Hi. Earlier today Martin Leahy made his 200th and final protest outside the Dail demanding that Everyone one Should have a Home, it’s been some committment from West Cork. Can protests and songs change the world who knows ? But it’s important & democratic work, holding those in power to account for their policies & failures, as you do so regularly Christy. Beir bua agus beannacht. H
Christy's reply
what an amazing spirit of activism Martin Leahy has displayed over the past 4 years.I wish him well in all his future activity.Had the great pleasure of working with Martin on the 2009 album “Listen”….also featured his “Snowflakes”on 2024 album “A Terrible Beauty”
Just had a fab wander around The Portico Library…a gem in Manchester city centre. Balladeer,Jennifer Reid is still on tour in New Zealand…while she’s away,her books and artefacts are on show….well worth a visit…She and Mike Harding are enthusiastic supporters of a 220 years old institution. Long may such places continue…
All the best
Dave
Christy's reply
Any mention of Mike Harding always welcome here…Mike & Patricia gave me my first real gig in their Folk Club in Blakeley,Manchester in 1966 ( By the Icky Works) and they put me up in Crumpsall after the gig ( and manys the night after ! ) Mike was a fine performer and created a great atmosphere for any visiting “turn”..All this before he morphed into the Rochdale Cowboy and took off riding the Range and firing in all directions..Since then he has branched out into Travel writing, Poetry, photography, novels and short stories. For decades he was the champion host at Folk on the BBC.I included a piece by Mike on my last album called Sunflowers…..Many years ago he sent me the song “Morecambe Bay” which was written by Kevin Littlewood…it was nominated for the BBC Folk Awards ten years ago …Declan Sinnott and I performed it at The Lowry in Salford but Kevin’s song did not gain the garland….
That was a great night…I met Ian Cambell and his sons,Ralph McTell,Barney McKenna,Bill Leader, John Sheahan…at an earlier BBC Folk Awards in London Mike assembled another great gathering…I met John Prine, Kathy Burke, some of Hedgehog Pie…I got an award and sang “How Long” by Jackson Browne.The same night I had a right verbal run in with a renowned BBC Presenter who was well tooled up on Bolivian marching powder..he accused my of sabotaging his amp at Leeds Folk festival in 1981…I still have’nt figured out why a presenter would bring his own amp…I hope he is feeling better
Hi Christy. I wrote this song about the crew of the Endurance because I found no other songs that told the story adequately. I would love to hear what you think. I have been invited to sing it at the Shackleton conference in Dublin this year which I am excited about.
Totally agree about Hamish’s great work. Linked to Rory’s point about collectors…ITMA is and will always be,a superb resource. So much that’s easily accessible already and your treasure trove as well…
Enjoy your gig and travels…a local treat for me on Thursday. Waterside theatre ,Sale…hosting Reg Meuross and muckers….Woody’s ‘Fire and Dust’…Terrlific when I first saw them…the encore will be very welcome.
Christy mirning,
Hamish Henderson was a fine devotee, collector and distributor of the Scots tongue and tune, in Ireland Tom Munnelly did the same.
Who will keep and carry the flame next?
Here is one of Hamish’s songs, i recall your respect for him https://youtu.be/efQEjZgeqZk?si=4u6LrqJoWVpuvHDR
Rory
Christy's reply
Thanks Rory,
great to hear this version of Hamish’s beautiful song…
reading the remarks one poster suggests it should be Scotland’s Anthem..what a thought, to hear 50,000 sing it at Murrayfield
PS Rory…re collector’s and gatherer’s of songs…its a very different time now when compared to times of Hamish Henderson and Tom Munnelly….both these stalwarts worked in a time when songs and melodies were becoming extinct as old singers and players died…nowadays everything is recorded ,filmed,stowed away…recently I’ve witnessed the great work being done at Itma ..and there are other institutions as well…doubtless , rarities will still be lost but chances of survival are greater….which is more then can be said for humanity…
Sun shining here this Spring day..as dark clouds gather
Dia duit Christy.
Could you please give a shout out to Ross & Mary Munro from the Isle of Lewis who’ll be at your concert in Mullingar on Thursday night.
Míle buiochas a thaisce. Fearghal.
Christy's reply
agus Dia dhuit freisin Feargal..
I’m having to take a rain check on call outs..
much as I have liked to carry out requests… it has become quite difficult of late.. at one gig recently I counted 28 requests for call-outs….
mental capacity reduces as years race past at an alarmingly increasing rate…
whatever remains, I need to focus on getting the job done…
playing solo requires full concentration…
as I get towards the end of a song I begin to think of what might come next…then to remember what key its in .. what rhythm/tempo is optimum…then ,on the hoof,I try to create an intro to set it up….
don’t get me wrong, I absolutely love my work and every aspect of what it requires, I enjoy writing, covering, learning, arranging, practicing, ( recording,mixing, mastering, promoting, to a lesser extent)
on the other hand,I am cogniscant of what a call-out can mean in certain situations…
its a quandry, not a major issue but I do need to re-assess…
also on occasion, it has caused negative response,or some neuk might seek a call out for badness or comical effect….
Evening Christy,
I just finished watching a bbc documentary about the Cardiff 5. Horrendous police corruption and miscarriage of justice with 5 innocent black men jailed on remand and/or sentenced for a murder they did not commit. The only ‘thankful’ news i suppose is that by then capital punishment had been ended. Horrendous abuse.
It got me thinking of the tragedy of fellow Welshman Tim Evans, an horrendous miscarriage that led to his killing by the state. Tim Evans is a wonderful song , about a disaster. Do you still sing it? It is vibrant and heartfelt on the Box Set.
Rory
Christy's reply
saw that Cardiff 5 doc
over the years I met a number of decent British policemen
that said… others were cruel ruthless lying vicious crooks
Ewan MacColl’s “Tim Evan’s” a great description of how low they could descend to get a result at all costs…everyone knew that Tim Evan’s was an innocent…just like Giuseppe, The Maguires, The Guildford 4, The Birmingam 6 to mention but 4 recent miscarriages of justice
ps Bobby Sands used to sing “Tim Evans” in the H Blocks….
Geantraí on TG4 @ 22.30 is from The Four Provinces in Kimmage with a bit of Daoiri Farrell!.
Also, meant to mention, a great live interview with Kevin Burke on Lyric, St. Patrick’s Day! He mentions getting your blessing, Christy, to go play with the Bothy Band! Good news is he’s bought a house in Westport and will be spending more time there! (Gonna be some sessions in M. Molloy’s) sadly he mentions Paddy Keenan isn’t well!
Kevin, though, has to be one of the nicest people ever to grace the scene!
Its 2 hours and 5 minutes in. Well worth a listen!
Very happy to see you are on the mend, very nasty what you have had.
I really enjoyed Seán Mckeon, hell of a piper, thank you for arranging for him to play. I had bought his album previously so was very happy that it was him who played.
The Anne Lovett song, in my opinion, really worked with voice and pipes. Great to have you back
Dear Christy, It’s good to hear you are back in good shape. Being sick at our age can be really tough, you know. I saw yesterday the movie “all that’s left of you”, it’s a moving family epic that shows how, for three generations in a row, there is no other option than to counter oppression with dignity. It’s a film that everyone must see to have a better understanding of the Palestinian cause. Another tip: on YouTube you can find the beautiful song “lullaby” by Together For Palestine (the official music video)
Love from Belgium
Christy's reply
Thank you for your tips Moeke…I appreciate
yesterday i googled :
I was delighted to hear you were back in flying for the gig at Vicar St. I was also thrilled to see Boning Hall on the setlist you posted here – a favourite of mine at the minute and apt for Mercosur. I was appalled by Trump’s comment regarding an Uachtarán CC on the 17th and not a word said by the plámásor seoinín sat beside him. Made me think of Hey Ronnie Reagan… Maybe the time is right for a sequel
May 2nd can’t come soon enough
Beir bua,
Oscar
Christy's reply
Míle Maith agat Oscar
finally,after 30 years, a thumbs up for Boning Hall ..thank you
trump’s vile bottomless cess pit of a brain
stirs endless hatred, misogyny and warmongering greed
his lackeys,a pack of mindless indescribable vermin
neither him nor they display the slightest redeeming feature
100% pure ugly examples of the lowest form of life upon this beautiful planet
not a modicum of goodwill, compassion or humanity
Hi Christy
Looking forward to hearing and seeing you again when we head from East Kilbride to Mullingar for yer gig on the 26th March. My wife Patricia had a big birthday on Paddys day and this is the highlight of her celebrations. While Beeswing or Honda50 are her all time favourites she would listen to you singing the phone book if she could. See you then Christy.
🍀
Christy's reply
60 years ago, one of my favourite folk clubs was The Forum in East Kilbride., it ran in a basement.. every Monday night….any one remember it ? t’was a stoater
Hi. Earlier today Martin Leahy made his 200th and final protest outside the Dail demanding that Everyone one Should have a Home, it’s been some committment from West Cork. Can protests and songs change the world who knows ? But it’s important & democratic work, holding those in power to account for their policies & failures, as you do so regularly Christy. Beir bua agus beannacht. H
what an amazing spirit of activism Martin Leahy has displayed over the past 4 years.I wish him well in all his future activity.Had the great pleasure of working with Martin on the 2009 album “Listen”….also featured his “Snowflakes”on 2024 album “A Terrible Beauty”
Hi Christy
Enjoy travels and gig.
Just had a fab wander around The Portico Library…a gem in Manchester city centre. Balladeer,Jennifer Reid is still on tour in New Zealand…while she’s away,her books and artefacts are on show….well worth a visit…She and Mike Harding are enthusiastic supporters of a 220 years old institution. Long may such places continue…
All the best
Dave
Any mention of Mike Harding always welcome here…Mike & Patricia gave me my first real gig in their Folk Club in Blakeley,Manchester in 1966 ( By the Icky Works) and they put me up in Crumpsall after the gig ( and manys the night after ! ) Mike was a fine performer and created a great atmosphere for any visiting “turn”..All this before he morphed into the Rochdale Cowboy and took off riding the Range and firing in all directions..Since then he has branched out into Travel writing, Poetry, photography, novels and short stories. For decades he was the champion host at Folk on the BBC.I included a piece by Mike on my last album called Sunflowers…..Many years ago he sent me the song “Morecambe Bay” which was written by Kevin Littlewood…it was nominated for the BBC Folk Awards ten years ago …Declan Sinnott and I performed it at The Lowry in Salford but Kevin’s song did not gain the garland….
That was a great night…I met Ian Cambell and his sons,Ralph McTell,Barney McKenna,Bill Leader, John Sheahan…at an earlier BBC Folk Awards in London Mike assembled another great gathering…I met John Prine, Kathy Burke, some of Hedgehog Pie…I got an award and sang “How Long” by Jackson Browne.The same night I had a right verbal run in with a renowned BBC Presenter who was well tooled up on Bolivian marching powder..he accused my of sabotaging his amp at Leeds Folk festival in 1981…I still have’nt figured out why a presenter would bring his own amp…I hope he is feeling better
Hi Christy. I wrote this song about the crew of the Endurance because I found no other songs that told the story adequately. I would love to hear what you think. I have been invited to sing it at the Shackleton conference in Dublin this year which I am excited about.
https://youtu.be/lGUspu1NgCo
sing it out loud and proud
Hi Christy
Totally agree about Hamish’s great work. Linked to Rory’s point about collectors…ITMA is and will always be,a superb resource. So much that’s easily accessible already and your treasure trove as well…
Enjoy your gig and travels…a local treat for me on Thursday. Waterside theatre ,Sale…hosting Reg Meuross and muckers….Woody’s ‘Fire and Dust’…Terrlific when I first saw them…the encore will be very welcome.
Keeping spirits as high as possible….
Dave
Christy mirning,
Hamish Henderson was a fine devotee, collector and distributor of the Scots tongue and tune, in Ireland Tom Munnelly did the same.
Who will keep and carry the flame next?
Here is one of Hamish’s songs, i recall your respect for him
https://youtu.be/efQEjZgeqZk?si=4u6LrqJoWVpuvHDR
Rory
Thanks Rory,
great to hear this version of Hamish’s beautiful song…
reading the remarks one poster suggests it should be Scotland’s Anthem..what a thought, to hear 50,000 sing it at Murrayfield
PS Rory…re collector’s and gatherer’s of songs…its a very different time now when compared to times of Hamish Henderson and Tom Munnelly….both these stalwarts worked in a time when songs and melodies were becoming extinct as old singers and players died…nowadays everything is recorded ,filmed,stowed away…recently I’ve witnessed the great work being done at Itma ..and there are other institutions as well…doubtless , rarities will still be lost but chances of survival are greater….which is more then can be said for humanity…
Sun shining here this Spring day..as dark clouds gather
Dia duit Christy.
Could you please give a shout out to Ross & Mary Munro from the Isle of Lewis who’ll be at your concert in Mullingar on Thursday night.
Míle buiochas a thaisce. Fearghal.
agus Dia dhuit freisin Feargal..
I’m having to take a rain check on call outs..
much as I have liked to carry out requests… it has become quite difficult of late.. at one gig recently I counted 28 requests for call-outs….
mental capacity reduces as years race past at an alarmingly increasing rate…
whatever remains, I need to focus on getting the job done…
playing solo requires full concentration…
as I get towards the end of a song I begin to think of what might come next…then to remember what key its in .. what rhythm/tempo is optimum…then ,on the hoof,I try to create an intro to set it up….
don’t get me wrong, I absolutely love my work and every aspect of what it requires, I enjoy writing, covering, learning, arranging, practicing, ( recording,mixing, mastering, promoting, to a lesser extent)
on the other hand,I am cogniscant of what a call-out can mean in certain situations…
its a quandry, not a major issue but I do need to re-assess…
also on occasion, it has caused negative response,or some neuk might seek a call out for badness or comical effect….
sin an scéal maidin inniú
Evening Christy,
I just finished watching a bbc documentary about the Cardiff 5. Horrendous police corruption and miscarriage of justice with 5 innocent black men jailed on remand and/or sentenced for a murder they did not commit. The only ‘thankful’ news i suppose is that by then capital punishment had been ended. Horrendous abuse.
It got me thinking of the tragedy of fellow Welshman Tim Evans, an horrendous miscarriage that led to his killing by the state. Tim Evans is a wonderful song , about a disaster. Do you still sing it? It is vibrant and heartfelt on the Box Set.
Rory
saw that Cardiff 5 doc
over the years I met a number of decent British policemen
that said… others were cruel ruthless lying vicious crooks
Ewan MacColl’s “Tim Evan’s” a great description of how low they could descend to get a result at all costs…everyone knew that Tim Evan’s was an innocent…just like Giuseppe, The Maguires, The Guildford 4, The Birmingam 6 to mention but 4 recent miscarriages of justice
ps Bobby Sands used to sing “Tim Evans” in the H Blocks….
And (never start a sentence with and) for all Kevins prowess on the fiddle I’ve always loved this.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=SuDuvbDFdis
A quick heads up Christy / All,
Geantraí on TG4 @ 22.30 is from The Four Provinces in Kimmage with a bit of Daoiri Farrell!.
Also, meant to mention, a great live interview with Kevin Burke on Lyric, St. Patrick’s Day! He mentions getting your blessing, Christy, to go play with the Bothy Band! Good news is he’s bought a house in Westport and will be spending more time there! (Gonna be some sessions in M. Molloy’s) sadly he mentions Paddy Keenan isn’t well!
Kevin, though, has to be one of the nicest people ever to grace the scene!
Its 2 hours and 5 minutes in. Well worth a listen!
https://www.rte.ie/radio/lyricfm/lorcan-murrays-classic-drive/2026/0317/1563872-lorcan-murrays-classic-drive-tuesday-17-march-2026//
Kevin used to sing this song when we were in a band together with Jimmy Faulkner and Declan McNelis…I well remember him joining The Bothy Band
Hello Christy,
Very happy to see you are on the mend, very nasty what you have had.
I really enjoyed Seán Mckeon, hell of a piper, thank you for arranging for him to play. I had bought his album previously so was very happy that it was him who played.
The Anne Lovett song, in my opinion, really worked with voice and pipes. Great to have you back
Steve
Dear Christy, It’s good to hear you are back in good shape. Being sick at our age can be really tough, you know. I saw yesterday the movie “all that’s left of you”, it’s a moving family epic that shows how, for three generations in a row, there is no other option than to counter oppression with dignity. It’s a film that everyone must see to have a better understanding of the Palestinian cause. Another tip: on YouTube you can find the beautiful song “lullaby” by Together For Palestine (the official music video)
Love from Belgium
Thank you for your tips Moeke…I appreciate
yesterday i googled :
Youtube Martin Carthy Bob Dylan
excellent interview
Dia duit Christy,
I was delighted to hear you were back in flying for the gig at Vicar St. I was also thrilled to see Boning Hall on the setlist you posted here – a favourite of mine at the minute and apt for Mercosur. I was appalled by Trump’s comment regarding an Uachtarán CC on the 17th and not a word said by the plámásor seoinín sat beside him. Made me think of Hey Ronnie Reagan… Maybe the time is right for a sequel
May 2nd can’t come soon enough
Beir bua,
Oscar
Míle Maith agat Oscar
finally,after 30 years, a thumbs up for Boning Hall ..thank you
trump’s vile bottomless cess pit of a brain
stirs endless hatred, misogyny and warmongering greed
his lackeys,a pack of mindless indescribable vermin
neither him nor they display the slightest redeeming feature
100% pure ugly examples of the lowest form of life upon this beautiful planet
not a modicum of goodwill, compassion or humanity
a plague upon their nests
Hi Christy
Looking forward to hearing and seeing you again when we head from East Kilbride to Mullingar for yer gig on the 26th March. My wife Patricia had a big birthday on Paddys day and this is the highlight of her celebrations. While Beeswing or Honda50 are her all time favourites she would listen to you singing the phone book if she could. See you then Christy.
🍀
60 years ago, one of my favourite folk clubs was The Forum in East Kilbride., it ran in a basement.. every Monday night….any one remember it ? t’was a stoater