the day. “Officially” retired in a week so the next chapter of life yawns open.
It will feature love & fun & music & nonsense & rabid sports following
Gliding into Curiosity
Keep it up Christy – it’s a joy to behold
Danny Harris, with Father Time snapping at my heels
“you could ate your fry off the back of her neck”…..
sang the Sixteen Fishermen Raving,
out on the Town on E
Sixteen Peacocks leave their nest
and go Flying into Mystery
Hi Christy , my wife (Teresa) & I are looking forward to seeing you in Dun Laoghaire tomorrow night & I’m wondering if there’s any chance that you’d please sing Little Musgrave?
I’ve been going to your gigs for over 40 years.
The first one was in the Abbey Tavern in Howth around 1980 & you had Ralph Mc Tell on as a guest……do you remember that one??
Many thanks!
Hey Foxy….you’ve put me on the spot….its a great song..one I’ve not sung “live” (but once) since the last Planxty gig in London in 2005….
“I’d gladly give one hundred pounds to be on yonder plain”
I often sings it here to myself in the tower of song
maybe I’ll sing it tonight Foxy but ,truth be told, its unlikely
that said, anything can happen when the lights go down..
we’ll just have to wait and see..
I’m still in the scratcher here
recovering from last nights fun
Hi Christy,
Here it is, the night before musical Christmas in Hawick.
Friday we have The Voice event for kids followed by Belfast’s Joshua Burnside at night giving us joy with his gig.
Saturday, despite the weather, we have Buskers all over the town, a couple of daytimeshows including our favourite Yorkshire harpist, with musical workshops too.
At night theres a Blues band gig and also a DJ with punk and reggae of course.
Sunday is an open air show followed by local songsmiths in an already near sell out gig to end the day.
It is the enthusiasm of forums like yours that increases the energy, apetite and confidence for us all.
Hawick is the place for live music.
Rory
May the light shine down upon all of your endeavours
May the assembled throng find glory as good sounds reverberate
May the Reggae and Harp, the Blues and Punk bring Ecstacy to Hawick
May you be as happy as a dog with two mickies…..
……we kicked off again last night…after a month long lull we returned to the collosseum of song….cobwebs soon blown away as the assembled gaggle provided fuel for lift off…Giuseppe and Scapegoats appeared in a 30 song set that verged upon the two hour mark…the longest set since The Plague….our grandaughter,6 year old Sylvie, was in attendance….she lasted almost 90 minutes
I certainly shall,many thanks.
Have a friend who is also going to show me Tamlaghtduff the next day.
Thanks
Rory
From Musgrave Park to Crumlin Road
then to an H Block Cell
He went straight On The Blanket
then on Hunger Strike as well
altho his weapon had been changed
to a Blanket from a gun
Francis Hughes was Number Two
when The Hunger Strke Begun
Hi christy,
Bbc radio 4 have a series starting this sunday 4.30pm on the greatest poet of my years.
Seamus Heaney ( a british poet apparently….) digging is such a beautiful, meaningful piece , for one tiny example.
It is to my shame i am yet to attend his home place bellaghy centre when its open, and i shall remedy that.
I saw he and liam in their poet and piper tour, bliss.
Rory
if you are ever gonna visit Bellaghy..I can recommend lodgings
I watched that film you mentioned a few nights ago, Between Two Women….and it was beautiful..I’m not a movie buff at all, but I was browsin away and remembered your mention…some things from the late 50’s must’ve hung around til the late 70’s or very early 80′ when I would’ve been the same age as young lad in the film. The simple toy of a space gun, putting the tracks together on the electric train etc…it was almost like being in the room at times…the whistle kettle etc…one thing made me want to hear it again, maybe silly, but the sound of the train doors closing..gorgeous…could almost feel how heavy they were…Last year here in our little square we had a 3 day visit of a film crew and cast, making ‘The Miracle Club’ which was lovely to stand and watch occasionally…it’s coming out soon with the brilliant Maggie Smith, and we were lucky enough to have here in the square for a couple of days, the equally brilliant Stephen Rea, Laura Linney and Kathy Bates…it’s out in the States I believe, but look forward to seeing it here next month…just your movie mention reminded me of it…
Back in Newbridge in the 1950s we had two cinemas…The Odeon and The Palace….Films changed every two nights, matinees on Saturday and Sunday…Mr Brud Barry was the projectionist in The Palace, Paddy Kane in The Odeon….the Ushers that I recall were Celene Barry, Peggy Lowry, Mary Heffernan,Ms Woodgate….
I tell you Lar…..the world came to us…me and The Meg McGowan,Joe Coffey…I still recall the ‘romantic’ double seats coming in..not that we ever got to use them..twas a mortal sin even to think about such things..the everlasting fires of hell lurked round every corner…but that was all before your time Lar ..and you only a nipper…any duck eggs these days ?
In my youth, I was a chorister in St Martin’s choir in Brighouse. We learnt the 15th century carol, Sir Christmas
“Buvez bien, buvez bien
Par toute la compagnie.”
We werent doing too badly with the French until we went carol singing.
It was the custom to go to different people’s houses and sing to them in exchange for a tipple or two.
We were welcomed at a dozen or so houses and, by the end of it had descended into a rabble of Yorkshire oiks, barging about and bawling our heads off
Booveh bya, BOOvay byaN
ParTOOtuhluh COMpaneeeUH!!!
My throat was sore for days…
honey,lemon, whiskey, lemon,sugar, kettle, brandy port, zubes, vit cccccc, slat gargle, hail marys, padre pio, holy water, rub of relic
Hello Christy,
How’s about the time they all set down for the scrum. Sinews are tightening and the energy rising.
The scrum half says, “I haven’t got the ball!”
Back come the reply, “Fxxk the ball, let’s get on with the game!”
Gotta love those forwards.
I agree about the selfie thing. Why waste time faffing about with your mobile when the time would be much better spent actually meeting someone. A chance encounter is a precious thing. The mobile is not.
Rebecca
Mornin Christy
Great news from http://www.davidrooney.com Some limited edition,high quality prints available…Inc the superb cover art for ‘Flying into Mystery’ (50 signed by your good self)…also, several from the powerfully poignant ‘Famine’ series …
Always good to hear of David Rooney updates. His website is always worth a visit.
Have a good day
Dave
David Rooney’s etchings are unique,betimes harrowing but always beautiful
Christy I suspect when you’r out and about hardly a day goes by when your not stopped & asked fot an autograph (or a selfie). I know you have been luckey enougth to meet some of your musical heros, the likes of The Clancy Brothers & Ewan McCall as well as bumped into the likes of Ray Charles, Billy Connolly and Dame Edna on the road. I was wondering if you had an old autograph book amongst the treasures in your work room and if so whos names are in it?
I heard an interview with Donny Osmond a few days back where he said Paul McCartney once asked him for his autograph. Although the autograph was for McCartneys daughter (Mary) Osmond said he couldn’t believe Paul McCartney was asking him for his autograph and not the other way round, so I suppose your never to famous to ask for an autograph.
I almost got Ronnie Delaney’s autograph after he won the 1500 Metres at the Melbourne Olympics in 1956….(it was in Croke Park ,behind the Old Hogan Stand , maybe 1957)
I got Mark Knobfler’s autograph in Sydney…it was for one of the family who,like myself, is a great admirer…
The selfie is the thing these days….it only happens for me in and around gig situations…most of the time I can move around unnoticed …a little auld fella in a cap trying to remember where he parked the car….or did I come by bus…
sometimes I’ll say to the selfie sham, never mind the photo, lets just have a chat…but they dont have time for the like of that old fashioned behaviour…ah shite and onions
Maybe this might do it.
https://youtube.com/@madfortrad5958
You never know…
madfortrad nails it
Hello Christy,
I love watching the scrums in rugby. Sounds like you guys were pretty damn good at them in the Corinthians. I dreamt last night about a sport called Meatball. It seemed completely sensible at the time…
Dunno about tha cable thing…. I might be bundling it all up together and sending it away.
Cecil Sharpe house sounds like a great place to work. The early music shop was up a load of stairs in the centre of Bradford, when I was a kid. Then it moved to the top of town on Manningham Lane. It was upstairs from Woods music shop. I spent many happy hours there staring at harpsichords.
Heres the little blue van
https://youtu.be/Kdxq3LEY4Vc
I’ll try to work out how to post a link to the list.
Rebecca
old tight head prop to young inexperienced scrum half
during a Munster Junior First Round Cup Tie
between Cashel and Thomond in 1964
“dont you ever pass that ball to me again”
Well in Gipp, thats the two i mentioned with seceral more unusual ones of cm, mb, cill etc on alan donohoe’s youtube list.
Rb
Hi Christy, if I’m well informed you and your wife have (or had) something special to celebrate this year. I send you congratulations and wish you both many more years together.
one day at a time Moeke…..thank you
And the 2nd one
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=831h8s92aaY
I almost went down the rabbit hole there
Would this be 2 of the links Rory?
https://www.rte.ie/archives/2017/0730/892654-emmet-spiceland/
Hi Christy,
I was listening to the early years on the wander in to the office today, Home By Bearna is such a great tune it fairly made me skip on to work.
So i looked for the video of it with you driving that Blue box van , and found it on the You Tùbe site of a collection of videos by Alan Donohoe.
Jings there are some real crackers in there, so flicking through the scores of videos i see a few that you might like to peruse whilst waiting for some sunshine.
Among them are a grainy old video of Donal Lunny and 2 others playing at what looks like a rainy Croke park in 1968 with a title Emmet Spiceland.
Margaret Barry sings The Blarney Stone on another.
Theres yourself on a late,late with Connolly was there.
For your homestead Cill Dara Abu 2012 song by Paddy Mangan.
Following that same theme Feadog ( paddy kavanagh) with Sweet County Kildare with a lovely river flowing under the bridge.
Newbridge ( i remember visiting Jayo there after he moved back across the Irish Sea) have their St Patrick’s day parade in yet another.
To top it off Donal has a Bouzouki solo from 79 in another video.
I could go on invading Rebecca’s video link territory but i have to get back to work and i struggle with technology anyway.
Hope you can enjoy.
Rory