June 2026
A quick recap on work related events that marked 2025:
Myself and the team performed 43 gigs over the year. We played 6 benefits and spent 7 days recording towards various projects. We did 10 gigs in Vicar Street – across those gigs 74 songs were aired. We attended The RTE Folk Awards to present Donal Lunny with his Lifetime Achievement award – that was a special moment. We also attended the Premier of Nuala O’Connor’s film “In Time – the life and times of Donal Lunny”. Getting to play again with him was special for me. We played Paul Doran’s song “Natives” together. He was quite ill and weak that day but, as always, he created a perfect landscape as the verses rolled out.
I spent some great days Merrion Square recording 200 songs for the ITMA project. I really enjoyed those days with Adam Girard. As the project emerged, I realised that ITMA were happy to include recently written songs. I suppose it’s just a matter of time until every song becomes Traditional. Looking back across the list of songs there is more work to be done.
Had a very interesting day recording James Connolly related songs with film maker Alan Gilsenan. Patrick Galvin’s “Where Is Our James Connolly” and Dominic Behan’s “Connolly was There”. I also did a version of Peter Hames’ “Ordinary Man” at the behest of Des Geraghty who oversaw this project for SIPTU.
Another project was for John Creedon’s RTE TV series on Irish Songs. I got to sing Bobby Sands “Back Home in Derry” and to discuss Bobby’s writings with Colm Scullion of Bellaghy who shared a cell with Bobby in the H Blocks of Long Kesh.
In August we played a gig in West Belfast for two Womens shelters – one on The Falls and one on The Shankhill road. There was a brilliant atmosphere at that gig as we all sat together, from East and West, in solidarity and in friendship with hope for a better future.
Claddagh Records suggested an extended version of “A Terrible Beauty” which led to some happy hours working again with Gavin Murphy in Prosperous, County Kildare – just across the fields from where we recorded that “Prosperous” album with Bill leader way back in 1972.
On May 7th last year I passed the 80 milestone. I played a gig in Hometown Newbridge on May 10th. As I came on to the stage the entire audience sang “Happy Birthday” – that was special, emotional too but we soon settled into the job at hand. Straight into brother Barry’s “City of Chicago” and then “Viva La Quinta Brigada”. I’ve opened each and every gig with these two songs in recent times. They set the tone – everyone sings, & I get to warm up. (Across the years many have remarked that I don’t like audience participation – this is not true – I love to hear people singing.) Recently Jackson Brown’s “How Long” has been the third song. I keep planning a different opening BUT I always revert … “if it aint broke etc”.
On April the 20th I returned to the Community Arts Centre in Mountmellick, Co Laois. I have soft spot for Community Centres. getting to meet Volunteers who take such pride in their venues is always remarkable. This gig had an interesting side story – I did an on-line interview with Bob Mehr of The New York Times. I loved the good of it – sitting in the middle of the Island talking about the songs to someone 3,000 miles away. Bob had done his research and we had a grand chat.
Ellius Grace took some good shots. He also won two awards for the video he made to accompany “Boy in The Wild”. I love what he did with this – my second Music Video (the first being” Don’t Forget Your Shovel” over 40years ago). What a buzz to have Liam Cunningham and Ollie West play the father and son. How Wally would have enjoyed his final song played out thus. speaking of Waldo – another song from my good Companero has been winking at me.
You can watch the video for “Boy in the Wild” by clicking HERE
On March 4th we played a gig in Sligo to commemorate our dear friend, the late Tommie Gorman. all proceeds went to Sligo Rovers FC. Tommie’s Family and friends all turned out and I played with Seamie O’Dowd, Jessie Whitehead and Gerry Grennan. We got a lovely sound going after one short rehearsal. Joe Flatley travelled from London to the gig and left in a song for me. I played it in the van on the way home and by the time we hit Dublin I was smitten. It’s an absolute gem of a song. Joe wrote it to mark the Battle of Cable Street which his mother had witnessed as a young girl. I’m just about ready to perform and record this song…
On June 4th we played the second of two shows in The Millennium Forum in Derry. Always a great venue, always a special atmosphere. My Brother Andy was in attendance and afterwards we met up with Paul Weller and DJ Provaí of Kneecap. Every City has its own special associations and vibrations – Derry never fails to inspire.
On August 31st I played a lovely Sunday afternoon gig in Carlingford with Zoe Conway and John McIntyre. The Heritage Arts Centre was bright and jam packed. It was beautiful to play ensemble again after 3 years of solo performance. Zoe & John had prepared carefully. Valerie & I had the pleasure of visiting their Mountain Home where we parlayed and played across a beautiful afternoon … I just gotta get together with them again.
We’ve cut back a bit on the number of gigs and probably will continue in that direction. A long way from 1969 when I once did 83 nights on the trot and lived to tell the tale! My work colleagues are outstanding. We pull together as a team and through their focus and attention, I get to play these gigs – I salute the good companeros in our crew; Paddy Doherty, Michael Devine, Dickon Whitehead, David Meade, Johnny Meade, Geoff Ryan, Cian Doherty and all those who support them…ar agaidh linn arís i Muilleann Cearr an seachtain seo cughainn.
Now we turn to the possibilities that lie ahead – A few new songs in preparation & a few others have come out of retirement across 2025 – Little Musgrave, Smoke & Strong Whiskey, Sweet Thames Flow Softly, Raggle Taggle Gypsy, Allende, Fidel & Che & Natives have reappeared in recent months. I’ve enjoyed meeting these old friends again, recalling chord progressions and finding new keys to suit my maturing vocal cords.
The past 3 years have brought on a new focus on solo performing. Throughout my career there have been various ensembles. I feel that I have learned from all the different players I’ve worked with. Since Covid I have embarked once more upon solo playing – but differently. A new found confidence has begun to emerge – a feeling that it’s OK – maybe I can do this. Over the last 60 years I reckon it’s been 30 years solo and 30 years ensemble. This time I don’t feel as entirely naked musically as before. I’ve even developed some slight riffs in certain lyrical gaps. From the outset I’ve played guitar incorrectly – my tuning is askew. no one else I know of tunes their bottom string up to F and suffers the consequences! I I have tried to correct this but I’ve always reverted. I had a major guitar hang up for 55 years but recently I’ve accepted it as a wayward gift. I give thanks for the limited accompaniments that I can achieve. My brother, Luka Bloom, himself a very accomplished guitar player, has remarked that he likes my guitar sounds and recently Steve Cooney commented positively upon my playing – such remarks have been very encouraging. Today I marvel at a variety of great players and accept my own limitations with gratitude.
I listened to Rick Beato talk to Dominic Miller recently. He plays some new solo versions of Beatles Classics – simply stunning virtuoso beautiful realisations of music we all love.
Closer to home I’m loving some of the young players emerging on both Trad & Folk scenes – in particular those players who focus upon the music and/or the lyrics as being primary purpose.
A few months later – I’ll add a couple of postscripts;
This documentary was filmed to mark my archive going into the Irish Traditional Music Archive (ITMA) It has been a wonderful experience – You can watch it by clicking HERE
I have just completed a run of gigs in Dublin – 10 in Vicar St and 4 in The National Concert Hall. I also arrived at age 81 in May – with gratitude and surprise.
Here’s the setlist for the final gig in The NCH on 30th May:
ENCORE
1 hour 46 Mins
Christy