Hi Christy
By a great coincidence ,today’s start on sorting cassettes has yielded the gem that is ‘High Kings of Tara’,with the first track being Planxty’s ‘The Bonny Light Horseman’.The porter in The Dockers must have been a fine gargle as the harmonies are superb,.as is the ensemble playing.Is the song on the hit list for the trad outfit?
Amongst other excellent offerings is your evocative version of Ian Campbell’s ‘The Sun is Burning’.That song brings back great memories of your 1970s repertoire.A happy recollection on a gloomy Monday.
Dave
Christy's reply
I like this song, Andy brought this one to the band….still hear it at sessions around…Fergus Russell delivers a great version at sessions around the town…I have never performed it apart from those harmonies 40 years ago…I dont do harmonies instinctively…Donal Lunny used to write the harmony lines, Liam O’Flynn and I would learn them off by heart…Andy Irvine is an instinctive harmony man…
…like on the current album where Declan guides the harmonies being sung by Vickie Keating and Andy Moore ( my son)
I still remember my first gig in Ian Cambell’s club back in 1967…it was a HUGE folk club back in the day…the audience came every week to hear the resident band and the guests were kinda like floor singers…. with Ian and Lorna fronting the band,with Daves Pegg and Swarbrigg ( occasionally by this time) it was a hot gig…Ian’s parents Dave and Winnie used to run the door and provide the finest of hospitality…there were a lot of great clubs in Brum at the time
Hi Christy,
I was in awe to see finbar furey on the late late show with Ryan Tubridy on Friday night, for a man of 70 he’s ploughing on well. This led me to ponder on your musical relationship with finbar or the furey group? I cant seem to find any collaberations with planxty or yourself with the fureys or finbar. Hopefully your keeping well and I look forward to seeing you in the spring, when theres a warmer tinge in the air,
Until then
Christy's reply
Fair play to Fin ..He certainly delivered those two songs on The Late Late…..
Hi Christy(and Ed)
Its a blustery night,the wind’s howling but I’m cheered by the thought of Planxty’s ‘Bonny Light Horseman’,one of my favourite trad songs.Also,great to know about the lighter side of recordings.It was such a hard working band.So many superb gigs and a fantastic legacy.
I’m looking forward to seeing Andy in a few weeks and ,hopefully,your good self (and maybe your trad companeros)soon.
Fantastic that you’ve made it into the Spanish education system too.Fair play to Nancy Spain!
In an early edition of ‘The Starting Gate’ at Vicar Street, I’m visible in the front row in front of Andy and Donal, the current Hummingbird video clip online has evidence of lots of editing.
Christy's reply
them feckin editors and censors have their work cut out…your presence may have been judged to be a threat to the state
That segue of ‘Tabhair dom do Lamh’, that particular piece or segment of music hit a lot of peoples ears – including my own and we were hooked to the great music from then on. Thanks for reply C, and I see Dagrab has replied as well. Interesting that you mention Michael O’Riordan’s family.
Hello/greetings to Nancy in Spain (‘No pasaran’).
From where I am, I’m both (literally) high plus dry here in Athlone. But quite a few have put in a rough few weeks.
Hi christy I am a massive fan of yours and have been to many of your concerts. You are playg at the lyrath hotel in Kilkenny in February and was wondering could you play a the song black is the colour for Serena.
Christy's reply
Back to The Marble City…the swathes of Black and Amber…the Catterwailing of The Cats…Brian Cody’s spitoon…Willie Duggan’s Lights…Kytelers….Capt Moonshine..Jim Maher…Smithwicks Time…Prince Vince…The Carmel…Design…. The Nore…The Ring Road …The Castle…Stags and Hens…The ‘Comer Plateau..Coon and Muckalee….The Coal, Mooneenroe and Clogh…Butter…see you there….
In Kilkenny it is reported,
theres marble Stone there
as Black as
the colour of your true loves hair
Hello Christy,
I am an English teacher in a secondary school in Spain and, to mark the 80th anniversary of the Spanish Civil War, we are carrying out a cross-curricular project in the school. I have decided that I would like my pupils to listen to La Quinta Brigada, and to find out about the protagonists of your song. I have found some stuff on the internet, but I would be grateful (and thrillled!) if you could give me any particular information about how you came to write the song and how you decided upon the men you mention.
Nancy
Christy's reply
Hello Nancy,
I wrote this song after reading Mick O’Riordan’s book “The Connolly Column”. He wrote of his experiences in Spain during The Spainish Civi War, how he volunteered and then travelled to Spain.
In the 50s there was no mention of The Spainish Civil War in our Catholic Eduacation system. I became aware of The International Brigade when I heard a song “Valley of Jarama”.The men mentioned in my song were among those Irish Brigadistas who died in Spain.
(Coincidentally,last night I was in the company of Mick O’Riordan’s son Manus and his daughter Brenda and I heard them both sing fine songs)
I am very happy to read that your students will hear the song….Adelante!
Hi Christy
Always great news when Planxty comes up in chats and heartwarming to know how much the band and the era means to you.
Thinking back to the excellent recordings that are still ‘out there’.I wonder if there are out takes /unreleased material that might see the light of day sometime?I dare say there would be technical/pre release issues,but there’d be massive world wide interest that would,hopefully,justify the effort. I’d happily listen to hours of Planxty stuff in the same geekish way I can work through alternate Dylan takes!
Have a good day.
Dave
Christy's reply
I’m not aware of any extant recordings….there were a few out takes kicking about decades ago but I’ve no idea what became of them…there was one hilarious recording as we attempted vocal harmonies on “The Bonny Light Horseman”. We ended up in paroxysms of laughter that went on for 6 or 7 takes until we abandoned the session and adjourned to The Dockers for porter
Hi there Christy-
Back home now after my 2 months working on your beautiful island- everything here bright and white and frozen and I’m rambling around the studio trying to get a head full of images translated onto paper and not getting very far…you singing me on (box set, red) in the background. So so grateful for the nights we spent with you in Newbridge and Galway in Nov and Dec. Magic to see these songs come to life, to hear your voice that has carried and steadied me all these years. Meanwhile, I’ll keep scrolling through the gig page and looking for excuses to come to Ireland…Until next time, be well, xx kat
Christy's reply
rambling around the studio is the best place to be when the inspiration arrives
Now I’ve Si Beag Si Mor on headphones.
The intro words on Philip King’s CD of the Vicar Street gigs, nothing to beat it; he said it all. Some great lines about they ‘gave us back our music’ and to hear as he states to hear names like Clancy, Ennis and them being invoked alongside a name like Woody Guthrie was something else he says.
The man from Leim an Breadan, I probably thumbed out of it a time or two in my salad days, in fact I did. Nowadays all those hamlets are all by-passed, us Athlonians dont even see them.
I’ve The Starting Gate (2004) on my headphones as I type, it’s goosepimple time as the great Planxty sound starts when Liam Og cranked up the pipes and I recall my mind saying ‘yes, Planxty are back; they’re here….’ observe the audience reaction and indeed all four of the group swop quick glances, I was in front of Donal and Andy and spotted that they all swopped quick glances as saw the crowd reaction.
Some of the posts in the ‘Top Comments’ are mine.
Ni beith a leitheid seo aris.
(As for another ‘reformation’, I dont know)
Christy's reply
Thumbin to Fleadhs, to Matches, on dates,you bring me back…every time I pass Newlands Cross I’m reminded of that ancient rite of passage, in the 50s myself and Meg McGowan used to stand thumbing on opposite sides of Moorefield Road, our destination depending on the direction of the first car that stopped…we could end up in Rathcoole, Monasterevan, Blessington or Rathcoffey…later the guitar became a great aid to hitching ….Patsy Hanly, the renowned Flute Player used to carry his Flute in a Fiddle Case when hitching…
I too like that moment when Liam opens the chanter on “The Starting Gate”..playing with Planxty was one of the highlights of my working life….the segue into Tabhair Dom Do Lámh raised manys the roar back in the early 70s….into “Smeceno” after Andy’s hammer in hand…Sorrow and Sadness always worked for me…the chanter and harmonica on Sweet Thames…the gallop of Lord McDonalds and The Chattering Magpie….the Music after Johnny Cope….I must have a Planxty listen again…
Hope you are getting a bit of drying-out over there in Athlone ..ye have had a rough time of it..
Hi Christy,
Last and only time I have seen You was in Frankfurt / Germany, ages ago. A man with a voice, a guitar or a drum (bodran i think it was called) standing allone on the stage of Frankfurt Alte Oper (old Opera) and rocking the great place… After the Show Sioban Brandergast wanted to give you a relaxing thai massage back stage (i never know if she did, because you wanted to finish your tee – we were told, so we had to leave because our baby want’s us back, but I am sure Sioban stood ).
So my question: World you Come back? You have so many friends on the Mainland and Frankfurt is realy in the Middle and the old Opera has to be rocked again.
XOX Axi,
former German student AT New University of Ulster AT Colerain
Christy's reply
we will return…we always bring our own tea bags…Barrys Special Blend..grown on the Southern Slopes of the West Cork Mountains…perfumed with Fuchsia and Monbrecia and gently dried by sun blest Atlantic breeze as it wafts in from The Mizen…we never avail of back stage massage it being against our strict fundementalist religion..after each gig we go straight into sorrowful mysteries of the rosary followed by a bit of a scourge and a few lashes…then its barbed wire in the underpants and on to the next Muskhalle ….many years ago I smoked a few Thai Sticks..mother a jasus but twas the finest of stuff..it was after a chillum of same that I saw the apparition that caused me to change my ways….these later times we seek only divine guidance after gigs….no more staggering around Gooterstrasse falling over schnitzel stalls
Hi Christy, I hope you are keeping well.
Myself, the wife and 2 kids are going to see you at The Royal Festival Hall on 6th April. It will be our kids first time to see you.
Fionn’s favourite song is ”Beeswing”.
Asha’s favourite song is ”Sonny”.
If either song comes into your head on the night we’d love to hear it.
Thanks a million.
All the best,
Seamus
Christy's reply
we will do our very best …I love the RFH..great venue, good people running the gigs there
Hi Christy
Thanks for your reply..there are so many we would love to hear but if you could play even one of the following we would love it!
North And South
So Do I
Beeswing
Thanks so much
Michelle and Derek
Thanks Christy. Glad Leagues O’Toole was able to get ye back together then. Thought of it after hearing “Sí Bheag, Sí Mhór” in a Church in Carrick-on-Shannon a few weeks ago – see you in the Landmark Hotel on April 22. A friend of mine remembered Planxty were stuck in Castlecomer Co. Kilkenny circa 1975 after a mammoth session in Leo Conway’s Bar and slept in the floor in Kilkenny St.
Christy's reply
I remember the Festival of “Comer very well…I helped to run it with a group of local rapscallions…Leo’s was a good music house at the time….used to play a bit of pool there too…Leo used the get The Green Label and Black Tower in back then….we were hoors for the Liebermilch back before half the country became wine experts…any more bottles of that auld Saltedherrins
Cheers christy can’t wait for your gig in the marble county. Hon christy.
Hi,
Decky McLaughlin preformed this song recently.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RAqBiFlse4I
I’ll let this speak for itself….
good man Decky
Hi Christy
By a great coincidence ,today’s start on sorting cassettes has yielded the gem that is ‘High Kings of Tara’,with the first track being Planxty’s ‘The Bonny Light Horseman’.The porter in The Dockers must have been a fine gargle as the harmonies are superb,.as is the ensemble playing.Is the song on the hit list for the trad outfit?
Amongst other excellent offerings is your evocative version of Ian Campbell’s ‘The Sun is Burning’.That song brings back great memories of your 1970s repertoire.A happy recollection on a gloomy Monday.
Dave
I like this song, Andy brought this one to the band….still hear it at sessions around…Fergus Russell delivers a great version at sessions around the town…I have never performed it apart from those harmonies 40 years ago…I dont do harmonies instinctively…Donal Lunny used to write the harmony lines, Liam O’Flynn and I would learn them off by heart…Andy Irvine is an instinctive harmony man…
…like on the current album where Declan guides the harmonies being sung by Vickie Keating and Andy Moore ( my son)
I still remember my first gig in Ian Cambell’s club back in 1967…it was a HUGE folk club back in the day…the audience came every week to hear the resident band and the guests were kinda like floor singers…. with Ian and Lorna fronting the band,with Daves Pegg and Swarbrigg ( occasionally by this time) it was a hot gig…Ian’s parents Dave and Winnie used to run the door and provide the finest of hospitality…there were a lot of great clubs in Brum at the time
Hi Christy,
I was in awe to see finbar furey on the late late show with Ryan Tubridy on Friday night, for a man of 70 he’s ploughing on well. This led me to ponder on your musical relationship with finbar or the furey group? I cant seem to find any collaberations with planxty or yourself with the fureys or finbar. Hopefully your keeping well and I look forward to seeing you in the spring, when theres a warmer tinge in the air,
Until then
Fair play to Fin ..He certainly delivered those two songs on The Late Late…..
Hi Christy(and Ed)
Its a blustery night,the wind’s howling but I’m cheered by the thought of Planxty’s ‘Bonny Light Horseman’,one of my favourite trad songs.Also,great to know about the lighter side of recordings.It was such a hard working band.So many superb gigs and a fantastic legacy.
I’m looking forward to seeing Andy in a few weeks and ,hopefully,your good self (and maybe your trad companeros)soon.
Fantastic that you’ve made it into the Spanish education system too.Fair play to Nancy Spain!
Hasta luego,Dave
Vino Plonko pronto
In an early edition of ‘The Starting Gate’ at Vicar Street, I’m visible in the front row in front of Andy and Donal, the current Hummingbird video clip online has evidence of lots of editing.
them feckin editors and censors have their work cut out…your presence may have been judged to be a threat to the state
That segue of ‘Tabhair dom do Lamh’, that particular piece or segment of music hit a lot of peoples ears – including my own and we were hooked to the great music from then on. Thanks for reply C, and I see Dagrab has replied as well. Interesting that you mention Michael O’Riordan’s family.
Hello/greetings to Nancy in Spain (‘No pasaran’).
From where I am, I’m both (literally) high plus dry here in Athlone. But quite a few have put in a rough few weeks.
Hi christy I am a massive fan of yours and have been to many of your concerts. You are playg at the lyrath hotel in Kilkenny in February and was wondering could you play a the song black is the colour for Serena.
Back to The Marble City…the swathes of Black and Amber…the Catterwailing of The Cats…Brian Cody’s spitoon…Willie Duggan’s Lights…Kytelers….Capt Moonshine..Jim Maher…Smithwicks Time…Prince Vince…The Carmel…Design…. The Nore…The Ring Road …The Castle…Stags and Hens…The ‘Comer Plateau..Coon and Muckalee….The Coal, Mooneenroe and Clogh…Butter…see you there….
In Kilkenny it is reported,
theres marble Stone there
as Black as
the colour of your true loves hair
Muchas gracias, Christy! No pasarán…
Nancy
Hello Christy,
I am an English teacher in a secondary school in Spain and, to mark the 80th anniversary of the Spanish Civil War, we are carrying out a cross-curricular project in the school. I have decided that I would like my pupils to listen to La Quinta Brigada, and to find out about the protagonists of your song. I have found some stuff on the internet, but I would be grateful (and thrillled!) if you could give me any particular information about how you came to write the song and how you decided upon the men you mention.
Nancy
Hello Nancy,
I wrote this song after reading Mick O’Riordan’s book “The Connolly Column”. He wrote of his experiences in Spain during The Spainish Civi War, how he volunteered and then travelled to Spain.
In the 50s there was no mention of The Spainish Civil War in our Catholic Eduacation system. I became aware of The International Brigade when I heard a song “Valley of Jarama”.The men mentioned in my song were among those Irish Brigadistas who died in Spain.
(Coincidentally,last night I was in the company of Mick O’Riordan’s son Manus and his daughter Brenda and I heard them both sing fine songs)
I am very happy to read that your students will hear the song….Adelante!
Hi Christy
Always great news when Planxty comes up in chats and heartwarming to know how much the band and the era means to you.
Thinking back to the excellent recordings that are still ‘out there’.I wonder if there are out takes /unreleased material that might see the light of day sometime?I dare say there would be technical/pre release issues,but there’d be massive world wide interest that would,hopefully,justify the effort. I’d happily listen to hours of Planxty stuff in the same geekish way I can work through alternate Dylan takes!
Have a good day.
Dave
I’m not aware of any extant recordings….there were a few out takes kicking about decades ago but I’ve no idea what became of them…there was one hilarious recording as we attempted vocal harmonies on “The Bonny Light Horseman”. We ended up in paroxysms of laughter that went on for 6 or 7 takes until we abandoned the session and adjourned to The Dockers for porter
Hi there Christy-
Back home now after my 2 months working on your beautiful island- everything here bright and white and frozen and I’m rambling around the studio trying to get a head full of images translated onto paper and not getting very far…you singing me on (box set, red) in the background. So so grateful for the nights we spent with you in Newbridge and Galway in Nov and Dec. Magic to see these songs come to life, to hear your voice that has carried and steadied me all these years. Meanwhile, I’ll keep scrolling through the gig page and looking for excuses to come to Ireland…Until next time, be well, xx kat
rambling around the studio is the best place to be when the inspiration arrives
Now I’ve Si Beag Si Mor on headphones.
The intro words on Philip King’s CD of the Vicar Street gigs, nothing to beat it; he said it all. Some great lines about they ‘gave us back our music’ and to hear as he states to hear names like Clancy, Ennis and them being invoked alongside a name like Woody Guthrie was something else he says.
rud eile, mar a deirtear síos i Dingle / Daingean
The man from Leim an Breadan, I probably thumbed out of it a time or two in my salad days, in fact I did. Nowadays all those hamlets are all by-passed, us Athlonians dont even see them.
I’ve The Starting Gate (2004) on my headphones as I type, it’s goosepimple time as the great Planxty sound starts when Liam Og cranked up the pipes and I recall my mind saying ‘yes, Planxty are back; they’re here….’ observe the audience reaction and indeed all four of the group swop quick glances, I was in front of Donal and Andy and spotted that they all swopped quick glances as saw the crowd reaction.
Some of the posts in the ‘Top Comments’ are mine.
Ni beith a leitheid seo aris.
(As for another ‘reformation’, I dont know)
Thumbin to Fleadhs, to Matches, on dates,you bring me back…every time I pass Newlands Cross I’m reminded of that ancient rite of passage, in the 50s myself and Meg McGowan used to stand thumbing on opposite sides of Moorefield Road, our destination depending on the direction of the first car that stopped…we could end up in Rathcoole, Monasterevan, Blessington or Rathcoffey…later the guitar became a great aid to hitching ….Patsy Hanly, the renowned Flute Player used to carry his Flute in a Fiddle Case when hitching…
I too like that moment when Liam opens the chanter on “The Starting Gate”..playing with Planxty was one of the highlights of my working life….the segue into Tabhair Dom Do Lámh raised manys the roar back in the early 70s….into “Smeceno” after Andy’s hammer in hand…Sorrow and Sadness always worked for me…the chanter and harmonica on Sweet Thames…the gallop of Lord McDonalds and The Chattering Magpie….the Music after Johnny Cope….I must have a Planxty listen again…
Hope you are getting a bit of drying-out over there in Athlone ..ye have had a rough time of it..
Hi Christy
Hope your well happy new year . Do you have an email for a private message.
Regards
Tom
Hi Christy,
Last and only time I have seen You was in Frankfurt / Germany, ages ago. A man with a voice, a guitar or a drum (bodran i think it was called) standing allone on the stage of Frankfurt Alte Oper (old Opera) and rocking the great place… After the Show Sioban Brandergast wanted to give you a relaxing thai massage back stage (i never know if she did, because you wanted to finish your tee – we were told, so we had to leave because our baby want’s us back, but I am sure Sioban stood ).
So my question: World you Come back? You have so many friends on the Mainland and Frankfurt is realy in the Middle and the old Opera has to be rocked again.
XOX Axi,
former German student AT New University of Ulster AT Colerain
we will return…we always bring our own tea bags…Barrys Special Blend..grown on the Southern Slopes of the West Cork Mountains…perfumed with Fuchsia and Monbrecia and gently dried by sun blest Atlantic breeze as it wafts in from The Mizen…we never avail of back stage massage it being against our strict fundementalist religion..after each gig we go straight into sorrowful mysteries of the rosary followed by a bit of a scourge and a few lashes…then its barbed wire in the underpants and on to the next Muskhalle ….many years ago I smoked a few Thai Sticks..mother a jasus but twas the finest of stuff..it was after a chillum of same that I saw the apparition that caused me to change my ways….these later times we seek only divine guidance after gigs….no more staggering around Gooterstrasse falling over schnitzel stalls
Hi Christy, I hope you are keeping well.
Myself, the wife and 2 kids are going to see you at The Royal Festival Hall on 6th April. It will be our kids first time to see you.
Fionn’s favourite song is ”Beeswing”.
Asha’s favourite song is ”Sonny”.
If either song comes into your head on the night we’d love to hear it.
Thanks a million.
All the best,
Seamus
we will do our very best …I love the RFH..great venue, good people running the gigs there
Sorry, didn’t mean to post it twice 🙂
Hi Christy
Thanks for your reply..there are so many we would love to hear but if you could play even one of the following we would love it!
North And South
So Do I
Beeswing
Thanks so much
Michelle and Derek
Thanks Christy. Glad Leagues O’Toole was able to get ye back together then. Thought of it after hearing “Sí Bheag, Sí Mhór” in a Church in Carrick-on-Shannon a few weeks ago – see you in the Landmark Hotel on April 22. A friend of mine remembered Planxty were stuck in Castlecomer Co. Kilkenny circa 1975 after a mammoth session in Leo Conway’s Bar and slept in the floor in Kilkenny St.
I remember the Festival of “Comer very well…I helped to run it with a group of local rapscallions…Leo’s was a good music house at the time….used to play a bit of pool there too…Leo used the get The Green Label and Black Tower in back then….we were hoors for the Liebermilch back before half the country became wine experts…any more bottles of that auld Saltedherrins