Looking forward to the set tonight. A wee cheeky request for The Time Has Come if possible please. Have personal connections to it and would make my night. Play on.
Fantastic performance as always from you and the boys. Go raibh míle maith agat a Christy. Enjoy Newcastle where the Mountains of Mourne sweep down to the sea. We will see you again down the road. Go well. Mary
Christy's reply
Míle maith agat a Mhaire…
ye raised us up last night…
I love that great room…
always a good atmosphere and acoustic…
when the listeners come in !
Hello dear Christy,
Hope you are well on the wind-swept Island. I’m delighted by your yesterday’s lovely comment on your visits to Germany full of praise for the German audiences … (btw: your last gigs here were in Oct 2011)
It won’t take long now and we’ll have the pleasure to listen to your songs and music again (hopefully). So we are praying the storms will have calmed down when we are sailing next week.
Best of Luck for your gig tonight!
Looking forward to see you soon,
Traudel
Christy's reply
Gott im Himmel,
8 years since….where does the time go…..in the blink of an eye …feckin tempus doth fugit….
sending best wishes to you both…we are still batin out the ballads here in Bognia…spotted Hilary, Adam and Angela last night in Armagh…the Band is in good tune, the melodies flowing, the crew are all pulling out the stops…. David is using perfect reverb, Geoff has (almost) managed to conceal my extra chins, Johnny has me miked to perfection and tuned to within an inch of my life, Dickon gives us ( almost ) everything we need for the duration,Michael keeps a paternal/maternal eye on developments and plans our forward moves, Paddy is the glue that holds it all together….. Declan,Cathal,Jimmy and Myself simply ride the waves as they come upon us….we try to maintain balance as we head for shore, always hoping to catch that big wave that will carry us right into the hearts of our faithful listeners
Until we meet again…….
“Please tell them that I am young and beautiful”….. (Paula Meehan)
Hi Christy,
We are a family from Germany. That’s My mum Gisela, my sister Teresa and me(Axel).
Since 5 years we have been traveling once a year to the UK or to Ireland just to see you play.
It would be great if you could give us a short “Hello” tonight.
By the way, you are great.
Axel
Christy's reply
Welcome to the wind swept shore of County Down. I walked the promenade this morning and all my cobwebs were blown away….we are about to rehearse now….to prepare for tonights fun……
Hope you three visitors have a good time tonight
Thanks so much for playing the request for my mother last night in Armagh. She loved the whole gig and was really touched by the request. Good to hear The Boys from the County Armagh got an oul rendition as well. Keep up the good work & thanks again.
Christy's reply
We had a cracker in Armagh last night….the gaff was leppin….listeners from the 4 corners came to The Cathedral City and raised our game with their good vibrations…900 joined me in The Cliffs as we all serenaded your Mother…we had a group in from Newfoundland lookin for Sonny’s Dream….young Sara was lookin for The Honda 50…. we got 3 encores and finished with the Bridie Gallagher….I only ever sing it in Armagh….its a great auld song, loved and remembered from Childhood times..
we have decamped to Newcastle now as we prepare to do it all over again ….
greetings to W.A…..loved my visits to Perth..the Concert Hall,the wide streets, the open spaces……special memory of good Native People…sitting in the park singing with them all those years ago
my last Australian gig was over in Fremantle…my last song there was Van Dieman’s Land
” O there was a female servant there Rosanna was her name
for 20 years a prisoner from Wolverhampton came
she often told her tale of love when she was young at Home
but now its rattlin of her chains in a foreign land to roam” ( from Mike Waterson, Hull, England )
Hi Christy
Any plans to come to England at all? I look forward to your gigs at the Royal Festival Hall (and Basingstoke). I notice a few gigs in Scotland but a bit too far for me!
Christy's reply
Hey Mandy,
Just got word that we’ll be returning to Festival Hall London in Late May 2019…..as soon as its ready to go we will post details here….wont be striking “The Anvil” this time …..heres hoping we’ll be let in !…
Hallo Christy!
I have a question;
is it possible, that we see and hear you in Hamburg Germany in the
next time? Your last visit in Hamburg was long time a go and a lot of fans wait for your next gig.
best regards
Christy's reply
with regret,I say it is unlikely that I will come to Germany again
( but not 100% certain !!)
German audiences were welcoming and kind on all my visits….great listeners and generous hosts…..over the decades I enjoyed memorable experiences between 1972 and (I think) 2008…standout venues include Markethalle and Musikhalle in Hamburg….Alte Opera in Frankfurt, concert halls clubs and pubs in Berlin, Bonn, Braunsweig, Koln, Stuttgart, Heldelberg,Hannover, Munich, Essen and numerous other Towns…..toured there with Planxty, Jimmy Faulkner, Abi Wallenstein, Champion Jack Dupree, Leinemann,Majic Cymbati, Wild Geese, Pentangle,…
These times I work mainly in Ireland with a small number of gigs in UK….I stopped using air travel 20 years ago….
Perhaps my favourite memory is of Markethalle ,Hamburg in the mid 80’s…I came back on stage for an encore and it went on and on and on..I played 8 songs in the encore…last visit I witnessed standing ovations before the concert began….there is a unique intensity of listening in Germany
Hi ya Christy
Hope all is well.
Looking forward to gig in Armagh perfect way to spend a day off.
The gigs have been great past few weeks with the different various set ups. Solo. Band and you and Dec.
I though the version of cry like a man at clonmel was very good.
Any chance if mabey hearing Sacco and Vanzetti if it works out or I was tempted to request Spanish lady 🙂
All the best
Adam
Christy's reply
Whack for the toora loora laddy
Whack fol the toora loora lay
from Arklow to Armagh comes The Wicklow Boy…..hope you have a good trip
Thanks for all your support and all your Photos
You have a talent and great eye for capturing special moments at our gigs
Hi Christy,
I just don’t know how you do it, I’ve seen you on numerous occasions down through the years and each time I saw you I reckoned it was your best performance yet…that was until last Saturday night in Clonmel,as far as I am concerned that was your best ever. Not just musically, but your banter with the audience,& the craic with Declan. I loved the way you’d start an intro leaving Declan wondering what was coming next.. Don’t worry about “Little Musgrave”, like you said theres always the next time. Ps I really missed Jimmy. Your new mike gave you an unfound freedom. Until the next time…take care.
Christy's reply
I took the stage on Sat night determined to sing Musgrave and Ballydine but neither surfaced …..Jimmy will be glad to know that he was missed..looking forward to hooking up with him and Cathal this week….Jimmy keeps busy between different outfits, Cathal the same..its good that we all have variety in our gigging routines..keeps us interested and match fit..
I enjoyed the banter myself in Irishtown last Sat night….Clonmel people seem to lighten up when they pass under the Westgate…..there used to be a chipper there circa ’64 that also sold Crubeens….after a lock of Large Bottles we often chomped the trotters…Martin Harney, George Collins, Dennis O’Donoghue, Conor Dwyer and myself…the fingers would be glued together come Monday Morning
Hi Christy just back from the fly fishing internationals Scotland gold Wales silver England bronze and Ireland Wooden spoon,my boat partner was John O Connell from county Cork,we had a grand day out afloat on the welsh lake of llyn Brenig,Hope to see you soon Christy all the best from Wales.Iechyd Da.
Christy's reply
I nearly caught a trout in the Liffey in 1958….Johnny Gibson was the best fly fisherman on our stretch of the River in those days….he also played left corner back for Moorefield…many corner forwards of that era would have had good reason to recall Johnny….a great man under a high ball..or to lay a fly near a hungry trout….
Well done on representing your Country on Lake Llyn….lets see how the Rugby goes come Triple Crown Time
Well Christy, hope you’re luckin’ forward to your gig tomorrow night in Armagh. I won’t be able to make it unfortunately as I’m based in Perth, Australia, but I got tickets for my mother as a Christmas present when I was home last year and she will be in attendance and singing away no doubt. It would be great if you could give her a shout out (her name is Alice Kennedy) and possibly play a wee tune for her (Cliffs of Dooneen maybe, as I know she likes that one). Hope it’s a great night and I’ll be seeing you at Christmas time in Vicar Street. Cheers & keep up the good work!
Christy's reply
There’s Birds in The Burrows,
There’s Rabbits in The Sky…..
The band, the duo, the solo, the community hall, the barras, the theatre, the hotel , the back room, the young, the old, the tipsy, the reflective,the mad crowd, the quiet audience, the sing along, the dozens, the hundreds, the thousands, yet every single one a gem, a masterpiece, a feast, a rapture, a joy. 50 not out, some feat. Not bad for an old tight head, bank clerk. Thank you Christy, thank you.
Christy's reply
I still recall the first time I heard The Clancy Brothers & Tommy Makem….”Brennan On The Moor” “The Jug of Punch” “The Barnyards of Delgaty” “Leaving of Liverpool” “The Holy Ground” The Shoals of Herring” “The Bard of Armagh”
Driving from Cappoquin to Clonmel last week we passed “Melody’s” pub in Ballymacarbery ….I sang there a few times back in 1964…..I was hauled up by the Bank Manager who disapproved my nocturnal warblings…told me I should consider taking up Bridge and/or Golf….I will in me hole sez I…..favourite Clonmel watering holes back then included Donal Ryan’s Bridge Bar, Annie Kehoe’s, Liam Daly’s, Jack Killala’s..only one had “the slate”….I stayed with Esther Walsh in the Alvernia and McCarthys Apartments before settling in Annie Kehoe’s 5 star Hostelry…..went to Carrick a few times to hear Bobby & Peg Clancy,
You did’nt ask for any of this but I cant get to sleep
Fantastic show last night in Clonmel lads from a long time follower and first time to a gig in my 49 years on this sod, I loved the interaction from the yourself to the crowd.
I love the way you put your heart and soul into every song you sing, I’m sure every gig is different.
Thought I was slimmer than I was in getting the xl polo..lol
Hope to see you again in the future bud, keep on giggin, best of luck, Mike.
Christy's reply
Greetings to Tipperary Town…
its been a while since I played the theatre there…met up with a young local band that night after the gig….wonder what became of them (Mangled Badgers)…
thanks for feedback on the South Riding….I shed quite a few pounds myself in Irishtown last Sat night….
yes the gigs vary a lot which is why we enjoy them so much…we did 26 songs in Cappoquin, 25 in Clonmel …. Saturdays gig had 10 songs that were not played on Friday.
so different from earlier decades when we both played in Bands that would have identical sets night after night for months on end…
when I was a young fellow there were so many distractions on the road… friends to meet, sights to see, large bottles to consume, films to watch, matches to attend, high stools to occupy, substances to purloin,….now an,older man,the focus is almost entirely on the gig when I’m on the road….
we practice separately , we meet to rehearse each day on the road, we sound check, we warm up before hitting the stage, then we gig for 2 hours and I cherish every bit of it…
I read where McCartney asked Willie Nelson would he ever retire ? Willie replied…”Retire from what !”
clothes sizes can be very frustrating for us larger lads..one countries XL is another countries Small…..a USA dbl XL might fit the entire nightshift wherever the garment may have been produced…..a lots of mays and mights there !!
I scored ( a try ) in Clanwilliam in 1964 …I was 19 and playing tighthead for Cashel RFC….my rugby “career” ended in 1966 after a Connacht Senior Final between Corinthians and UCG…I pulled on the Aran Sweater, wrote me Ma a goodbye letter
Sitting having the tea and toast, reliving the moments from last night, it’s been a long time since we saw just yourself and Deckie and by god it’s left us hungry for more… I thought you were testing the doctors theory of popping the clogs!!
Himself, the financial controller, has put a freeze on for the next month so we’ll be sitting tight until the Barrowlands! (you’d love to know what does be going on in these lads heads) 🙂
Now on the road to home, thanks for a fantastic night!
Christy's reply
Aisling geal,
its over a year since Decky and I did a “duo” gig….very different from either Band or Solo gigs..Last night we were out of the starting gates like Rose and Master McGrath out of the slips…that crowd last night were lively, lovely, young & old and ready for road, they coaxed and cajoled with great requests, “Lawless”, “Galtee Mountain Boy”. Caroline from Kilcullen was dyin for Nancy Spain, Jayo from Cashel chompin the bit for “Ride On”,call-outs for “Veronica Guerin” and Little Musgrave (apologies Ardfinnan,just could’nt find the signpost for Bucklefordsberry …next time)…. after “Bogman” I heard the shortgrass cry “Up The Lilies” and I wondered ….who might that be !
Jasus but I was drenched when the final whistle went, there a a very attentive young boy sitting right on front of me,he never missed a beat all night,sitting there proud beside his Dad…its an inspirational sight for this 73 year old Grandfather to have such a young lad listening to the songs..
The night before in Cappoquin was entirely different.. a beautiful,volunteer-run,Community Centre in that beautiful determined Village.People were in early and it was a lovely concert (at least we thought so !) a couple sitting at me feet, very attentive for the two hours, I spoke to them at the end, she told me it was their first time home from America in over 30 years…and there they were,in early to get front row seats…such happenstance means a lot to this singer….there was a pair of young ones sitting beside them who were at an entirely different gig but that was grand too….I’m just loving the different gigs these days..back with the 4 piece this coming week..meeting Jimmy and Cal again, we’ll all have tales to tell, tunes to share, there might even be some banter and goss..
hope yizzer all happy and healthy this morning in Coill Dubh and Blacktrench,
thanks for the Tuam Beat tonight Christy, great concert really enjoyed it,that was my 37th time seeing you live hoping to make it 50 so keep her lit.
james veale Dungarvan.
Christy's reply
Hey James….your a glutton for punisment !!!
I hope you make the 50 too….we just gotta make sure that neither of us run out of juice….my gear box might need re-conditioning, the brake pads are a bit shabby but once I get into overdrive the engine still runs smoothly enough….
Hi Christy,just got tickets for the Glasgow gigs there.Would you give me an oul’ warning if you’re going to sing Kevin Barry again,please? I cried my eyes out at the Concert hall a couple of years ago,smiling through the tears as you sang what was my late granny’s 50 + year old lullaby to me .Wonderful rendition,thanks so much,I just need to bring paper hankies this time!
Christy's reply
Bring the Kleenex Joe…there wont be a dry leg in the house !!!
It was the 2nd song I ever learned ….used to sing it as a boy soprano…since going on the road 53 years ago I’ve it maybe a dozen times…it occupies a special personal place in my heart ….
Paul Robeson recorded “Kevin Barry”, as did Leonard Cohen…. I sang it once in Mountjoy Gaol beside the gallows…just myself and a Prison Officer, I’d just finished a gig in the Prison and The Guvnor gave permission for me to visit that dark lonely place…..”Just a lad of 18 Summers”
Hello Christy,
The website says that the four Vicar Street shows in December and the two in early January are Sold Out.
But, on Ticketmaster there are tickets available for all six shows.
I’ll be there on Dec 18 – wouldn’t miss a December show ever!
Christy's reply
Thanks PH…
Its all beyond me..I’m practicing here..trying to work some new songs ..thinking about recording an album…thinking….
I leave the ticket end of things up to our management team,to Vicar St and to Ticketmaster…frees me up to work on the Ballads
Hopefully we’ll all be there on Dec 18th..rearing to go, instruments in tune and stage trousars well pressed
Looking forward to the set tonight. A wee cheeky request for The Time Has Come if possible please. Have personal connections to it and would make my night. Play on.
nothin cheeky about that
Fantastic performance as always from you and the boys. Go raibh míle maith agat a Christy. Enjoy Newcastle where the Mountains of Mourne sweep down to the sea. We will see you again down the road. Go well. Mary
Míle maith agat a Mhaire…
ye raised us up last night…
I love that great room…
always a good atmosphere and acoustic…
when the listeners come in !
Hello dear Christy,
Hope you are well on the wind-swept Island. I’m delighted by your yesterday’s lovely comment on your visits to Germany full of praise for the German audiences … (btw: your last gigs here were in Oct 2011)
It won’t take long now and we’ll have the pleasure to listen to your songs and music again (hopefully). So we are praying the storms will have calmed down when we are sailing next week.
Best of Luck for your gig tonight!
Looking forward to see you soon,
Traudel
Gott im Himmel,
8 years since….where does the time go…..in the blink of an eye …feckin tempus doth fugit….
sending best wishes to you both…we are still batin out the ballads here in Bognia…spotted Hilary, Adam and Angela last night in Armagh…the Band is in good tune, the melodies flowing, the crew are all pulling out the stops…. David is using perfect reverb, Geoff has (almost) managed to conceal my extra chins, Johnny has me miked to perfection and tuned to within an inch of my life, Dickon gives us ( almost ) everything we need for the duration,Michael keeps a paternal/maternal eye on developments and plans our forward moves, Paddy is the glue that holds it all together….. Declan,Cathal,Jimmy and Myself simply ride the waves as they come upon us….we try to maintain balance as we head for shore, always hoping to catch that big wave that will carry us right into the hearts of our faithful listeners
Until we meet again…….
“Please tell them that I am young and beautiful”….. (Paula Meehan)
Hi Christy,
We are a family from Germany. That’s My mum Gisela, my sister Teresa and me(Axel).
Since 5 years we have been traveling once a year to the UK or to Ireland just to see you play.
It would be great if you could give us a short “Hello” tonight.
By the way, you are great.
Axel
Welcome to the wind swept shore of County Down. I walked the promenade this morning and all my cobwebs were blown away….we are about to rehearse now….to prepare for tonights fun……
Hope you three visitors have a good time tonight
Christy, you’re a legend!
Thanks so much for playing the request for my mother last night in Armagh. She loved the whole gig and was really touched by the request. Good to hear The Boys from the County Armagh got an oul rendition as well. Keep up the good work & thanks again.
We had a cracker in Armagh last night….the gaff was leppin….listeners from the 4 corners came to The Cathedral City and raised our game with their good vibrations…900 joined me in The Cliffs as we all serenaded your Mother…we had a group in from Newfoundland lookin for Sonny’s Dream….young Sara was lookin for The Honda 50…. we got 3 encores and finished with the Bridie Gallagher….I only ever sing it in Armagh….its a great auld song, loved and remembered from Childhood times..
we have decamped to Newcastle now as we prepare to do it all over again ….
greetings to W.A…..loved my visits to Perth..the Concert Hall,the wide streets, the open spaces……special memory of good Native People…sitting in the park singing with them all those years ago
my last Australian gig was over in Fremantle…my last song there was Van Dieman’s Land
” O there was a female servant there Rosanna was her name
for 20 years a prisoner from Wolverhampton came
she often told her tale of love when she was young at Home
but now its rattlin of her chains in a foreign land to roam” ( from Mike Waterson, Hull, England )
Ps…McIlhatton got a good turn last night too
Hi Christy
Any plans to come to England at all? I look forward to your gigs at the Royal Festival Hall (and Basingstoke). I notice a few gigs in Scotland but a bit too far for me!
Hey Mandy,
Just got word that we’ll be returning to Festival Hall London in Late May 2019…..as soon as its ready to go we will post details here….wont be striking “The Anvil” this time …..heres hoping we’ll be let in !…
PS before we left our son Stephen was hammering out Go, Move, Shift…think he was trying to tell us something! ?
Thats your Stephen with a free gaff tonight..the party has started already !!
Looking forward to your concert this evening! Have a great night.
Go well Christy, Mary
we are preparing just now
Hallo Christy!
I have a question;
is it possible, that we see and hear you in Hamburg Germany in the
next time? Your last visit in Hamburg was long time a go and a lot of fans wait for your next gig.
best regards
with regret,I say it is unlikely that I will come to Germany again
( but not 100% certain !!)
German audiences were welcoming and kind on all my visits….great listeners and generous hosts…..over the decades I enjoyed memorable experiences between 1972 and (I think) 2008…standout venues include Markethalle and Musikhalle in Hamburg….Alte Opera in Frankfurt, concert halls clubs and pubs in Berlin, Bonn, Braunsweig, Koln, Stuttgart, Heldelberg,Hannover, Munich, Essen and numerous other Towns…..toured there with Planxty, Jimmy Faulkner, Abi Wallenstein, Champion Jack Dupree, Leinemann,Majic Cymbati, Wild Geese, Pentangle,…
These times I work mainly in Ireland with a small number of gigs in UK….I stopped using air travel 20 years ago….
Perhaps my favourite memory is of Markethalle ,Hamburg in the mid 80’s…I came back on stage for an encore and it went on and on and on..I played 8 songs in the encore…last visit I witnessed standing ovations before the concert began….there is a unique intensity of listening in Germany
and of course…. Toten Hosen
and ………………..Kraftwerk
Hi ya Christy
Hope all is well.
Looking forward to gig in Armagh perfect way to spend a day off.
The gigs have been great past few weeks with the different various set ups. Solo. Band and you and Dec.
I though the version of cry like a man at clonmel was very good.
Any chance if mabey hearing Sacco and Vanzetti if it works out or I was tempted to request Spanish lady 🙂
All the best
Adam
Whack for the toora loora laddy
Whack fol the toora loora lay
from Arklow to Armagh comes The Wicklow Boy…..hope you have a good trip
Thanks for all your support and all your Photos
You have a talent and great eye for capturing special moments at our gigs
Hi Christy,
I just don’t know how you do it, I’ve seen you on numerous occasions down through the years and each time I saw you I reckoned it was your best performance yet…that was until last Saturday night in Clonmel,as far as I am concerned that was your best ever. Not just musically, but your banter with the audience,& the craic with Declan. I loved the way you’d start an intro leaving Declan wondering what was coming next.. Don’t worry about “Little Musgrave”, like you said theres always the next time. Ps I really missed Jimmy. Your new mike gave you an unfound freedom. Until the next time…take care.
I took the stage on Sat night determined to sing Musgrave and Ballydine but neither surfaced …..Jimmy will be glad to know that he was missed..looking forward to hooking up with him and Cathal this week….Jimmy keeps busy between different outfits, Cathal the same..its good that we all have variety in our gigging routines..keeps us interested and match fit..
I enjoyed the banter myself in Irishtown last Sat night….Clonmel people seem to lighten up when they pass under the Westgate…..there used to be a chipper there circa ’64 that also sold Crubeens….after a lock of Large Bottles we often chomped the trotters…Martin Harney, George Collins, Dennis O’Donoghue, Conor Dwyer and myself…the fingers would be glued together come Monday Morning
Hi Christy just back from the fly fishing internationals Scotland gold Wales silver England bronze and Ireland Wooden spoon,my boat partner was John O Connell from county Cork,we had a grand day out afloat on the welsh lake of llyn Brenig,Hope to see you soon Christy all the best from Wales.Iechyd Da.
I nearly caught a trout in the Liffey in 1958….Johnny Gibson was the best fly fisherman on our stretch of the River in those days….he also played left corner back for Moorefield…many corner forwards of that era would have had good reason to recall Johnny….a great man under a high ball..or to lay a fly near a hungry trout….
Well done on representing your Country on Lake Llyn….lets see how the Rugby goes come Triple Crown Time
Well Christy, hope you’re luckin’ forward to your gig tomorrow night in Armagh. I won’t be able to make it unfortunately as I’m based in Perth, Australia, but I got tickets for my mother as a Christmas present when I was home last year and she will be in attendance and singing away no doubt. It would be great if you could give her a shout out (her name is Alice Kennedy) and possibly play a wee tune for her (Cliffs of Dooneen maybe, as I know she likes that one). Hope it’s a great night and I’ll be seeing you at Christmas time in Vicar Street. Cheers & keep up the good work!
There’s Birds in The Burrows,
There’s Rabbits in The Sky…..
The band, the duo, the solo, the community hall, the barras, the theatre, the hotel , the back room, the young, the old, the tipsy, the reflective,the mad crowd, the quiet audience, the sing along, the dozens, the hundreds, the thousands, yet every single one a gem, a masterpiece, a feast, a rapture, a joy. 50 not out, some feat. Not bad for an old tight head, bank clerk. Thank you Christy, thank you.
I still recall the first time I heard The Clancy Brothers & Tommy Makem….”Brennan On The Moor” “The Jug of Punch” “The Barnyards of Delgaty” “Leaving of Liverpool” “The Holy Ground” The Shoals of Herring” “The Bard of Armagh”
Driving from Cappoquin to Clonmel last week we passed “Melody’s” pub in Ballymacarbery ….I sang there a few times back in 1964…..I was hauled up by the Bank Manager who disapproved my nocturnal warblings…told me I should consider taking up Bridge and/or Golf….I will in me hole sez I…..favourite Clonmel watering holes back then included Donal Ryan’s Bridge Bar, Annie Kehoe’s, Liam Daly’s, Jack Killala’s..only one had “the slate”….I stayed with Esther Walsh in the Alvernia and McCarthys Apartments before settling in Annie Kehoe’s 5 star Hostelry…..went to Carrick a few times to hear Bobby & Peg Clancy,
You did’nt ask for any of this but I cant get to sleep
Fantastic show last night in Clonmel lads from a long time follower and first time to a gig in my 49 years on this sod, I loved the interaction from the yourself to the crowd.
I love the way you put your heart and soul into every song you sing, I’m sure every gig is different.
Thought I was slimmer than I was in getting the xl polo..lol
Hope to see you again in the future bud, keep on giggin, best of luck, Mike.
Greetings to Tipperary Town…
its been a while since I played the theatre there…met up with a young local band that night after the gig….wonder what became of them (Mangled Badgers)…
thanks for feedback on the South Riding….I shed quite a few pounds myself in Irishtown last Sat night….
yes the gigs vary a lot which is why we enjoy them so much…we did 26 songs in Cappoquin, 25 in Clonmel …. Saturdays gig had 10 songs that were not played on Friday.
so different from earlier decades when we both played in Bands that would have identical sets night after night for months on end…
when I was a young fellow there were so many distractions on the road… friends to meet, sights to see, large bottles to consume, films to watch, matches to attend, high stools to occupy, substances to purloin,….now an,older man,the focus is almost entirely on the gig when I’m on the road….
we practice separately , we meet to rehearse each day on the road, we sound check, we warm up before hitting the stage, then we gig for 2 hours and I cherish every bit of it…
I read where McCartney asked Willie Nelson would he ever retire ? Willie replied…”Retire from what !”
clothes sizes can be very frustrating for us larger lads..one countries XL is another countries Small…..a USA dbl XL might fit the entire nightshift wherever the garment may have been produced…..a lots of mays and mights there !!
I scored ( a try ) in Clanwilliam in 1964 …I was 19 and playing tighthead for Cashel RFC….my rugby “career” ended in 1966 after a Connacht Senior Final between Corinthians and UCG…I pulled on the Aran Sweater, wrote me Ma a goodbye letter
Sitting having the tea and toast, reliving the moments from last night, it’s been a long time since we saw just yourself and Deckie and by god it’s left us hungry for more… I thought you were testing the doctors theory of popping the clogs!!
Himself, the financial controller, has put a freeze on for the next month so we’ll be sitting tight until the Barrowlands! (you’d love to know what does be going on in these lads heads) 🙂
Now on the road to home, thanks for a fantastic night!
Aisling geal,
its over a year since Decky and I did a “duo” gig….very different from either Band or Solo gigs..Last night we were out of the starting gates like Rose and Master McGrath out of the slips…that crowd last night were lively, lovely, young & old and ready for road, they coaxed and cajoled with great requests, “Lawless”, “Galtee Mountain Boy”. Caroline from Kilcullen was dyin for Nancy Spain, Jayo from Cashel chompin the bit for “Ride On”,call-outs for “Veronica Guerin” and Little Musgrave (apologies Ardfinnan,just could’nt find the signpost for Bucklefordsberry …next time)…. after “Bogman” I heard the shortgrass cry “Up The Lilies” and I wondered ….who might that be !
Jasus but I was drenched when the final whistle went, there a a very attentive young boy sitting right on front of me,he never missed a beat all night,sitting there proud beside his Dad…its an inspirational sight for this 73 year old Grandfather to have such a young lad listening to the songs..
The night before in Cappoquin was entirely different.. a beautiful,volunteer-run,Community Centre in that beautiful determined Village.People were in early and it was a lovely concert (at least we thought so !) a couple sitting at me feet, very attentive for the two hours, I spoke to them at the end, she told me it was their first time home from America in over 30 years…and there they were,in early to get front row seats…such happenstance means a lot to this singer….there was a pair of young ones sitting beside them who were at an entirely different gig but that was grand too….I’m just loving the different gigs these days..back with the 4 piece this coming week..meeting Jimmy and Cal again, we’ll all have tales to tell, tunes to share, there might even be some banter and goss..
hope yizzer all happy and healthy this morning in Coill Dubh and Blacktrench,
thanks for the Tuam Beat tonight Christy, great concert really enjoyed it,that was my 37th time seeing you live hoping to make it 50 so keep her lit.
james veale Dungarvan.
Hey James….your a glutton for punisment !!!
I hope you make the 50 too….we just gotta make sure that neither of us run out of juice….my gear box might need re-conditioning, the brake pads are a bit shabby but once I get into overdrive the engine still runs smoothly enough….
Hi Christy,just got tickets for the Glasgow gigs there.Would you give me an oul’ warning if you’re going to sing Kevin Barry again,please? I cried my eyes out at the Concert hall a couple of years ago,smiling through the tears as you sang what was my late granny’s 50 + year old lullaby to me .Wonderful rendition,thanks so much,I just need to bring paper hankies this time!
Bring the Kleenex Joe…there wont be a dry leg in the house !!!
It was the 2nd song I ever learned ….used to sing it as a boy soprano…since going on the road 53 years ago I’ve it maybe a dozen times…it occupies a special personal place in my heart ….
Paul Robeson recorded “Kevin Barry”, as did Leonard Cohen…. I sang it once in Mountjoy Gaol beside the gallows…just myself and a Prison Officer, I’d just finished a gig in the Prison and The Guvnor gave permission for me to visit that dark lonely place…..”Just a lad of 18 Summers”
Christy
would love to hear Tuam Beat tonight in Cappoquin for the veales
“And The Tuam Beat went Shimmy Shammy”
Hello Christy,
The website says that the four Vicar Street shows in December and the two in early January are Sold Out.
But, on Ticketmaster there are tickets available for all six shows.
I’ll be there on Dec 18 – wouldn’t miss a December show ever!
Thanks PH…
Its all beyond me..I’m practicing here..trying to work some new songs ..thinking about recording an album…thinking….
I leave the ticket end of things up to our management team,to Vicar St and to Ticketmaster…frees me up to work on the Ballads
Hopefully we’ll all be there on Dec 18th..rearing to go, instruments in tune and stage trousars well pressed