Sorry for yet another posting Christy. I couldn’t resist a reminder of that haunting song ‘farewell to pripyat’ ( perhaps it will return to the set list sometime) as i listened to 2 academics disputing on the radio today as to whether 200 people or 400,000 souls died as a result of the Chernobyl disaster.
Anyway, a lovely but sad saong.
All the best.
Rory
Christy's reply
it comes across the screen occasionally but its not been gigged for manys the long year..it cold not be redeemed at short notice
Very good Hilary. Your great at explaining name places. The big stone is still standing in Gullane with giant fingerprints on it. It was supposed to be thrown by a Giant from the Paps mountains many years ago. We can see the Paps mountains in the distance from Gullane.
Who am I to disagree with my ancestors!!
Christy's reply
Hard to bate a good view of The Paps..I once heard that Finn McCool camped there on his way to Kildare..a fierce man altogether for throwing Rocks..especially when he was troubled by poitín..he eventually settled down on The Hill of Allen where, by all accounts, he was a good neighbour….he’d run around The Curragh Plains every morning with his Wolfhounds until St Brigid put a stop to his gallop..as soon as I can verify what (reportedly) happened next I’ll get back to you…Chief Super Martin Callinan (retd) is looking into it for me…
preparing here for the week-end in Enniscorthy and Tullamore….Vinegar Hill on Friday and Bog of Allen on Saturday….the auld ballads has me nearly bet….. but soon as the lights go down the adrenalin kicks in and away we go ……
Hi All.. I hate to admit it but the INEC is not one of my favourite venues, however the gig on Sat was one of the best ones there ever,,,, it was amazing to see the three floors open because of the huge crowd,,,, there was a great welcome for songs old and new, Minds Locked Shut is a very moving and emotional ballad,,,, the sound was fantastic , I don’t imagine it easy in such a cavernous space and the lighting really lt up the big stage,,,. the word Gullane is found in many areas and features in John Spillane’s Gortagort as one of the names of the fields,,and it is also a townland near the Cliffs of Doneen,,its seems to refer to a Standing Stone,which is also the name of another field in Gortagort ! Beir bua agus beannacht,, H
Christy's reply
The one great thing about the INEC is the good people who come and support the gigs…there are certain aspects of the physical venue that could be greatly improved but those who work there could not be more helpful and welcoming…
I go way back gigging here..back in the 70s it was the Gleneagles room where there would always be a welcome from Maurice ( manys the bottle of stout and chinwag)
Did weekly gigs for a number of years..a rotation through July/August in 80s
Wed. The Mile Inn Limerick,
Thu. Gleneagles, Killarney
Fri .The Wexford Inn,Dublin
Sat.Kate Reilly’s Tramore
Sat. Club Cleo in Bandon
I was so much older then,I’m younger then that now !!
Hi Christy
in the mean time we are settled back in Belgium after a long weekend in Ireland. Too short, but nevertheless we enjoyed our visit once again very much, and ofcourse your gig in special. For us a lot of nice surprises in the setlist. And our first time to hear (live) Sail on Jimmy, what a beautiful song. Many thanks for dedicating ‘Stitch in time’ to us. I do not know why that song, I’ve never been such a drunken husband I hope. But it’s one of my favourite songs.
Keep up the good work and we hope to seeing you soon back somewhere down the road.
Els and Piet
Christy's reply
Els & Piet,
Sometimes,
the heat of the night,
with weakening eyesight,
the excitement of the gig,
the smell of the crowd,
the roar of the greasepaint,
the music in my ears,
the torrential perspiration
the sheer bliss of it all…………………….sometimes I get my reference lists mixed up,….recently I dedicated “Weekend in Amsterdam” to a Parish Priest ( but she forgave in the darkness of her confessional box) ….
As for your Box of Belgian Choclates….all the family are enjoying your treats…normally I would share with Band & Crew but they are all off Chocolate for Lent ( they did make an exception recently when some confections were delivered from Chile )…
It is indeed humbling when listeners travel so far to hear the songs.Your ongoing support,encouragement (and chocolate) always adds to the night…
“Sail On Jimmy” ( aka Irish Pagan Ritual) was written by Albert Niland. He is an Irish Singer from County Galway who has performed regularly in Belgium….indeed he may have written some of the song in your country !
We went to hear him last week in the DC Music club here in Dublin. He perfomed a beautiful set including this version of his song. https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr…
I am a roving hackler lad
That loves the shamrock shore
On Saint Patrick’s Day
I’d love to stray
So there ye have it. Paddy’s Day done and dusted for another year. At least it is here. Back home I believe it’s just kicking off. Paddy’s Week! Begod! Went out with the wife and a few of the Irish contingent as well as some of the locals who are kind of Irish by their own volition. Sure that’s good enough. Aren’t we all Irish on Paddy’s Day? We had a Basque bagpiper beating out reels and jigs and even lashing into the Athletic Bilbao anthem as they had just turned in a fine 2-0 victory over Atlético Madrid. As the 30,000 strong football crowd dispersed, the usual red and white of the stadium turned bright green and the words ‘Feliz Día De San Patricio’ flashed across its surface. Fair play to them. Go on the Basques! We got home about midnight and I stuck on Prosperous. Keeping it down low, there are people trying to sleep. An eclectic mix of stuff on that album, Christy. Spancill Hill and the Cliffs of Dooneen stand up well beside Ludlow and Syracuse. You don’t do any Woody songs these days, do you? Kevin Conneff’s bodhrán has a fierce agricultural sound off it on the Hackler. Reminds me a bit of a milking shed I once knew in Gurteen, County Sligo.
Come old and young, clear out your lung and sing this little song.
Hup!
Christy's reply
still give “Sacco & Vanzetti” an occasional lash….Bodhrans were few and far between back in 1971….there were only 5 in Dublin…KevinConneff, Matty Walsh, Joey Walsh, Bodhran Byrne and Peader Mercier….
Have a listen to Pat Quinns Bodhran song
Well Christy I’d love to meet you sometime in the future when you come to Kerry again and bring you to Gneeveguilla. I’m from a small townland in Gneeveguilla called Gullane which is the capital of Gneeveguilla.
Smoke is a great song and I think a lot of people don’t realise how good it is.
It’s great to see the next generation listening to some great music and song besides the boom boom rubbish that’s on our radios these days.
I met Hilary Scanlon for the first time too the last night. She is a great promoter of your music. Christy singing Smoke for me and meeting Hilary, what more could a man ask for on Saint Patrick’s Weekend…
Christy's reply
I can think of one or two things Mike…..Sam to spend 12 months in the Shortgrass…I’m looking a the name Gullane..I’m sure I once had a song with Gullane in it
I am now 31 and I have been listening to you all my days. Never yet seen you live but hopefully the next time your in Newcastle I will. From my departed grandfather to my dad and bother, thank you.
Christy's reply
Ok JonJoe, see you where the mountains sweep down to the sea
Well Christy at Twickenham we nearly knocked the charioteer off his stott and onto his bahookie, a wee Hawick rfc lad with 2 tries leading the charge.
We will be ready to take on you, johnny , tadhg , devin and our other celtic cousins in the rugby world cup on 22nd September.
Today it was the box set green disc, what a fine set of songs for Saint Patrick’s day. I suspect that you rounded off the day singing ‘Patrick was a gentleman’ in your bath whilst getting the old lugs scrubbed and the hair de-loused with the carbolic because tomorrow is a school day ,as my mum reminds me.
Anyway, i hope you had a grand St Pat’s , no suggested additions to the set list today from Hawick end , i reckon i’ve given you enough homework already.
Regards
Rory
Christy's reply
all went well..nothing like the Patrick’s Day of childhood years.. a quiet family day here….
Hi Christy, it was a brilliant night last night. You were in top form. Cathal definitely added a bit extra to it. Thanks very much for singing Smoke and Strong Whiskey for us it was great. Your pronunciation of Gneeveguilla was perfect, like you were living there all your life! What amazed us most was the amount of young people who were there. A new generation of followers. Best of luck and good health in the future. Hope to see you again soon. Mike Kelly.
Christy's reply
Morra Mike,
the new generation of listeners bring great energy to the gigs…its a buzz to look out and see the new listeners their enthusiasm for the songs, also great to see different generations …..we sometimes have grandparents, parents and grandchildren from the same family coming together to hear the songs…
I have an ongoing love of place names and Gneeveguilla joins the list of wonderful -sounding places…Lyracrompane another favourite from you region..
Smoke was a noble call
Sorry for yet another posting Christy. I couldn’t resist a reminder of that haunting song ‘farewell to pripyat’ ( perhaps it will return to the set list sometime) as i listened to 2 academics disputing on the radio today as to whether 200 people or 400,000 souls died as a result of the Chernobyl disaster.
Anyway, a lovely but sad saong.
All the best.
Rory
it comes across the screen occasionally but its not been gigged for manys the long year..it cold not be redeemed at short notice
Very good Hilary. Your great at explaining name places. The big stone is still standing in Gullane with giant fingerprints on it. It was supposed to be thrown by a Giant from the Paps mountains many years ago. We can see the Paps mountains in the distance from Gullane.
Who am I to disagree with my ancestors!!
Hard to bate a good view of The Paps..I once heard that Finn McCool camped there on his way to Kildare..a fierce man altogether for throwing Rocks..especially when he was troubled by poitín..he eventually settled down on The Hill of Allen where, by all accounts, he was a good neighbour….he’d run around The Curragh Plains every morning with his Wolfhounds until St Brigid put a stop to his gallop..as soon as I can verify what (reportedly) happened next I’ll get back to you…Chief Super Martin Callinan (retd) is looking into it for me…
preparing here for the week-end in Enniscorthy and Tullamore….Vinegar Hill on Friday and Bog of Allen on Saturday….the auld ballads has me nearly bet….. but soon as the lights go down the adrenalin kicks in and away we go ……
Getting the luggage ready, on our way to Tullamore Court Hotel.
Have a good trip,
Hi All.. I hate to admit it but the INEC is not one of my favourite venues, however the gig on Sat was one of the best ones there ever,,,, it was amazing to see the three floors open because of the huge crowd,,,, there was a great welcome for songs old and new, Minds Locked Shut is a very moving and emotional ballad,,,, the sound was fantastic , I don’t imagine it easy in such a cavernous space and the lighting really lt up the big stage,,,. the word Gullane is found in many areas and features in John Spillane’s Gortagort as one of the names of the fields,,and it is also a townland near the Cliffs of Doneen,,its seems to refer to a Standing Stone,which is also the name of another field in Gortagort ! Beir bua agus beannacht,, H
The one great thing about the INEC is the good people who come and support the gigs…there are certain aspects of the physical venue that could be greatly improved but those who work there could not be more helpful and welcoming…
I go way back gigging here..back in the 70s it was the Gleneagles room where there would always be a welcome from Maurice ( manys the bottle of stout and chinwag)
Did weekly gigs for a number of years..a rotation through July/August in 80s
Wed. The Mile Inn Limerick,
Thu. Gleneagles, Killarney
Fri .The Wexford Inn,Dublin
Sat.Kate Reilly’s Tramore
Sat. Club Cleo in Bandon
I was so much older then,I’m younger then that now !!
Hi Christy
in the mean time we are settled back in Belgium after a long weekend in Ireland. Too short, but nevertheless we enjoyed our visit once again very much, and ofcourse your gig in special. For us a lot of nice surprises in the setlist. And our first time to hear (live) Sail on Jimmy, what a beautiful song. Many thanks for dedicating ‘Stitch in time’ to us. I do not know why that song, I’ve never been such a drunken husband I hope. But it’s one of my favourite songs.
Keep up the good work and we hope to seeing you soon back somewhere down the road.
Els and Piet
Els & Piet,
Sometimes,
the heat of the night,
with weakening eyesight,
the excitement of the gig,
the smell of the crowd,
the roar of the greasepaint,
the music in my ears,
the torrential perspiration
the sheer bliss of it all…………………….sometimes I get my reference lists mixed up,….recently I dedicated “Weekend in Amsterdam” to a Parish Priest ( but she forgave in the darkness of her confessional box) ….
As for your Box of Belgian Choclates….all the family are enjoying your treats…normally I would share with Band & Crew but they are all off Chocolate for Lent ( they did make an exception recently when some confections were delivered from Chile )…
It is indeed humbling when listeners travel so far to hear the songs.Your ongoing support,encouragement (and chocolate) always adds to the night…
“Sail On Jimmy” ( aka Irish Pagan Ritual) was written by Albert Niland. He is an Irish Singer from County Galway who has performed regularly in Belgium….indeed he may have written some of the song in your country !
We went to hear him last week in the DC Music club here in Dublin. He perfomed a beautiful set including this version of his song.
https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr…
I am a roving hackler lad
That loves the shamrock shore
On Saint Patrick’s Day
I’d love to stray
So there ye have it. Paddy’s Day done and dusted for another year. At least it is here. Back home I believe it’s just kicking off. Paddy’s Week! Begod! Went out with the wife and a few of the Irish contingent as well as some of the locals who are kind of Irish by their own volition. Sure that’s good enough. Aren’t we all Irish on Paddy’s Day? We had a Basque bagpiper beating out reels and jigs and even lashing into the Athletic Bilbao anthem as they had just turned in a fine 2-0 victory over Atlético Madrid. As the 30,000 strong football crowd dispersed, the usual red and white of the stadium turned bright green and the words ‘Feliz Día De San Patricio’ flashed across its surface. Fair play to them. Go on the Basques! We got home about midnight and I stuck on Prosperous. Keeping it down low, there are people trying to sleep. An eclectic mix of stuff on that album, Christy. Spancill Hill and the Cliffs of Dooneen stand up well beside Ludlow and Syracuse. You don’t do any Woody songs these days, do you? Kevin Conneff’s bodhrán has a fierce agricultural sound off it on the Hackler. Reminds me a bit of a milking shed I once knew in Gurteen, County Sligo.
Come old and young, clear out your lung and sing this little song.
Hup!
still give “Sacco & Vanzetti” an occasional lash….Bodhrans were few and far between back in 1971….there were only 5 in Dublin…KevinConneff, Matty Walsh, Joey Walsh, Bodhran Byrne and Peader Mercier….
Have a listen to Pat Quinns Bodhran song
Pat Quinn ‘Bodhran’s’ Craiceann Concert 28_06_2012, Inisheer …
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iazFmjKncKo
Well Christy I’d love to meet you sometime in the future when you come to Kerry again and bring you to Gneeveguilla. I’m from a small townland in Gneeveguilla called Gullane which is the capital of Gneeveguilla.
Smoke is a great song and I think a lot of people don’t realise how good it is.
It’s great to see the next generation listening to some great music and song besides the boom boom rubbish that’s on our radios these days.
I met Hilary Scanlon for the first time too the last night. She is a great promoter of your music. Christy singing Smoke for me and meeting Hilary, what more could a man ask for on Saint Patrick’s Weekend…
I can think of one or two things Mike…..Sam to spend 12 months in the Shortgrass…I’m looking a the name Gullane..I’m sure I once had a song with Gullane in it
Thanks for having me on your site. Any chance of Christy touring the US anytime soon?
that day is done…no more US trips…greetings to all listeners across the pond
“I’m so happy now Saint Patrick’s Day is over and all the paper hats are thrown away. All the plastic paddies are gone back into the clover…..”
regards Christy from this side of the Atlantic.
Brian,
Whallup Brian…
I am now 31 and I have been listening to you all my days. Never yet seen you live but hopefully the next time your in Newcastle I will. From my departed grandfather to my dad and bother, thank you.
Ok JonJoe, see you where the mountains sweep down to the sea
Well Christy at Twickenham we nearly knocked the charioteer off his stott and onto his bahookie, a wee Hawick rfc lad with 2 tries leading the charge.
We will be ready to take on you, johnny , tadhg , devin and our other celtic cousins in the rugby world cup on 22nd September.
Today it was the box set green disc, what a fine set of songs for Saint Patrick’s day. I suspect that you rounded off the day singing ‘Patrick was a gentleman’ in your bath whilst getting the old lugs scrubbed and the hair de-loused with the carbolic because tomorrow is a school day ,as my mum reminds me.
Anyway, i hope you had a grand St Pat’s , no suggested additions to the set list today from Hawick end , i reckon i’ve given you enough homework already.
Regards
Rory
all went well..nothing like the Patrick’s Day of childhood years.. a quiet family day here….
Hi Christy, it was a brilliant night last night. You were in top form. Cathal definitely added a bit extra to it. Thanks very much for singing Smoke and Strong Whiskey for us it was great. Your pronunciation of Gneeveguilla was perfect, like you were living there all your life! What amazed us most was the amount of young people who were there. A new generation of followers. Best of luck and good health in the future. Hope to see you again soon. Mike Kelly.
Morra Mike,
the new generation of listeners bring great energy to the gigs…its a buzz to look out and see the new listeners their enthusiasm for the songs, also great to see different generations …..we sometimes have grandparents, parents and grandchildren from the same family coming together to hear the songs…
I have an ongoing love of place names and Gneeveguilla joins the list of wonderful -sounding places…Lyracrompane another favourite from you region..
Smoke was a noble call