Steve Cooney at Vicar St. – Sunday 30th September

Steve Cooney & Guests at Vicar St. – Sunday 30th September

A great clatter of us singers and musicians are gathering to celebrate and honour Steve Cooneys music. It promises to be a very special night. Please consider joining us all as we pay tribute to our comrade in tunes.

Click HERE for a clip of Steve on YouTube

As I went out by Galway Town, to seek for recreation

“As I went out by Galway Town, to seek for recreation”

One night last May, in Nuremore near Carrickmacross in the County of Monaghan, a woman’s voice quietly requested “The Curragh of Kildare”. I made mental note and continued to sing out into the night. It was a great gathering. My first time back in Kavanagh’s County for almost 10 years. Some time later the call came again “Please sing The Curragh”. Whatever way the woman asked, as her voice rang out alone in the midst of a cacophony of requests, I could not resist. I took a chance and fingered the opening chords; Declan followed me and broadened the canvas. Memories came flooding back. Visions of Donal Lunny and I working out this song (back in 1961) as we pored over P.W. Joyce’s collection of songs and melodies. That night, there in Nuremore, the memories flowed again as I segued carefully into Robbie Burns beautiful paean to absent love. Soon after, from way down the back of the hall, a man called out for the “Chinese Cockle Pickers”. We played Morecambe Bay and it was probably the song of the night. Recently the sets have been longer. That night 33 songs ran for 2 hours 14 minutes. It’s not something planned or discussed. It simply happens.

I was in Dublin City the other day. Inside the Black Lagoon doing a bit of banter for Newstalk FM with Tom Dunne. He does a daily talk show and also sings the music himself. Back in the mid 80’s Tom was in a band called Something Happens. They never broke up. They do a gig every year to keep the hand in, in case the day jobs fold. Tom also does a special bank holiday radio gig. A desert-island-disc sort of affair. I’m the castaway lined up for the August Bank Holiday or whenever. (You can listen to the show by clicking here) Anyways, I was in there for two hours rawmaishing amongst the rapscallions. Afterwards I went to the guitar shop for plectrums, strings, capos, a tuner, a strap and a bit of a yarn. Down the street I tried to buy a shirt but had to run out of the shop for it was full of magpies. I was ambling up Drury Street when I spotted a man I don’t meet every day. He was perfectly situated on the corner of an interesting intersection. Standing back into the corner he was in the sunniest place in The City. As I came towards his eyrie I quietly sang the opening verse of “The Boys of Barr na Sraide”. He never even looked my way but replied with a lovely poem from Sigerson Clifford. He spoke of Lyracrompane and Mickey McConnell, of days on the bog and of Civil War. How that awful war divided friendships and families. He spoke of John Joe Sheehy and his mid-field partner. He thought that Kerry would play The Gooch at full forward (they did). I shared a few words about The Lily Whites and then told him of a great song I got from Mick Blake of Leitrim Village. Going back to the bog I then described a song of my brothers that I was learning. We talked of John B Keane until the sun moved away from that perfect loitering corner. We both knew that it was time to part. I left him with a verse from John B’s. “O Cricklewood you stole my heart away”. It was Brendan Kennelly. That Kingdom Man of Poetry, of Trinity and of Humour, Kindness and Observation.

Three Nights in the Button Factory, Temple Bar, Dublin.

I wanted to do something a bit different. Paddy Doherty and Conor Byrne came up with the idea of doing 3 Monday Night Gigs in The Button Factory. (Conor is my nephew. He is a musician who also runs The Liffey Bank Music Sessions) I saw it as an opportunity to play with, and to hear, some of my favourite musicians. We contacted Liam O’Flynn, Laoise Kelly, Mairtín O’Connor, Cathal Hayden, Seamie O’Dowd, Jimmy Higgins and they were all up for it so Paddy and Conor got to work and pulled it all together. We had three great nights of music. The whole process left me wanting more. Singing in the midst of these players is pure pleasure. I liken it to being wrapped up in a cosy blanket of comfort and intense colour. We just gotta do it again.

Monday July 2nd

Liam O’Flynn and Laoise Kelly arrived into the venue at 5 and we got straight down to picking some tunes and running through the various pieces. So many memories came back when Liam began to play. Perhaps more than any other musician Liam’s music affects me deeply. It’s been 6 years since we last played together. The final concert of the last Planxty tour at the RFH London. I have never sung with Harp before. Since hearing Laoise Kelly play at The Bantry Masters a few years back I have wanted to sing with her accompaniment. All my hopes were fulfilled. Laoise has focus, discipline and great enthusiasm. Add these facets to her beautiful playing and singing with her was indeed a great experience. We had a great gig. We played…

1. Conor Byrnes Reels.

2. Magic Nights

3. Gortatagort

4. Amsterdam

5. Tyrone Boys

6. Veronica.

7. Michael Hayes

8. Wicklow Boy

9. Ruby Walsh

10. Stardust.

11. Brendan’s Voyage

12. Yellow Furze Woman (joined by Laoise Kelly)

13. Achill Air.

14. Wandering Aonghus

15. Back Home Derry

16. Puttin it off

17. Honda 50

18. Liam O Flynn’s Foxchase

19. The Gold Ring.

20. Ensemble… Sí¬ Bheag Sí Mhór

21. Cliffs of Dooneen

22. Raggle Taggle Gypsy

23. Chattering Magpie

24. Easter Snow

25. An phis fhliuch

26. Lord McDonalds

Monday July 9th

I was very excited by the prospect of playing with Mairtín O’Connor’s band. I had heard them playing earlier in the year and just loved their sound. I wrote a review of the gig (see chat Oct-Nov 2011).We met up at 4pm on the day of the gig and got down to it straight away. From the off it just clicked – 4 musicians all with an ear for the songs. The accompaniments fell into place quickly with lots of grace notes, rhythms, supporting riffs, lovely breaks. All the things a singer dreams of were here in abundance. We had a great time. It was like singing whilst flying on a magic carpet of sound. Not everyone agreed with me on this but I only consider my own feelings when writing these few words about my own experience. We played…

1. Conor Byrne’s Jigs

2. This is The Day

3. Morecambe bay

4. Sacco and Vanzetti

5. Magic Night

6. Tyrone Boys

7. Casey

8. Curragh of Kildare

9. Yellow Furze Woman

10. Voyage

11. Victor Jara

12. Suffocate

13.Ordinary Man

14. Barrowland

15. Well below Valley (with Jimmy Higgins)

16. Pity the Poor Immigrant (Ensemble)

17. Road West

18. Cat Walk

19. Cedars of Lebanon

20. O’Connor’s Reels

21. Los Gatos

22. As I roved out

23. Missing You

24. Johnny Jump Up

25. Chicago

26. Draggle

27. Cliffs

28. Cathal Hayden’s Selection

Monday July 16th

It had been my intention to make this a solo gig.as the days approached I began to get a bit shaky. By the time Monday came around Declan had agreed to come along. We both did solo sets and then played it out together.

1. Wounded Hussar (Conor Byrne)

2. Conor Byrnes Jigs

3. Go Move Shift

4. Spanish Lady (Adam Sherwood’s call)

5. Down by the Liffeyside.

6. Hey Ronnie Reagan.

7. Natives.

8. Suffocate

9. Swans

10. Joxer.

11. Lawless.

12. Nancy

13. McIlhatton

14. Gortatagort

Declan Sinnott Set

15. The Noise it makes

16. Sun Shine In

17. Broken Glass

18. I see the world from here.

Band set

19. Billy Gray

20. Missing You

21. Quiet Desperation

22. Honda 50

23. Duffy’s Cut

Woody Guthrie Set

24. Ludlow massacre

25. Sacco and Vanzetti

26. Los Gatos Valley

27. Michael Hayes

28. Beeswing

29. Lisdoonvarna

30. Ride On

31. Chicago

32. Motherland

33. Cliffs of Dooneen

There was so much to like about these three gigs: Meeting up and playing with so many great musicians, gigging in a Dublin city centre club space again. Memories of Coffee Kitchen in the 60’s, The Meeting Place in the 70’s, The Baggott Inn in the 80’s, Mother Redcaps in the 90’s. There were some in the audience that have followed the songs right through all those times and lived to tell the tale. Once the Button Factory Gigs were done I began to focus on the upcoming gig in The Galway Arts Festival.

July 20th 2012.Galway Arts Festival the Big Tent on Fisheries Field

The Concert was opened by Four Men and a Dog who are Gerry O’Connor, Cathal Hayden, Gino Lupari, Kevin Doherty and Donal Murphy. They kicked off the night in style and had the audience bopping… after “The Dog” Declan and I played…

1. This is The Day

2. After the Deluge

3. Ordinary Man

4. Black is the colour

5. Missing You

6. City Of Chicago

7. North and South of the River

8. Ride On

9. Joxer goes to Stuttgart

10. Sonny’s Dream

11. Go Move Shift

12. Nancy Spain.

13. Quinte Brigada

14. Bright Blue Rose.

15. Biko Drum.

16. Back Home in Derry

17. Voyage.

18. Lisdoonvarna.

(Set with the Dog)

19. As I roved out.

20. Raggle Taggle.

21. Cliffs of Dooneen.

It was very much a juke box of a set. I realised early on that familiarity was the order of the night. The tent was a heaving mass of songsters’ young and old and everywhere in between. Right down to the very back canvas they were ready to sing. Any attempt to perform new or recent work brought on a rapid decline in interest so I succumbed to the demands of the night and rolled out the auld reliables. Declan and I could hear little or nothing on stage but we hung on for dear life and kept the gig going (a few times I hoped that were we playing the same song!)”The Dog” joined us for the finale and that was sweet. I first met this band in a lay-by Finland 25 years ago and then did a gig with them in Helsinki. It’s taken all this time for us to play together. Speaking of lay-bys in Finland, I wish to offer the wooden spoon to our National Roads Authority who oversees our new road systems. Our new highways suffer a disgraceful lack of facilities to park, rest and freshen up before continuing on a journey. what few “pull ins” do exists have nothing to offer but discarded rubbish, overflowing bins, nappies and dog shite and, maybe, the opportunity for a quick illegal toilet at the side of your vehicle. The Board of Directors number 14. They are all political appointees. It is sometimes baffling to try and figure out the lack of joined-up-thinking that exists in Government and Bureaucracies.

I would like to include here an interview with Kernan Andrews which took place in the run up to Galway Arts Week. I first met Kernan 35 years ago when I visited his parents’ home in Craughwell Co Galway. He was just learning to walk. Kernan is a son of the late Joe Dolan, founder member of Sweeny’s Men with Johnny Moynihan and Andy Irvine. I thought it a fine piece and asked his permission to include it here…

Interview with Kernan Andrews of The Galway Advertiser

His first time in Galway was in 1962 as a teen folk singing wannabe. A decade later he was back as part of Irish trad’s first “supergroup”. Ten years later he was a controversial supporter of the Hunger Strikers. And tomorrow he headlines the Galway Arts Festival Big Top.

Christy Moore is no stranger to Galway and has played the city numerous times across his near 50 year career as a folk singer and songwriter. The first time the Kildare man set foot here was as a teenager in 1962.

“My first visit was Race Week that year”, Christy tells me. “I was a 17-year-old with a guitar. The late Christy O’Connor got me up in O’Connor’s out in Salthill where I sang “Roisín the Bow” and “The Jug of Punch”. He invited me back the following night and myself and John Flood got off with two nurses. Ten years later I came back with Planxty to play in The Hangar where Leisureland now stands.”

At that now legendary show, the quartet of Moore, Donal Lunny, Andy Irvine, and Liam Óg O’Flynn blew headliner Donovan off the stage, and from there would dominate the 1970’s Irish folk revival as one its most brilliant and inventive acts.

Those were also days of wild and outrageous behaviour. In his book, One Voice, Christy mentioned dropping a tab of acid while playing with Planxty and The Dubliners during the Galway Races in 1972 and “seeing strange stuff, not all of it friendly”.

“I have put all that behind me now” is all Christy will say today, before adding mischievously, “these days you are more likely to find me at confession with the Redemptorists, at the side entrance to the cardiac unit, or coming out after a bit of after-hours reiki…all that acid stuff was but a figment of my imagination…”

Throughout his career, Christy has never been afraid to take a strong stand on highly controversial issues, most famously against the proposed nuclear power plant at Carnsore Point in Wexford in the late 1970’s, and in support of the republican Hunger Strikers in 1981. Taking such positions met with a vitriolic reaction.

In “One Voice” Christy recalled how Galway had a “very vocal anti-Republican element back then and he was “taken aback at the way people turned on me”. However the city’s musicians did not abandon Christy and one who stood by him and played the concert was the late fiddler Mickey Finn.

“I can remember that he put all his money in the basket, that he played his heart out and that Galway has never been the same, for me, without him” says Christy.

Playing Galway these days is a different experience and Christy has regularly played Leisureland over the last couple of years to near instant sell-out audiences. How does he feel the city has changed in that time?

“Everywhere has changed in my life time”, he says. “I remember Galway winning three-in-a-row; the Bishop of Galway banning “mixed bathing” – the dirty minded bollocks; Des Kelly and The Capitol being Number 1 in The Irish Charts; when there was only one De Danann; Michael D presenting me with a platinum disc; Moving Hearts falling asunder in St.Patrick’s Hall, and reforming two hours later in The Skeff.”

Christy’s companion at many of his Galway shows over the past number of years, and the Big Top show will be no different, is guitarist Declan Sinnott. How and when did the two men meet?

“I first met Declan at Hyde Park Corner in London in 1972”, says Christy. “He was after leaving Horslips and I was greatly impressed by his Afghan jacket and flares. He let on he did not recognise me. I thought that was really cool”.

What does Christy most value about having Declan by his side at the shows? “He always has spare plectrums and plenty of good movies on his Mac”, he replies.

Christy says he and Declan are determined to “take the Galway Arts Festival by storm”.

“It is our intention to drive the snakes from the field back down The Corrib”, he declares, “to awaken the spirits of Mickey Finn, Pete Galligan, Corky and “Mate” Lydon. Myself and Declan are hoors for the bit of art.”

As well as playing many of his best known and loved songs, Christy will also be performing songs from his critically acclaimed Folk Tale album, which was released late last year. Not surprisingly, given the turmoil of the times brought about by the recession, issues of emigration and eviction abound.

The album opens with “Tyrone Boys” which ends with images of people sitting in an airport waiting to leave: “All the young ones are leaving the island”.

“This is a reworked version of a song I wrote and recorded in 1986 for an album called Unfinished Revolution”, says Christy. “We still export the cream of the crop, people still being hunted from the land”.

Continuing the theme of eviction is “Michael Hayes”. It is not hard to see this as a song where the past echoes contemporary concerns for people fearing their homes may be taken from them if they cannot keep up mortgage payments.

“Eviction can be a cruel weapon of oppression”, says Christy. “Michael Hayes could take no more and struck out in anger and fear, it was his last resort”.

The album is not all doom and gloom though; there is plenty of Christy’s trademark, irreverent humour in “Weekend in Amsterdam” and “My Little Honda 50”.

“Weekend in Amsterdam” was written by my old neighbour in Newbridge, Paul McCormack, who is the resident bard of my home town”, says Christy. “He assures me this song is based entirely on hearsay and second hand information. I am indeed familiar with Amsterdam but, of course, not with the areas referenced. I tend to visit the galleries and churches of the old city. You’re more likely to find me on my knees in prayer than on my back in some coffee shop…

“My Little Honda 50” written by Tom Tuohy, perhaps the greatest songwriter ever to come out of The Bog of Allen. My first ride on a Honda 50 was in 1961 when Slicey gave me a pillion over to Lawlor’s Ballroom in Naas to hear Brendan Bowyer.”

(End of interview)

After Galway I bade farewell to Declan, Paddy, Michael, Dickon, Johnny, David and Geoff as we all went our separate ways until we gather again in Dingle later this month.

Keep in touch; see you along the way …

Christy

away til Dingle

A quick note to all our listeners …

Here are some further dates for your consideration;

Already up on the website on the gigs page are the following:

Friday October 12th – Knocknarea Arena, Sligo

Saturday October 13th – Slieve Russell Hotel, Cavan

These will be up on the website in the coming weeks – as soon as possible:

Solstice Arts Centre – Navan – September 14th & 15th

Forum – Waterford – October 26th

The Park Hotel – Clonmel – October 27th

Vicar St – Dublin- December 19th & 20th, Jan 1st & 2nd

All the best,

Christy

Dark End Of The Street

By the time we got to do this album we were all a bit fucked. I certainly was. I had some throat problems that required surgery. I was doin’ too much toot and I was tryin’ to be a rock singer to keep up with the arrangements the arrangers were arranging!†

There was fuckin’ chords to bate the band and Ayrton Senna was being overtaken in every chorus. But there were fantastic nights too. The Half Moon in Putney, the Lake of Shadows in Buncrana, The Green Briar in Belfast and The Baggot ran and ran.

All I Remember 127074626272_alliremember

Allende 127074628471_allende

Half Moon 127074631452_halfmoon

Come All You Dreamers

Come All You Dreamers Live At Barrowland Glasgow[dvd]

Planxty Live – 2004

Sleeve Note from Leagues O’Toole:

Amongst other things, the year 2004 will be remembered for the public re-assembling of Planxty for twelve concerts – two in Glór, Ennis, in the music heartland of County Clare, and ten in the plush confines of Vicar St, Dublin – their first live performances in twenty-something years. †This is an event of some considerable historical and cultural magnitude, rendered all the more pertinent given the seamless realignment of Donal Lunny, Andy Irvine, Liam O’Flynn and Christy Moore.

Surreptitious rehearsals in Paddy Doherty’s Spa Hotel in Lisdoonvarna the previous October had revealed to the Planxty players that the chemistry was alive and well and ready to blow. And so it did, as each night the music tumbled magically from their fingers, smiles stretched across our faces, heads bobbed, feet tapped, Christy ‘hupped,’ and we all set adrift on a musical journey that would sail us through the full gamut of emotions.

A cast of odd characters starred each night; lusty blacksmiths, murderous Lords and adulterous Ladies, mighty mariners, raggle taggle gypsies, and shillelagh-wielding latchecos. There was drama, laughs, slagging, jubilation, reflection, and love coming from every corner of the room. The songs and tunes came to us from decades and centuries gone, from 17th century harp music, to the singing of John Reilly, to the priceless pages of the PW Joyce Collection.

As I walked through the Poison Glen, I stumbled into Heaven

June 15th 2012.

It’s a crazy old world these days. Hard to know what to believe, who to believe, where we will all end up, what’s going to happen…. But this beautiful day the sun shines, there is great singing going on in the trees and bushes. There is a gang of Magpies lurking around. They are up to no good but they have mouths to feed.

Went to hear Declan O’Rourke in the National Concert Hall last week where he performed a set with the full Symphony Orchestra…it was a most courageous undertaking and he gave it his very best shot. I like his work a lot. After that we scooted over to the Goilin club where Barry Gleeson was the guest singer for the night. He has just released a new album and he turned in a night of great ballads.

I’m writing these lines above in Gweedore, Co. Donegal. We will play two gigs up here tonight and tomorrow in the Dunlewey theatre. It’s an exciting prospect as I have not played here before. I did come to Gortahork as a 12 year old lad in 1957. Along with my sisters Eilish and Anne we attended the Gaeltacht Summer School. Many years later, circa 1980, I came to the Heavenly Glen to play a concert which was organised in opposition to proposed Uranium mining in that beautiful place. I have played often in Johnny Boyle’s Highlands Hotel in Glenties where we had some great nights with Moving Hearts and oft times cavorted ’til dawn. There is music in the air up here…. Clannad and Enya grew up nearby, Michéal, Mairead and Tríona Ní Domhnaill took their inspiration from here as they flew with Skara Brae, the heart of Altan beats amongst these hills and glens, The Lunnys – Donal and Manus, spent a lot of their formative years up here with their mother’s people, Goats Don’t Shave lather up locally while Margo and wee Daniel are just up the road in Kincashlagh. Music thrives here. It is a vital part of everything that makes this place so special.

Later…

The venue is in a unique building in a beautiful setting. It has the feel of a community based Theatre – no frills or uppity brouhaha, just a feeling of a lovingly-cared-for performance space run by and for the people who live here. There was a buzz about the place as the listeners gathered early. Declan and I were playing in the dressing room and we could hear the chatter outside as the people entered the hall. The music from Cal was reverberating quietly as we went into our final preparation. One more quick run through Duffy’s Cut as Michael Devine gave us our 5 minute call. I wanted to try a new version of this song tonight, to open with it for the first time, to try and bring it back down a few notches, let it be more a lament then a rouser. David Meade made his opening remarks over the tannoy and we were on…

Duffy’s Cut
Pity the Poor Immigrant
Missing You
Come all you Dreamers
Ordinary Man
Beeswing
Honda 50
Morecambe Bay
Joxer in Stuttgart
Matty
Bright Blue Rose
Hiroshima Nagasaki
Nancy Spain
City of Chicago
Sunshine In
Billy Gray
Shovel
Voyage
Stitch in Time
Ride On
Viva La Quinte
Veronica Guerin
No Time for Love
Black is The Colour
Lisdoonvarna
Allende
Cliffs of Dooneen

The audience were superb, great listeners and, when asked, the requests came fast and furious… sorry we did not get to play them all.

(A flashback)

Last week I was invited to attend the launch of an RTE/ RAAP joint initiative. A new bursary was being announced which will help 5 young musicians, from different musical backgrounds, to develop their music. (rte.ie/breakthrough). It was a happy event held in the Irish Film Institute’s Cinema in Temple Bar (our favourite cinema). I met up with many old friends there and also made some new acquaintance among them Ryan Sheridan. Great too to catch up again with Paddy Cole, Aonghus McAnally, Fiachna Ó Braonáin and many others. The coffee was flying, the cameras were flashing and the Crack was 90.

Amongst all the good vibrations there lurked a hack that had no interest whatsoever in this Bursary for young musicians. The gannet was foraging around for a story. Full of the joy and excitement of the morning I was off-guard and unprepared. He introduced himself to me as an “arts correspondent”. He sweet talked me until he landed his little nugget. Then he slinked back to base with a remark I had made about the Eucharistic Congress. There he wrote little or nothing of the Bursary we had just launched, preferring to expand upon my distaste for puffed-up clerical panto. Many people had worked long and hard to create this RTE/RAAP initiative and to organise its launch. In times such as these, when the Arts are being decimated by cutbacks, it is unforgivable that a so-called arts correspondent would forego such an event for a paragraph of cheap hackery.

June 16th…

We had a lovely spin around today. Up to Gortahork where I tried to find the school I attended in 1957. I think I spotted it but failed to find the house where I stayed lonesomely. Paddy Doherty and I drove the coast road back towards Bunbeg. (I have memories of visiting there way back in Planxty times when John “half-shaft” McFadden was our tour manager). We drove on and stumbled upon a hidden gem in Bunbeg Harbour, a lovely coffee shop in The Old Boathouse. Well worth a visit if you like peace, quiet and really good coffee. I bought a good second coat there too for 9 euro… then back to our base in Óstan na Cúirte in Gaoth Dobhair where Declan joined me for a rehearsal and we got ready to do it all again. One more time, each time like the first, every time bringing that sweet anticipation, that tinge of nervousness that brings on the beautiful adrenalin from which performance does flow. The welcome tonight was pure Saturday enthusiastic … away we went.

Yellow Furze Woman
Duffy’s Cut
Immigrant
Missing You
Ride On
Honda 50
Gortatagort
Biko Drum
Faithfull departed
Hiroshima
Matty
Casey
DTs
Magdalen Laundry
Back Home in Derry
Barrowland
Joxer
Voyage
Sunshine In
Billy Gray
Ordinary man
Brown Eyes
Shovel
Merseyside
City of Chicago
John O’ Dreams
Lisdoonvarna
Stitch in Time
Black is The Colour

Afterwards I met with Manus Lunny and his family. He has lived here for many years. He commutes to Scotland where he plays with his band Cappercaile; he also runs a recording studio and recently recorded a very fine solo album with Mairéad Ní Mhaonaigh. I also met up with some good friends from earlier times and left Dunlewey armed with Rhubarb and a bunch of good vibrations… a contented trip back down the road towards Dublin. Letterkenny was chocker block with Petrol Heads as boy racers cavorted around like donuts as they celebrated the Northwest Rally. With their arses slung low to the ground these buckos ‘n molls sure do rule the tarmac when given the chance… I got home by 3 am and onto the couch for the Rugby Match from Christchurch. Woke up to Father’s Day and what a beautiful day it was. I heard from all the family, got a beautiful dinner served up to me and then Kildare won their opening game in this year’s Senior Football Championship Campaign…

Tuesday, June 19th, Cusack Suite, Croke Park.

I was invited to be part of a “A Celebration of Recovery”, an event organised as part of Traveller’s Pride Week 2012. It was a day long event featuring workshops, personal journeys to recovery, meetings and it was topped off with some songs and music. Oisín McConville set the ball rolling in the morning. An Armagh, all-Ireland medal winning footballer, he shared his experience, strength and hope and spoke about his book “The Gambler”. Matt Cooper of Today FM talked to two young people about their recovery. By the time the music kicked off the participants had been around for 6 hours but they were still ready to listen and sing. I got to hear Miss Paula Flynn, Eoin Coughlan, Temper-Mental MissElayneous and Túcan. The atmosphere in the room was electric. There was a great sense of hope and a feeling of recovery amongst the audience. It was a privilege to be there and I thank the organizers: Pavee Point (Drugs Programme), Coolmine (Therapeutic Community) and the GAA (Alcohol/substance abuse prevention programme) for inviting me to participate. We sang…

Ride On
Missing You
Butterfly
Hurt
Ordinary Man
Voyage
Joxer
Black colour
Back in Derry
Nancy Spain

Declan Sinnott’s album is completed. “I Love the Noise It Makes” is his first solo album and it is simply superb. It will be released worldwide in September. We have decided to take a break from our band when this year’s dates are fulfilled. We will both perform solo gigs for the early part of 2013. This is a bit of a change for us. We have been gigging together these past 11 years but I love the challenge and the thought of something different. I first met Declan in 1972 when he was doing his stint with Horslips. Later we played in Moving Hearts together. Declan has been one of the main players in Irish Music for decades. He quietly gets on with his practice of making music. As well as early Horslips and Moving Hearts he played with Southpaw, Barry Moore, Jimmy McCarthy and many other outfits. He was Producer, Arranger and Band Leader for the first 13 years of Mary Black’s recording career and subsequently worked with Frances Black. He produced John Spillane’s first album “Wells of The World” (my fave) and also produced Sinéad Lohan’s ground-breaking recordings. He worked with Donal Lunny and I on the “Ride On” album, and played on many of my subsequent recordings. Declan has produced my last 3 albums. I celebrate the arrival of his first solo work and wish him every success with it.

Gig news ( further details on gig section at home page)

Some of these gigs are already on sale; others will come on stream very shortly

July 2nd, 9th, 16th – Button Factory, Temple Bar, Dublin. Christy solo gigs (with special guests) few seats left.

July 20th – Galway. Stand up gig in Arts Festival Marquee (with special guests 4 Men and A Dog)

August 24th – Hillgrove, Dingle

September 14th & 15th – Solstice, Navan

September 28th – Mountmellick Community Arts Centre

October 12th – Cavan

October 13th – Sligo

October 26th – Forum Waterford

October 27th – Clonmel Park Hotel

November 5th -12th – England and Scotland (see gig guide)

December and January – Vicar St, Dublin.

further gigs are being scheduled. They will be on the gig page ASAP……keep in touch and give us your feedback.

See you along the way,

Christy

Folk Tale

2011

1. Tyrone Boys

2. Folk Tale

3. My Little Honda 50

4. Easter Snow

5. Farmer Michael Hayes

6. On Morecambe Bay

7. Tiles and Slabs

8. Haiti

9. Weekend in Amsterdam

10. Ballydine

11. God Woman

Moving Hearts The Album

This was an exciting time. Donal and I agreed to work together and our next port of call was with Declan Sinnott who volunteered immediately. Then we gradually expanded. Richie Buckley played one gig in Kilkenny, Bill “Riverdance” Whelan left after one rehearsal citing political differences.† Tommy Moore came and left to join Paul Brady.

One by one we slowly assembled. Brian Calnan came from Cork to sit in the traps, Eoghan O’Neill ran out of Tipperary to drive hot bass up our spines, Keith Donald came down from the mountain blowing cool air through his reed, Davy left the camps and got up on the amps – the collective was completed by Matt Kelleghan, George and Cyril and we were ready to roll.

Faithful Departed 127074600893_faithfuldeparted

Irish Ways and Irish Laws 127074603269_irishwaysandirishlaws

Before the Deluge 127074610750_beforethedeluge

Planxty Live, DVD

Sleeve Note from Leagues O’Toole:

‘The Starting Gate’ eases us into the music with delicacy and intricacy, quickly introducing that building block technique that marks so much of Planxty’s music; the blissful bouzouki-mandolin marriage, the otherworldly whistle, the drone, the raspy guitar, the thump of the bodhrán. And in the middle of this melee is Liam O’Flynn whose knife-edge precision piping raises a roar from the audience and elevates the music to the high heavens.

On his solo piece, ‘The Dark Slender Boy’ a mood of pin-drop rapture cloaks the room as Liam bends yearning notes and stretches whirring drones into this profoundly mournful music. In contrast, on ‘The Clare Jig’ his pastoral whistle dances gleefully between the double-bodhrán attack of Donal and Christy.

There are some fantastic stories told within the songs performed here. ‘Arthur McBride’ is an anti-conscription / anti-war song, and one which resonates as much with Planxty’s virgin audience as it does with veterans of the 70s. Here, Andy Irvine calls upon his colleagues to back him up on a suitably rousing rowdy-dow-dow chorus. The nine-minute plus ‘Little Musgrave’ is a poetically written fable of love, lust, infidelity, jealousy, murder, and remorse – the words to which Christy Moore found on pages scattered on the floor of an auctioneers in the early 70s. This particular rendition captures the singer in majestic free-flow.

We rarely discuss Planxty without referencing the unusual new flavours, arrangements, and instruments they brought to traditional Irish music. In a demonstration of their peerlessly inventive verve, they stitch ‘Blacksmithereens’ (a tune based on Andy’s first impressions of Balkans music) onto an old English folk song, ‘The Blacksmith’. This fiery performance is driven by Donal Lunny’s robust, rhythmic, bouzouki and underpinned by Liam’s dramatic phrasing, which prompts another round of hollering from the congregation.

The loudest roar though is reserved for one of the most celebrated segues in traditional music – that invisible bridge from ‘Raggle Taggle Gypsy’ to ‘Tabhair Dom Do Lámh’. And who could deny Andy’s ‘West Coast of Clare,’ a lament of unrivalled pathos that has heads bowed in contemplation right across the venue. It’s rare to see an audience so possessed. It’s little wonder they received standing ovations every night upon entering and exiting the stage.

Nights like those in January and February of 2004 have been wished for, dreamt of, and fantasized about by thousands of Irish music fans for over two decades. We arrived excited, anxious, and downright nervous – there was a lot at stake; memories, expectations, and reputations. We left smiling, speechless, and wondering would we ever see their likes again.

It was a good start to the year.

Tracklist:

1. The Starting Gate 4.38
2. The Good Ship Kangaroo 4.31
3. The Clare Jig 3.14
4. Arthur McBride 3.59
5. Little Musgrave 9.20
6. Vicar Street Reels (2004) 4.21
7. The Blacksmith / Black Smithereens 5.03
8. The Dark Slender Boy 4.37
9. As Christy Roved Out 4.01
10. As Andy Roved Out 5.17
11. The Kildareman’s Fancy 4.15
12. Raggle Taggle Gypsy 5.46
13. The West Coast Of Clare 6.05

Words And Music

I can’t remember much about this or why we recorded it. Donal and I spent a lot of time in Windmill Lane and Liam and Andy came in when their schedules permitted. I heard the album a couple of year ago and thought I sounded whacked. I like Andy’s stuff and Liam’s stuff on this – but not my own singing.†

Lord Baker 127074642099_lordbaker

The Irish Marche 127074645067_theirishmarche

Thousands Are Sailing 127074647827_thousandsaresailing

Listen

2009

Track List

1. Listen
2. Does This Train Stop On Merseyside?
3. Shine On You Crazy Diamond
4. The Ballad Of Ruby Walsh
5. China Waltz
6. Barrowland
7. Duffy’s Cut
8. The Disappeared (Los Desaparecidos)
9. Riding The High Stool
10. Gortatagort
11. I Will
12. John O Dreams
13. Rory Is Gone

The Woman I Loved So Well

The original band augmented by Matt Molloy, Noel Hill, Tony Linnane and Bill Whelan. For me this was a different sounding Planxty again. There are tracks that I like but it lacks the fire that I loved in the early band. The set of reels nods in the direction but even on this track for me there is too much going on.†

I do like the band on “ Little Musgrave” but my own singing on this album sounds drawn and distant almost as if I was drugged. The band sounds more like a becalmed yacht than a whitewater raft.

We were coasting, over-fed and in need of the whip.
Still a good band but, they do though don’t they in anyways but!

The Tailors Twist 127064052532_thetailorstwist

Kellswater 127064055655_kellswater

True Love Knows No Reason 127063971922_trueloveknowsnoreason

Live At The Point 2006

Some Sleeve notes from ‘Live at the Point 2006’:

These recordings were made at The Point Depot in Dublin on December 29th and 30th and January 5th and 6th, 2006.

Since first stepping before the lamps I have played in all sorts of places, upstairs rooms and downstairs basements, outside halls and inside tents from Carnegie in Manhattan to the 12 Pole in Carndonagh. I have been singing in different lineups and some strange combinations.

This particular leg of the journey began in 2001 when I hooked up once again with Declan Sinnott. We
kicked off in Cleeres Theatre, Kilkenny back in 2001 and over the past 5 years it has developed into, what has become for me, the most satisfying period of my working life. Last year I decided I would like to mark the work by trying to get it
filmed & recorded. John Sheehan at Sony gave me the nod and the project began. I opted for a huge kip of a shed down-by where the Liffey flows into the sea. They call it The Point Theatre but it is in fact a railway depot, a shed that
can be dressed up into a fantastic venue. I have had many wonderful nights there both as an audient and as a singer. This gig began when Paddy Doherty got together with Peter Aiken and The Point crew to figure out how best to doll up the old building.

Davy Meade serviced the amps and laundered the pop shields while Dickon Whitehad tweaked the feedback in the foldback. (I like everything to be louder than everything else). Johnny Meade massaged the bowrawn, tuned the boxes and kept an eye on the clock. Geoff Ryan showed Tom Kenny where our good sides lay and how they might be lit. Philip King rounded up all the usual suspects including Maurice Linnane, Cian De Buitleir and Tina Moran et al, Best Boys one and all. When the Clapper Board came down Tim Martin had all the knobs well polished and turned up to 11. Michael Devine was all over the shop, himself and Crossroads keeping an eye on everything that moved and quite a few that didn’t. We were ready. We were well
catered and coiffed as, with trousers pressed, we made the long walk out to face the music.

The repertoire here spans the decades, old and new, all mixed together. As the songs tumbled out some were well rehearsed while others were more of the moment. I thank you for your support and encouragement. The way you have listened has always raised me up. The songs will live on as long as we sing and hear them.

Ride On!

After The Break

A guy called Kevin Flynn from Sligo was running gigs in London. He also ran the Ballisodare Festival in Sligo. This was an important festival at the time for it focused on a broad spectrum of pure music. Sadly it went the same way as the Lisdoonvarna Festival. Both were seduced into booking rock acts and they both lost the direction that had made them special in the first place.†

Kevin Flynn also ran the National in Kilburn and he began to book different members of Planxty. He then booked us all to play individually with Doc Watson at the Gaumont State Theatre in Kilburn in 1978. Kevin put it all together and the inevitable happened – we decided to re-form.

We welcomed Matt Molloy on board and also had Noel Hill and Tony Linnane as guests. We assembled in St. Mullins Co. Carlow for lengthy rehearsals along with nights on the river. We did a ball breaking European tour and then recorded this album in Windmill Lane.

The Good Ship Kangaroo 127064149339_thegoodshipkangaroo

Burning Times

Some Sleeve notes from ‘Burning Times’:

RACHEL CORRIE

“This album is dedicated to the memory of Rachel Corrie who lost her life in Gaza. She stood before an American built, Israeli driven earthmover as she tried to defend a Palestinian home that was about to be demolished. She was armed with a megaphone. The Caterpillar machine drove straight over Rachel killing her in the earth.”
Frank Harte

Frank Harte moved on as I started to sing these songs.

For many of us singers he was The National Archive. He also was a dear Friend. The phone would ring…”Moore ye bollix, give us that one about the Beeswing” or maybe “how does that one about The Witches go, sing it for me”. No one in this wide world has anything like the store of songs that Frank possessed and with this treasure he was most generous. The phone would ring “Get up off your arse and we’ll go up to Mullaghbawn and sing a few songs”… He helped me so often, we had such fun and laughter and the tears flowed from all directions.

He was tickled and proud when 4,000 people listened in silence to Planxty playing “The Well Below The Valley” for it reaffirmed all he held dear about our song heritage, that these timeless treasures would outlive all memory of their authors, that the songs of the people still belonged to the people … that the oppressor writes the history while the people write the songs … Frank’s departure leaves a gap that only time will fill. He also leaves a legacy of 20,000 songs lovingly gathered, referenced and indexed during a lifetime of song. Many of them have been recorded in a series of 6 CDs with his long time collaborator and friend Donal Lunny …

How I wish I’d gone with Frank to Mullaghbawn …

Produced by Declan Sinnott
Engineered by Tim Martin
At The Well Road, Cork

Christy Moore: Vocals, Guitar and Bowrawn.

Declan Sinnott: Acoustic Guitars: Taylor812-ce, Guild F212 12 string, Martin 000-28, Martin HD 28, Gibson 1949 acoustic, Tanglewood TW45, Carmelo Del Valle (Spanish), Electric Guitars: Fender Telecaster, Fender Stratocaster, Gibson Les Paul, Gibson ES330 (1967), Tanglewood TW acoustic bass, Fender precision bass, Gibson (A series)
mandolin, Gibson Mandola, Keyboards.

Backing Vocals: Declan Sinnott, Mandy Murphy & Mary Greene.

Tracklist:

1. 16 FISHERMEN RAVING
2. MOTHERLAND
3. BUTTERFLY
4. MAGIC NIGHTS IN THE LOBBY BAR
5. AMERICA, I LOVE YOU
6. MERCY
7. BEESWING
8. THE LONESOME DEATH OF HATTIE CARROLL
9. MAGDALENE LAUNDRIES
10. BURNING TIMES
11. PEACE IN THE VALLEY ONCE AGAIN
12. CHANGES

Cold Blow and the Rainy Night

Donal rang me early one morning and said he would like a chat. This unnerved me somewhat not only for the rarity of such an event but also from the serious tone of his banter. He was leaving the band. 30 years on I can still remember feeling gutted. I had become dependant upon him in music, for me he was the heartbeat of the band.†

Johnny Moynihan joined as Donal left to blow his own bugle. Donal is irreplaceable and Johnny did not try. He came with his own repertoire, style and artistry and he simply changed the band.

Rehearsals became more challenging as we set out for London to record this album in Sarm studios London. The owner was a Coulter chum and I still remember feeling outside this loop.

We were only the band – the Producer and engineer were driving the session – at least that’s how I remember it. I did what I did more often in those days. I went on the piss. I awoke to the sound of a fracas outside the Irish club in Eaton Square. There was shouting and banging and I recognised voices. I got to the window just in time to see Andy kick into the wing of a seven series B.M.W, which then departed with haste. The band was sick and sore and a sorry sight. (These are purely my memories and may differ greatly from others). I was unable to play my keyboard parts and Phil Coulter sat in and deputised. When we returned to the island I was beginning to eye the exit.

Johnny Cope 127074437666_johnnycope

Cold Blow And The Rainy Night 127074445562_coldblowandtherainynight

The Little Drummer 127074449682_thelittledrummer

The Well Below The Valley

We were in full flight now. The gigs were pouring in and we were pouring gin. The ford transit (double wheel base) was burning oil and so was the band. No time for rehearsal, trying to get new music together would have been anti-social. We arrived at some kip in Kent and the strain was starting to show.†

The studio was a plaything of some English guitar hero and he dropped in once or twice like a squire and condescended. A fuckin’ right good guitar hero he was too. At the time we were having a bit of difficulty in communicating with each other but the work was done and we made a good album but without the fun of our two previous albums.

Hewlett 127074274188_hewlett

Solo Jig 127074288185_solojig

Cúnla 127074256466_cunla

The Box Set 1964-2004

Download Booklet >>

YELLOW	PINK
Yellow Triangle (3.32) Dunnes Stores (3.48) They Never Came Home (4.06) Nuke Power (3.21) Who Cares? (0.36) Mullaghmore (4.39) Hey! Ronnie Reagan (3.10) St. Patrick’s Night in San Fernando (2.16) Tim Evans (3.19) Goose Green (Taking tea with Pinochet) (2.29) In Zurich (2.24) The Powdered Milk Brigade (1.06) Folk Tale (2.53) The Two Conneeleys (3.26) Don’t Forget Your Shovel (4.12) Quiet Desperation (3.01)	January Man (4.25) Poor Old Earth (4.04) Tippin’ it Up (2.46) Poitín (2.07) 1945 (3.24) Little Musgrave (6.36) Johnny jump Up (2.53) Radcliffe Highway (2.35) John O’Dreams (4.09) Cold Blow (3.33) The Raggle Taggle Gypsy (4.45) El Salvador (3.55) Jack Doyle (3.09) Joxer (original) (4.39) Intro (1.32) Lawless (4.03)
BLUE	RED
Different Love Song (4.05) Changes (4.43) Ballindine (3.25) Anne Lovett (3.08) The Dalesman’s Litany (4.01) Intro (1.04) Farewell to Pripchat (3.43) The Lakes of Pontchartrain (6.08) Cricklewood (2.36) Strangeways (2.58) Wise and Holy Woman (4.01) Veronica (3.33) Cry like a man (4.34) Vive la Quinte Brigada (5.08) The auld Triangle (2.39) Intro (1.06) Brown Eyes (for Joe Sheeran) (4.03) Johnny Connors (4.34)	Lay with Me (3.28) This is the Day (4.45) Among the Wicklow Hills (2.33) Aisling (3.20) Grey lake of Loughrea (5.15) All I Remember (2.56) Someone to Love (2.56) Trip to Carnsore (3.35) Danny Boy (Derrylondon air) (2.46) Ships in the Forest (3.11) 100 miles from Home (3.35) Intro (0.56) Smoke and strong Whiskey (4.16) The way Pierce Turner sings (3.30) Hamburg Encore Medley (9.20) Tyrone Boys (4.45)
LILAC	GREEN
Hey Paddy (4.30) On the Blanket (7.13) Southern Winds (3.23) Don’t Hand Me Over (3.29) Shoot out the Streetlights (1.49) The Bridge at Killaloe (Scariff Martyrs) (5.46) North and South (4.03) At the G.P.O. 1980 (1.30) 90 miles to Dublin (5.39) Wicklow Boy (3.42) Ballinamore (2.23) Rialto Derry January 1993 (2.01) The Armagh Women (3.41) On the Bridge (2.59) Scapegoats (2.50) “They Fouled the Ball Daddy” (4.13) No Time for Love (9.01) On a Single Day (2.58)	Roots (1.30) The Old Man’s Song (2.40) 1913 Lockout (2.17) Seth Davy (3.22) The Bould Rake (3.13) Bridget’s Pill (3.12) The Lark in the Morning (2.22) Come by the Hill (2.39) The Enniskillen Dragoon (2.20) Weela Waile (4.39) Whiskey in the Jar (3.08) Intro (0.33) Tribute to Ewan McColl (4.31) Finnegan’s Wake (3.01) Down in the Valley (3.07) Paddy on the Road (3.20) Three Drunken Maidens (2.33)

Live at Vicar Street

2002

We were giggin’ again and I felt the performances were worth capturing. The response to this collection would indicate that many of you agree with me.†

Track List – Live At Vicar Street, 2002

Continental Céili.
First Time Ever.
A Pair of Brown Eyes.
Biko Drum.
Quiet Desperation.
McIlhatton.
January Man.
Allende.
Johnny Don’t Go.
Wandering Aongus.
Lisdoonvarna.
Ride On.
Tribute To Noel Brazil.
Metropolitan Avenue.

Continental Céili 127080865935_continentalceili

Biko Drum 127080872948_bikodrum

January Man 127080875891_januaryman

Planxty the Album

Recording this album was a different Ballgame. Phil Coulter was riding over in London. He had landed us. In fairness no Irish label would sign us – so we were over in London hungry for action, and Coulter was the only one who showed any interest in us.

With no competition he gave us a shite contract and we signed everything away. All that said, 30 years on this album sounds good. He produced it well and although we would like to remix the early work, he did have the foresight and wherewithal to record the band at a time when no one else was listening.

We recorded in the Olympic studios near Picadilly and we stayed at the Irish Club in Eaton Square. There were nights of merriment and days that started late. The sleeve shot was done by Tom McIlroy and has received a recognition of it’s own. The picture is of our first appearance at the national Stadium in 1973.

This is the Day

2001

The three of us reconvened 16 years after “Ride On”, 20 years after “Moving Hearts”. Straight off it was a jell.†

My sister Terry sent me a version of Jackson Browne’s “How Long”. Wally Page sent me “So do I” maybe twenty years ago and it just reappeared from nowhere during the making of the album. “Johnny Don’t go” I got from the writer John Spillane maybe 7-8 years ago and it resting in a drawer.

“Veronica” I wrote upon hearing of the terrible fate of the late Veronica Guerin. McCarthy sent me “The Contender” a number of years ago. I’d wanted to record it for years but every chanter in Ireland was recording it – but I still felt there was another version to be done. I heard McColl sing “Companeros” in an English Fold club in Lincolnshire circa 1967.

“Cry like a man” I lifted straight from an album of the author Dan Penn. “Stitch” came from my good friend Mike Waterson in north Yorkshire via his brother in law Martin Carty. “Victor” came from Arlo Guthrie after a great night in Shinrone (or was it from Luke in Bray?). “Scallcrows” I wrote for Eamon Dunphy and Terry Keane. “The Pipers Path” from the singing of Lal Waterson who co-wrote the song. Hers was one of the unique voices I’ve encountered.

Track List – This Is The Day, 2001.

How Long.
So Do I.
Johnny Don’t Go.
Veronica.
Jack Doyle (AKA The Contenders)
Companeros
Cry Like A Man.
A Stitch In Time.
Victor Jara.
The Pipers Path.

Veronica 127080801193_veronica

Companeros 127080811950_campaneros

Scallcrows 127080825811_scallcrows

Traveller

1999

Three years after Graffitti Tongue and I’m down the garden with Leo Pearson and his boxes of magic and tricks.†

Burning Times 127080756180_burningtimes

Last Cold Kiss 127080752699_lastcoldkiss

Christy Moore Collection Part 2

1997

Fuckin’ suits are out to get me again!†

Matty 127080723799_matty

Folk Tale 127080726617_folktale

Sonny’s Dream 127080730771_sonny

Graffiti Tongue

1996

Fuckin’ rough slog. Fell out with one of me best mates and we’ve not spoken since. Hate that. Inis Maan, Passage East, Scariff, Kilmainham, Ballyvourney again, on the mattress, no sounding board, I can’t judge this work, good songs, harsh sounds.†

All my own making, my decisions, my responsibility, no blame at all on anyone else, good title, good sleeve idea but badly executed. I am not enjoying my work anymore at this time.

Yellow Triangle 127080628313_yellowtriangle

Minds Locked Shut 127080631374_mindslocked

North And South 127080634583_northandsouth

Live At The Point

1994

I played to 50,000 over 12 nights. Me and my guitar. Weird. I’d be totally fucked after it.† The cigar smoke was getting to me a bit. Some of the backroom boys were startin’ to lose the plot and believe their own publicity. I was believin’ in False Gods and that is bothersome and dangerous.

A fellow told me once that I was the greatest Irish writer since Sean O’Casey. I didn’t believe him. Then I discovered he’d never read either me or O’Casey!

Welcome To The Cabaret 127080443021_welcometothecabaret

Well Below The Valley 127080504826_wellbelowvalley

Nancy Spain 127080603142_nancyspain

King Puck

1993

Difficult to make until Neil McColl came and gave me a dig out. I was working with people, some of whom were very worried about laundry facilities in Ballyvourney.†

I don’t know what to say just now except I like some of this album very much.

Me And The Rose 127080354537_meandtherose

King Puck 127080389651_kingpuck

Lawless 127080396186_lawless

Smoke and Strong Whiskey

1991

Terrible title, strange album, sounds like I’m in a hurry, was very difficult to make, to mix, to finish, and to listen to. Some people love it, good enough for me.

Green Island 12708033425_greenisland

Fairytale of New York 12708033743_fairytaleofnewyork

Aisling 127080341976_aisling

The Christy Moore Collection 1981 – 1991

1991

This was released without any consultation and was a huge seller. It is a good compilation.

Ordinary Man 127074886593_ordinaryman

City of Chicago 127074889776_cityofchicago

Missing You 127074892419_missingyou

Voyage

1989

I got my head turned here by Warner suits. They came to my home and sat there telling me I should remix the album. An A & R wanker who fell asleep during the meeting, a big shot from London, the head of WEA Ireland, my manager and me.†

I listened to these shysters and took their counsel and allowed my album to be remixed. It was a rash and regrettable move on my part and to this day I regret it – but I learned.

Mystic Lipstick 127074867881_mysticlipstic

The Voyage 127074870929_thevoyage

Middle of The Island 127074873340_middleoftheisland

Compilation USA

1988

I was in New York to play Carnegie Hall. The gig sold out so Atlantic Records felt they should make some sounds. They invited me to their office and had a banner on the wall, which read “Atlantic welcome C. Moore to New York”. They released this compilation and lost the banner.†

No Time For Love 127074847938_notimeforlove

Dying Soldier 127074853120_dyingsoldier

Lisdoonvarna 12707485909_lisdoonvarna

Unfinished Revolution

1987

I’m still singing most of these songs – 15 years on. Always a good sign of an album. Don’t listen much to old albums and never to this. There is intensity about this work that I like to remember but not always to hear. Some wonderful guitar work from Des Moore and Declan Sinnott.†

Suffocate 127074772313_suffocate

Derby Day 127074778319_derbyday

Dr Vibes 127074780978_drvibes

The Spirit Of Freedom

1986

This album came about as the result of a trip I made to H Blocks. I left the Falls Road in a van that was clapped out. It was used daily to ferry prisoner’s families to and from the camp. I got the idea to try and raise money for a new van and that was the purpose of this album.†

WEA got to hear about it and sequestered it under terms of contract which is how it became Warner’s album which I had never wanted it to be. The Hungry Fuckers.

Forever on My Mind 127074749957_foreveronmymind

Back Home in Derry 127074756742_backhomeinderry

Granny’s Dustbin Lid 127074760934_granniesdustbinlid

Ordinary Man

1985

I really enjoyed the making of this. Donal and I were joined by Arty McGlynn who provided gorgeous licks. We made it in Nicky Ryan’s back garden and had a rare ole time of it. We were joined by various others but the four of us did the business.†

I may be repeating myself but this album proves yet again the magic of Donal Lunny. The riffs he created, the colours he painted, the sensitivity he shows, the help he offers, the performances he coaxes and all this done selflessly.

For me, there is no greater rock in all of Irish music and I am privileged in my tether. Of course, it helps that he’s a bogman and Gavin Wednesday has proclaimed the Culchie is the new cool. Far amach!

Sweet Music Roll On 127074729678_sweetmusicrollon

Matty 127074732663_matty

Hard Cases 127074735373_hardcases