New Year with my wife Gillian
Seen you twice in London (RFH) Kiilarney and on 2nd Jan at Vicar St
Great concert
Hope to see you later this year back in London?
Declan – great guitarist
Black is the colour – my favourite
Christy's reply
Allane….we hope to return to London (RFH) come the Autumn of this year….thank you for your feedback and good wishes….
Dear Christy. As has been said, a fantastic night! To keep an audience enthralled for two hours you have to be top of your game…and you are. And a huge thank you from Joan Hunt for playing the Voyage. She was thrilled – as you heard 😉
Thanks again. Yvonne
Christy's reply
Thanks Yvonne….the first 4 nights in Vicar have simply flown….we 5 have been tight, the new material fitting in seamlessly with the older work…the audience has grown with us, the listeners seem prepared to come with us, they will hoop and holler at certain songs but then switch to intent listening for “Green Laurel”
“Gortatagort” “Two Conneeleys”
When I sing “THe Gardener” I always remember the late Frank Sheeran….he was a grand-uncle of mine…he was also the Grandfather of Brendan Hunt whose Widow, Joan Hunt, you mention….Frank was a lifelong dedicated gardener…all his life he worked as a gardener (in some large Boyneside estate ) and also kept a beautiful kitchen garden for his own family near Stackallen….as a small boy back in the 1950s I used visit there with my Granparents Jack and Ellie Power….I still remember the hospitalty, Frank digging up a bottle of Damson Wine from the garden, John McCormack singing on the wind-up gramaphone, the old folks chatting about days long gone, of Joe Sheeran dying at Ypres, myself and cousin Bertha taking it all in……
We meant to do this sooner. Thank you for the brilliant night in Tralee where you mentioned my son Liam for foregoing the toy show to see you instead. Such a wise 9 year old!!! Santa failed in comparison for him!!! And the rendition of Barr na Sraide was the icing on the cake. All the best for the year ahead
Christy's reply
Well Fergal, better late then never ! Fair sup of water under the bridge since we tread the boards below in The Brandon…twas a sweet night surely and a good lead up to the Nollaig thats now fading into the mists of time but still with Nollaig na mBan to come…I remember young Liam and him, fair play to him, forgoing The Toy Show to hear a baldy auld bogman lashing out a brace of ballads…that said,we had a right good night with ye below insan Ríocht….hopefully we’ll be back down in The Gleneagles (or the big room beside it) come Summertime….in the meantime, best wishes to young Liam and to all our Kingdom listeners, our shelmaliers,corner backs, quare hawks, Tweedle Dum & Tweedle Dee,
“about 4 years ago I was diggin the land
with a cock in me hat and a pipe in me hand
sez I to myself what a pity to see
such a fine strappin lad footin turf near Tralee” ( from “The Kerry Recruit” as sung by Liam Clancy)
Great night at Vicar St last night.
You were in fantastic form. Pity we didn’t get ‘Wise and Holy woman’ though 😉 Ah well, there were plenty of other masterpieces. Thanks for ‘Companero’s’!
Christy's reply
twas a noble call Bodhrán, nearly got to the Boyne water til “Derry” was suggested from the balcony (and I suspected you had been in before)…usually I dont mind giving out seconds but last night there were many ears fill
Taking my son to his first Christy gig tonight in vicar’s street. Really looking forward to this. Hope we get “McIlhatton” for the lads from Glenravel….
Christy's reply
“The Goat ‘s collapsed, the dog ‘s run away,
there’s Salmon down the bogs”…………(Bobby Sands)
Christy
Fantastic concert last night, as always, in Vicar Street. Thank you so much for the shout out to my brother and sister in law before you played ‘City of Chicago.’ It made the evening really special. Sharon
Christy's reply
we welcome all returned emigrants…hope they are having a great visit
Thanks for a wonderful Gig at HQ……a great start to the New Year. That was a lively audience !!!!
Lovely to meet some 4711ers again. Hope the rest of the week goes well for you.
Ride on
Patsy.
P.S we had a Pine Martin doing harm down this way too …… just wonder was he a Rossie….. must check with Olivia ?
Christy's reply
Westmeath has always had its fair share of scavangers Patsy…ye would’nt need to rely on neighboring counties to have your nests robbed, your coops destroyed…..I once heard of a man from Castlepollard who could keep neither hen nor egg..even The Westmeath Harriers were at a loss to control those beasts of prey….got your note last night…hope all is well upon the wide street this glorious Winters day
Happy New Year, hope you had a good break, looking forward to seeing you in VS tomorrow night, what better way to settle into 2017. I had hoped to be arriving with half dozen eggs to set you up for the breakfast on Wednesday morning, but unfortunately we had the farmyard equivalent of a terrorist attack in the form of a pine marten and none of our ten hens survived 2016! ? Also learning that Dubs haven’t the faintest idea what a pine marten is ? Finally… back to the music… Johnny Jump Up was marvellous pre Christmas. Its lovely when an old gem makes a surprise appearance.. I was listening to some CDs in the car earlier that i hadnt put on in a while and The Diamondtina Drover knocked me sideways, it had been so long since I had listened to it. Maybe in time it might come back to the live set? In the meantime may I put in a quiet request for a Wally Page song again tomorrow night, so I dont have to shout? ? If so, you can choose which one xx
Christy's reply
them feckin Pine Marten are the right little hoors divvils…you could have neither egg nor chicken when them feckers are lurkin about….feathers flyin and pullets squackin….bedlam on earth and only spuds on the table…mind you not a bad thing in itself…a fine mound of floury spuds with a good lash of country butter never left anyone hungry…..
hope we’ll have a bit of Waldo tonight and maybe a new Rossie song in the mix too
Diamandtina Drover has not been in the set for nigh on 30 years…its author, Hugh McDonald, passed last month…maybe its time to get it back in the set..but it would take a while
Bliain Úr mhaith duit a Christy. Sad news about Shane McGowan’s mother. I was listening to Shane and your good self singing A Pair of Brown Eyes followed by Spancil Hill. In your words Shane is a man of word and a man of music. Looking forward to seeing you in Vicar Street tomorrow evening…first time in venue!
Should we all wear Aran jumpers…as you know temperatures in this part of the country have been soaring … in certain parts the chickens are laying hard boiled eggs! (God bless RHI). Slán go fóill, Mary
Christy's reply
Bawneen Sweaters wont be needed…twas boilin last night Girl….we all went home sweatin….when the Sun went behind the Black Mountain
Hi Christy,
I’m 65 on 13th May and my family have bought tickets to see you in Carrick On Shannon on that day. I will be travelling from England with my wife Vishva and my son Kieran. His fist gig was one of yours in Manchester in the late 80s when he was 6/7. I don’t think it did him any harm. What a great way to spend my birthday and celebrate becoming a pensioner. We look forward to seeing you. Tom Murtha
Christy's reply
Good man Tom….Hope you ,Vishva and Kieran have a good trip over…its a party town these days…before it was a quiet Riverside Irish Country Hamlet but latterly it has exploded forth into Stag and Hen overload….that said, when I last played in Leitrim’s capitol,we had as good an audience as any Balladeer could wish for…
“O Leitrim is a very funny place Sir”
“every auld crock of a Drumsna Cock is longing to be free” (Vallely)
and I remember being 65, tis a grand age, you’ll be as happy as the day is long
Roll on May……Mí na Bealtaine
Hi Christy, supposed to be bringing my 14 year old son to see you (again!) tonight, but have been told vicar street is over 18s only? Any idea if we’d be turned away cos he’s only 14, i can’t get through to vicar street to ask them! Thx
Christy's reply
happy that it all worked out well….great to have the young ones listening…around that age I was starting to hear The Clancy Brothers….soon got diverted from Bill Haley and The Comets
Christy first time home in ten years but a date with yourself and Vicar St are always constants…along with the cold. Admit it’s hard to keep up from Australia bit after watching your dvd about ‘the journey’ I’m back in the swing and looking forward to the sweat tomorrow evening .
Christy's reply
Home to Salmon Leap…….how did those accursed Place Name Butchers ever turn “Léim an Bhradáin” into Leixlip …..among numerous glaring examples of their awful insensitivity, Leixlip ranks high….alongside Clonmel (Vale of Honey) and Ahakista (Kitchen Cove) to name but three….
I wonder what the ancient name for Brisbane might have been…they did not confine their barbarous activities to this neighbouring Island (New York, Auckland,Pretoria,Londonderry,Halifax Nova Scotia )
Welcome home Sting, excuse my morning rant….see you in Black Lagoon
Well Christy if your reading this you survived 2016 what a year it was for taking some great artists in the Industry , would like to wish You and all the family a wonderful Happy new year and may you continue to share all your great music and songs with us, Thank you for the music always .
Jimi & Svetlana
Christy's reply
lets not forget all the wonderful artists who were born in 2016…already they are preparing to create, to help future generations to see, to hear, to feel, to appreciate the beauty that surrounds us all..the very beauty that remains hidden to so many of us …..
Hope you and Svetlana enjoy the beauties of South West Clare…a region often overlooked when The Banner is being exhalted….but never when singing “The Cliffs Of Dooneen”
CM (71) Bliain nua mhaith suimhneach sabhailte
Dhuit is an clann uilig agus cuile duine an seo.
The donkeys are snug in the shed.the swans are making a racket on the lake.the seals have no trawlers to follow all tied up in port.I have a new cousin born last night in dingle.all my cousins are girls and here he is landed it only took 12 years.finally a boy…Seán thomås…A kerry lad too
Hope 20 17 is happy and safe and musical
CS ( 12)
PS what are your thoughts on the new year?
Christy's reply
Hard to bate the smiling face of a snug donkey….the elegance of a gliding swan,..the blink of a well fed seal….
most of my thoughts this New Year are focused upon my wee new Grand-daughter …..also thinking of my dear nephew who inspired me “In Praise of Mullaghmore”
These past two weeks have been, very much, family time…
Hello Christy,
Just wanted to wish you, your family, and crew a peaceful and healthy start to 2017…so grateful for the work you do, for these songs that come to life through you. They are good company on these long nights. Keeping the fingers crossed that we’ll get over to you again this year. Until then, be well, enjoy the ride… x Kat
Hi All. What a great year its been,,, was it 72 gigs ye played ?? and always something new and fresh,,, always enlightening,,, and lots fun too,,,,Here’s wishing Health and Happiness ,,,new songs to be found and shared or old ones revisited,,,maybe some new musical guests ..well behaved, attentive listeners,, new and exciting projects and the energy to share you Voice for those without a say in Society, and to continue to challenge those who have power and control…. and safe travelling in good company in 2017… Beir bua agus Beannacht. H
Christy's reply
72 real gigs plus various appearances and performances……fresh start later today, new leaves, old tales replenished,
round we go, heel to the toe…to the dance floor all at sea….Mary Kenny, Nell McCafferty, Alice Glenn, Ruth Diddley Edwards,
anyone for the last few choc ices
So let there be music and pies and tarts. And let 2017 be the year we find the meaning of life. (or maybe some great gigs and my mother’s curry and rice. ).
From Down Under were we are at the moment I would like to wish you & your family a wonderful and healthy 2017.
Let the music keep your and our spirits high!
Hope to catch one of your shows in this coming year.
The ship O’DREAMS is on another exciting tour around the lowlands.
“…….the fishermen are feeling good…..”
John
Christy's reply
Safe travels around Australia John….
if you gotta go down,
go down singin shanties,
to the dance-floor all at sea
New Year with my wife Gillian
Seen you twice in London (RFH) Kiilarney and on 2nd Jan at Vicar St
Great concert
Hope to see you later this year back in London?
Declan – great guitarist
Black is the colour – my favourite
Allane….we hope to return to London (RFH) come the Autumn of this year….thank you for your feedback and good wishes….
Dear Christy. As has been said, a fantastic night! To keep an audience enthralled for two hours you have to be top of your game…and you are. And a huge thank you from Joan Hunt for playing the Voyage. She was thrilled – as you heard 😉
Thanks again. Yvonne
Thanks Yvonne….the first 4 nights in Vicar have simply flown….we 5 have been tight, the new material fitting in seamlessly with the older work…the audience has grown with us, the listeners seem prepared to come with us, they will hoop and holler at certain songs but then switch to intent listening for “Green Laurel”
“Gortatagort” “Two Conneeleys”
When I sing “THe Gardener” I always remember the late Frank Sheeran….he was a grand-uncle of mine…he was also the Grandfather of Brendan Hunt whose Widow, Joan Hunt, you mention….Frank was a lifelong dedicated gardener…all his life he worked as a gardener (in some large Boyneside estate ) and also kept a beautiful kitchen garden for his own family near Stackallen….as a small boy back in the 1950s I used visit there with my Granparents Jack and Ellie Power….I still remember the hospitalty, Frank digging up a bottle of Damson Wine from the garden, John McCormack singing on the wind-up gramaphone, the old folks chatting about days long gone, of Joe Sheeran dying at Ypres, myself and cousin Bertha taking it all in……
We meant to do this sooner. Thank you for the brilliant night in Tralee where you mentioned my son Liam for foregoing the toy show to see you instead. Such a wise 9 year old!!! Santa failed in comparison for him!!! And the rendition of Barr na Sraide was the icing on the cake. All the best for the year ahead
Well Fergal, better late then never ! Fair sup of water under the bridge since we tread the boards below in The Brandon…twas a sweet night surely and a good lead up to the Nollaig thats now fading into the mists of time but still with Nollaig na mBan to come…I remember young Liam and him, fair play to him, forgoing The Toy Show to hear a baldy auld bogman lashing out a brace of ballads…that said,we had a right good night with ye below insan Ríocht….hopefully we’ll be back down in The Gleneagles (or the big room beside it) come Summertime….in the meantime, best wishes to young Liam and to all our Kingdom listeners, our shelmaliers,corner backs, quare hawks, Tweedle Dum & Tweedle Dee,
“about 4 years ago I was diggin the land
with a cock in me hat and a pipe in me hand
sez I to myself what a pity to see
such a fine strappin lad footin turf near Tralee” ( from “The Kerry Recruit” as sung by Liam Clancy)
Great night at Vicar St last night.
You were in fantastic form. Pity we didn’t get ‘Wise and Holy woman’ though 😉 Ah well, there were plenty of other masterpieces. Thanks for ‘Companero’s’!
twas a noble call Bodhrán, nearly got to the Boyne water til “Derry” was suggested from the balcony (and I suspected you had been in before)…usually I dont mind giving out seconds but last night there were many ears fill
Taking my son to his first Christy gig tonight in vicar’s street. Really looking forward to this. Hope we get “McIlhatton” for the lads from Glenravel….
“The Goat ‘s collapsed, the dog ‘s run away,
there’s Salmon down the bogs”…………(Bobby Sands)
Christy
Fantastic concert last night, as always, in Vicar Street. Thank you so much for the shout out to my brother and sister in law before you played ‘City of Chicago.’ It made the evening really special. Sharon
we welcome all returned emigrants…hope they are having a great visit
What an amazing evening! Thanks for the dedication and the autograph! This will last for ever 🙂
Jonas/marie from sweden
we always seek to pleasure our Scandanavian visitors…have a good trip
Thanks for a wonderful Gig at HQ……a great start to the New Year. That was a lively audience !!!!
Lovely to meet some 4711ers again. Hope the rest of the week goes well for you.
Ride on
Patsy.
P.S we had a Pine Martin doing harm down this way too …… just wonder was he a Rossie….. must check with Olivia ?
Westmeath has always had its fair share of scavangers Patsy…ye would’nt need to rely on neighboring counties to have your nests robbed, your coops destroyed…..I once heard of a man from Castlepollard who could keep neither hen nor egg..even The Westmeath Harriers were at a loss to control those beasts of prey….got your note last night…hope all is well upon the wide street this glorious Winters day
Terrific concert tonight at vicar street. Great songs new and old. Many thanks to Christy and his orchestra. Fair play! 🙂
Thanks Clare, twas a good start to year 51 of the ongoing tour…keep coming back
Happy New Year, hope you had a good break, looking forward to seeing you in VS tomorrow night, what better way to settle into 2017. I had hoped to be arriving with half dozen eggs to set you up for the breakfast on Wednesday morning, but unfortunately we had the farmyard equivalent of a terrorist attack in the form of a pine marten and none of our ten hens survived 2016! ? Also learning that Dubs haven’t the faintest idea what a pine marten is ? Finally… back to the music… Johnny Jump Up was marvellous pre Christmas. Its lovely when an old gem makes a surprise appearance.. I was listening to some CDs in the car earlier that i hadnt put on in a while and The Diamondtina Drover knocked me sideways, it had been so long since I had listened to it. Maybe in time it might come back to the live set? In the meantime may I put in a quiet request for a Wally Page song again tomorrow night, so I dont have to shout? ? If so, you can choose which one xx
them feckin Pine Marten are the right little hoors divvils…you could have neither egg nor chicken when them feckers are lurkin about….feathers flyin and pullets squackin….bedlam on earth and only spuds on the table…mind you not a bad thing in itself…a fine mound of floury spuds with a good lash of country butter never left anyone hungry…..
hope we’ll have a bit of Waldo tonight and maybe a new Rossie song in the mix too
Diamandtina Drover has not been in the set for nigh on 30 years…its author, Hugh McDonald, passed last month…maybe its time to get it back in the set..but it would take a while
Bliain Úr mhaith duit a Christy. Sad news about Shane McGowan’s mother. I was listening to Shane and your good self singing A Pair of Brown Eyes followed by Spancil Hill. In your words Shane is a man of word and a man of music. Looking forward to seeing you in Vicar Street tomorrow evening…first time in venue!
Should we all wear Aran jumpers…as you know temperatures in this part of the country have been soaring … in certain parts the chickens are laying hard boiled eggs! (God bless RHI). Slán go fóill, Mary
Bawneen Sweaters wont be needed…twas boilin last night Girl….we all went home sweatin….when the Sun went behind the Black Mountain
Hi Christy,
I’m 65 on 13th May and my family have bought tickets to see you in Carrick On Shannon on that day. I will be travelling from England with my wife Vishva and my son Kieran. His fist gig was one of yours in Manchester in the late 80s when he was 6/7. I don’t think it did him any harm. What a great way to spend my birthday and celebrate becoming a pensioner. We look forward to seeing you. Tom Murtha
Good man Tom….Hope you ,Vishva and Kieran have a good trip over…its a party town these days…before it was a quiet Riverside Irish Country Hamlet but latterly it has exploded forth into Stag and Hen overload….that said, when I last played in Leitrim’s capitol,we had as good an audience as any Balladeer could wish for…
“O Leitrim is a very funny place Sir”
“every auld crock of a Drumsna Cock is longing to be free” (Vallely)
and I remember being 65, tis a grand age, you’ll be as happy as the day is long
Roll on May……Mí na Bealtaine
Hi Christy, supposed to be bringing my 14 year old son to see you (again!) tonight, but have been told vicar street is over 18s only? Any idea if we’d be turned away cos he’s only 14, i can’t get through to vicar street to ask them! Thx
happy that it all worked out well….great to have the young ones listening…around that age I was starting to hear The Clancy Brothers….soon got diverted from Bill Haley and The Comets
Christy first time home in ten years but a date with yourself and Vicar St are always constants…along with the cold. Admit it’s hard to keep up from Australia bit after watching your dvd about ‘the journey’ I’m back in the swing and looking forward to the sweat tomorrow evening .
Home to Salmon Leap…….how did those accursed Place Name Butchers ever turn “Léim an Bhradáin” into Leixlip …..among numerous glaring examples of their awful insensitivity, Leixlip ranks high….alongside Clonmel (Vale of Honey) and Ahakista (Kitchen Cove) to name but three….
I wonder what the ancient name for Brisbane might have been…they did not confine their barbarous activities to this neighbouring Island (New York, Auckland,Pretoria,Londonderry,Halifax Nova Scotia )
Welcome home Sting, excuse my morning rant….see you in Black Lagoon
Well Christy if your reading this you survived 2016 what a year it was for taking some great artists in the Industry , would like to wish You and all the family a wonderful Happy new year and may you continue to share all your great music and songs with us, Thank you for the music always .
Jimi & Svetlana
lets not forget all the wonderful artists who were born in 2016…already they are preparing to create, to help future generations to see, to hear, to feel, to appreciate the beauty that surrounds us all..the very beauty that remains hidden to so many of us …..
Hope you and Svetlana enjoy the beauties of South West Clare…a region often overlooked when The Banner is being exhalted….but never when singing “The Cliffs Of Dooneen”
CM (71) Bliain nua mhaith suimhneach sabhailte
Dhuit is an clann uilig agus cuile duine an seo.
The donkeys are snug in the shed.the swans are making a racket on the lake.the seals have no trawlers to follow all tied up in port.I have a new cousin born last night in dingle.all my cousins are girls and here he is landed it only took 12 years.finally a boy…Seán thomås…A kerry lad too
Hope 20 17 is happy and safe and musical
CS ( 12)
PS what are your thoughts on the new year?
Hard to bate the smiling face of a snug donkey….the elegance of a gliding swan,..the blink of a well fed seal….
most of my thoughts this New Year are focused upon my wee new Grand-daughter …..also thinking of my dear nephew who inspired me “In Praise of Mullaghmore”
These past two weeks have been, very much, family time…
Hello Christy,
Just wanted to wish you, your family, and crew a peaceful and healthy start to 2017…so grateful for the work you do, for these songs that come to life through you. They are good company on these long nights. Keeping the fingers crossed that we’ll get over to you again this year. Until then, be well, enjoy the ride… x Kat
and many happy returns to all Maine Listeners
Hi All. What a great year its been,,, was it 72 gigs ye played ?? and always something new and fresh,,, always enlightening,,, and lots fun too,,,,Here’s wishing Health and Happiness ,,,new songs to be found and shared or old ones revisited,,,maybe some new musical guests ..well behaved, attentive listeners,, new and exciting projects and the energy to share you Voice for those without a say in Society, and to continue to challenge those who have power and control…. and safe travelling in good company in 2017… Beir bua agus Beannacht. H
72 real gigs plus various appearances and performances……fresh start later today, new leaves, old tales replenished,
round we go, heel to the toe…to the dance floor all at sea….Mary Kenny, Nell McCafferty, Alice Glenn, Ruth Diddley Edwards,
anyone for the last few choc ices
So let there be music and pies and tarts. And let 2017 be the year we find the meaning of life. (or maybe some great gigs and my mother’s curry and rice. ).
lay your head upon my pilau…chapati ‘s over
Dear Christy,
From Down Under were we are at the moment I would like to wish you & your family a wonderful and healthy 2017.
Let the music keep your and our spirits high!
Hope to catch one of your shows in this coming year.
The ship O’DREAMS is on another exciting tour around the lowlands.
“…….the fishermen are feeling good…..”
John
Safe travels around Australia John….
if you gotta go down,
go down singin shanties,
to the dance-floor all at sea
yabba dabba dooo