Just watched the TG4 documentary on Liam Og O’Flynn. What a great musician and master piper he was. Although I couldn’t understand the parts in gaelic it was such a beautiful portrait of the man and his music. A man who stood in the middle of the Irish tradional music culture and was able to enrich other parts of the music scene with these traditions without compromising. A giant.
My very first encounter with the music of Planxty was some 40 years ago when my cousin let me listen to this band from Ireland. The first music of Planxty was the mesmerizing sound of the uilleann pipes. Some 25 years later I briefly met Liam together with Andy in a folkclub in Schiedam (near Rotterdam) I treasure the picture of that meeting.
I don’t know if the TG4 documentary has been on television before but I think that a lot of people in- and outside of Ireland would love to see it. It’s called “Liam O’Flynn – Piobaire”
A intimate and emotional portrait of the master piper.
John
Christy's reply
“I think its time we had a slice of Jane’s cake” sez The Glack….
My name is Aine Fleming and I’m from Kildare Town. Im a former student of Newbridge College also! I’m twenty one years of age and studying to be a primary school teacher. In the past year my brother has introduced me to your music and it really has been an amazing experience to learn about my area through your music.
At the moment myself and six of my friends have set up a community newsletter during these uncertain times. We’re hoping to get it out to older isolated people who may not be able to use technology and social media. Each week we include a variety of pictures (current and old), quizzes, talent in our town and some light heart messages from people in our town.
A big thing we’re trying to engage with at the moment is looking back and making connections with childhood memories. We’re getting in touch with locals to give us a sense of what life was like when they were growing up. Reminiscing during this time brings great comfort for people. I’ve really enjoyed listening to your songs especially “Lily” and “1945” as I recognise these places and I’m sure such songs would resonate with other local people even more. I think music is helping people a lot through these times.
Id love if we could maybe publish the lyrics of one of your songs and maybe a note from yourself on the background of it!
I would love to get in contact with you about this. I hope you are keeping well and busy during these times! Hopefully when this is all over we will be back in Vicar Street enjoying music together.
Kind regards
Aine Fleming
Christy's reply
don’t know if you saw last nights tribute to Liam Óg O’Flynn on TG4..it was beautifully made and I recommend it..when Donovan speaks of hearing Planxty in 1972..that gig was in the Theatre at Newbridge College…I’ll be in touch directly re your other queries
Fáilte romhat i gcónaí a Christy…look forward to it and no corrections needed…as if I’d know, had to get help to read it! 🙄Love the fact that each of the letters of the Irish language stands for the name of trees as gaelic. TG4 – T…teithne /furze or whin, G…gort/ivy. During these strange days I’ve been busy sa cistin. I made butter and hope my Tyrone folk and and my Glen’s of Antrim folk who did so, for generations, would be proud. Sorry for rambling! Sonas na Cásca/happy Easter to all. Marcaigh ar aghaidh/ride on! Mary
Christy's reply
You bring me right back to Barronstown in the 1950s….back to that clean cool dairy where Auntie Nan Dowling would churn butter every Thursday….as I grew older I was allowed to spin the churn….the Golden Butter would be emptied out upon a marble slab and patted into rectangles, wrapped in grease-proof paper to be placed in the coolest corner of that dairy ….later it was spread copiously on bread baked upon the open hearth fire, it melted generously into the daily diet of floury spuds…..Uncle Francis cared not a hoot for meat nor veg as long as he had a mound of butter-melting-potatoes heaped before him..
Hi Christy, I wrote this for victims of clerical child abuse, and I think you would do an amazing job singing it. Would you have a listen and see what you think? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tN65iHAT84s
Thanks a mill, Ger
Happy Easter and I hope that you are keeping well. I would like to say thank you, I attended your final performance at Vicar Street in January with my Mother, I forgot to mention her name at the time, she is called Christine. The performance was amazing, everything that we had both hoped for in atmosphere, company and songs. It was a lovely night that we will remember for a long time.
Since then has been a hectic time, on the leap year in February we managed a trip back to Ireland into Storm Jose, flying into Knock airport with my wife, Demetria, and our son, Christophoros, along again with my mum. So we drove out through to Islandaedy to visit the family graves and then onto Westport in Mayo. The purpose of the trip, it would have been my Grandfather, Christopher Fitzgerald, 100th birthday (or 25th!) that day. An important trip to a beautiful place.
And so returned home back into a different Storm brewing, case reports had come from China of a new coronavirus causing a SARS-like illness, then cases in Italy. The storm was getting closer, at work in the Hospital and the air ambulance preparation was taking place, slowly at first but then at a more frenetic pace, then the first cases arrived. I will spare you the details, but we are now well and truly have entered into “Duffy’s Cut”!
At the moment half of my colleagues have now tested positive for COVID-19 and we have also seen the death locally of a doctor and a nurse. And there is likely to be more to come. It is frightening times. But as always it is having excellent colleagues and hope that is bringing us through.
Your music remains as relevant as ever, poignant songs for difficult times. We would have been coming to see you in Barrowlands next week which is understandably cancelled. Alas, I will be on nights in the COVID Emergency Department then now.
I hope that you will be able to eventually sing a song for all the people involved around the world, the healthcare workers, nurse, doctors, paramedics, and hospital staff plus all the others core workers and carers keeping us going at this difficult time. Plus for all of the poor people who have lost loved ones, families and friends from this tragic disease. I know that it is a big ask, but I feel that you are a man capable of the task.
Stay safe and thank you to everyone for staying home, it is making our job manageable.
Thank you,
Dr Jonny
Christy's reply
Jonny,
sending love and respect to you and all your co-workers…Thank You…
I cannot even start to imagine the trauma and mayhem you are experiencing on the front line…around the world a new order emerges…you and your comrades, alongside all other essential workers are keeping us alive….
yet the horror is ignored by a selfish,greedy, mindless gang who deem theselves above all pleas, who continue on their wanton way….Karma will surely pursue those thugs of this time…….
and Karma will honour those of you who shine a light upon us at this time
Hi Christy
Nice interview on the radio ( thank you Hilary).
Also good to hear that people are the same everywhere!
As you know I’m a nurse and it makes me also very angry to see how some people ignore safety rules, but they are fortunately a minority.
Normally we would be in Scotland next week to see you but luckily we have the DVD from Barrowlands to watch instead!
Keep inside and safe Irish friends and see you….
Greetings Chris
Christy's reply
Hopefully,we will meet again in a better place…in a new order with more compassion, generosity and tolerance, where Mother Earth and Her Nature will recieve the respect and care it needs and deserves….let us all work together when that longed-for day arrives…let the music keep our spirits high
Hi Christy,
Happy Easter to you, your family, and everybody on this guestbook! Strangest Easter I’ve ever experienced. Just lounging around the house with the wife and kids and listening to your music. Hope your finding joy on this day and all others. Stay safe, stay strong!
Buck
Two thoughts Christy,
Today i was drawn, over and over, to the song ‘Burning Times’, indeed she plays in the background as i write this.
I know you play it often ,and to the memory of Lyra ( check out Matt McGinn’s song for her). Burning Times is both a fine album and also is such a soft yet powerful song. I feel i do not want to take her off my deck today, she can keep spinning into the night.
The second thought was wondering which 4 people you would invite to an imaginary meal, around your kitchen table, to enjoy chewing the cud with from any age, alongside you in the bunker. Such a treat to imagine, and to pass some time during the lockdown .
Regards from Scotland’s borderland.
Rory
Christy's reply
we were planning to hear Matt McGinn play in Dublin this week….really like his singing and him from lovely Hilltown….
the following is a sleeve note for Burning Times……
(“Roy Bailey of Nottingham, England recorded this song having learned it from the writer Charlie Murphy of California. Martha McClelland of Derry heard Roy’s version and passed it on to my sister Terry Moore in Co. Kildare. She rightly thought the song would appeal to me and I began singing it in the early 90s. I have recorded it on three separate occasions finally getting it done to my own satisfaction on “Burning Times” in 2005. Like many songs and poems it does not look great on the page but comes to life when the air is blown into it. Then the beauty of the words, tho’ awful betimes, sail out and create imagery that never fails to stir me as the song gets sung. We are destroying that which sustains us, as sure as the sun has gone down this night. It feels to me like we are past the point of no return so let us sing and dance as if there were no tomorrow.”)
PS.I’ve since recorded it a 4th time.Charlie is no longer with us. I got to sing it for him and his partner at Royal Festival Hall London before he died.
Now the Earth is a witch,
we still burn her,
stripping her down with mining and the poison of our wars.
Still to us the Earth is a healer a teacher and a Mother
a weaver of a web that keeps us all alive.
She gives us the wisdom to see through the chaos,
he gives us the courage it is our will to survive.
Hi Christy,
as we can’t get to see you in Glasgow next Saturday we decided to do the next best thing and watch the 2009 Live Barrowlands recording. I couldn’t believe my eyes, eleven years ago and you still look as young as the day it was recorded. Whats your secret, is it good living or the auld botox? Stay safe (if not sane) John
Hi Christy,
Hope all is well there. Just read President Higgins’ obituary for John Prine and your comments on your wonderful president. I was at John Sheahan’s 80th birthday celebration at the Vicar Street in December when President Higgins was introduced resulting in a thunderous applause from the crowd. I couldn’t help being impressed and a little envious of having a president you can actually be proud of. Any chance we can swap? Stay safe, keep your spirits high!
Buck
Hi Christy,On lockdown here,no fishing one walk a day,small price to pay,stay local,some idiots not listening and think that they are invincible,stay safe Christy and eat plenty of bara brith.
Christy's reply
damn those idiot transgressors as they spit in the face of reason….greetings to all songsters in CYMRU
Hello Christy.It was great to hear you on the radio yesterday.Ihope you are keeping well in these diffacult times.Hopefully the never ending tour will be on the road again soon.At least we have your wonderful cds and dvds to watch and listen.I hope you have a peaceful and a happy easter.No doubt you will be back by the Lee in the near future.Let the music keepp our spirits high.
Christy's reply
Good Man Dave…Its always a pleasure to see you at the gig….hopefully we’ll get rockin again soon…tearing into a few ballads alongside a few soothing lullabies….
Shine On
Christy, any plans on any online shows during these unprecedented times? Have been watchjng lot’s of your performances on youtube but would love to see something live! Stay safe my friend.
Christy's reply
I regret to say that I dont have the necessary skill to achieve such an outcome…whatever way my brain is wired I fall into confusion when confronted with such a task….the only recording device I ever conquered was my trusty old cassette machine…
I have watched and listened in wonder at many recent online performances…among them my own Brother Luka Bloom (Kevin Barry Moore), Daoiri Farrell, Paddy Nash,….
this Morning I began this Easter Sunday listening to John Reilly’s album “The Bonny Green Tree” (Spotify)….it brought me back to the Fleadh Ceol in Boyle, County Roscommon in 1965 where I first heard John sing…
Back then his beautiful singing stilled the night as we listened in rapture….we had nothing, not money nor tent nor sleeping bag, we threw caution to the wind and travelled the road to Roscommon (in Mick Curran’s Bedford Van) our journey so richly rewarded when we heard John sing..the icing on the cake was hearing The Grehan Sisters sing and play….. Marie,Francie and Helen (aka Bernie) Grehan were simply magnificent…..as we departed Boyle that Monday morning the music reverberated… as we made our way home to Newbridge we were contemplating our next trip to Boyle, back again to “The Raggle Taggle Gypsy” and “Old Caravee”
Hi Christy, brilliant chat with Ryan on the radio yesterday.
Just a quick question, you mentioned a song called “The least we can do”. Call me lazy if you must but rather than go through all your stuff can you tell me if its on any of your albums. I’d love to hear the rest of it.
Take care and stay safe. John
Christy's reply
“The Least We Can Do”
Its there on the “Ride On ” album from 1984..written by Gerry Murray from Charlestown, Co Mayo..started to sing it again at a Concert in the Philharmonic Hall in Liverpool last year…..
A very poignant ,erudite ,John Prine obituary by President Higgins in The Irish Times today.
Bogglingly impressive to me a) that a President would take the trouble to do such a thing…b) would be a knowledgeable fan,in the first place… c)is humanitarian…(a,b and c,not necessarily in the right order…)
What an informative read too,albeit tragic to have lost JP…I’d been interested to read posts here about the sessions in the West etc,but hadn’t realised the extent of the Prines’ links to Ireland.So,lessons learned from a President…not very often I say that in a positive context…
Let’s hope we can all keep on keepin’ on
Dave
Christy's reply
Our President,Michael D Higgins, is truly a man of the people….throughout his long career he has always kept his ear to the ground,always been on the side of the oppressed and the needy….
it has always been a pleasure to meet with Michael D…..last time was at a memorial concert in Galway Town Hall where we celebrated the life and music of Tony Small…Tony was a dear friend and singer, “Mandolin Mountain” is one of his songs..
Our President, alongside Sabina, travelled to Galway that night to honour Tony and the Small Family….
Michael D always remembers
Hello christy,
For your songs during your concerts, do you keep the guitar in standard tuning, or do you use alternate timings like DADGAD or open g ?
Christy's reply
I always keep the guitar in my own awkward tuning..standard except for 6th string which always remains tuned up to F…
do not try this at home…
it is not a good idea…
I can safely say that no one else in the entire world employs this tuning…I’ve often tried to revert but some inbuilt disfunction prevents..
I do not recommend it
Gaggle, did i hear the word gaggle 🙂 ? oh well that’s something to hang on to in hope of better days…
It was good to hear your voice this morning on the wave, lots of radio here too, confined on my own since 16th march. The least we can do is be thankful for the privilege of a roof and a view of the mountains.
Keep safe everyone and stay home.
Christy's reply
sending sweet refrains to Chile….may there be peace of mind in your confinement…
hard to believe it is 10 years since we gathered in Lios Dún Bhearna….took the waters of the Spa, walked the paths of Mullaghmore and traversed the beauty of The Burren..
May we all gather there again some day, hear the rafters ring, hear 4711ers sing
My grandfather worked in Conway Mill. Thanks to Tom, yourself and all with foresight to create such a wonderful venue.The Féile choir has sang in it. You probably know, but just in case: Tá Liam O’Flynn Píobaire is on TG4 Domhnach na Cásca ar a 9.30pm. There’s an article about it in the paper with a pic of Planxty. I only started learning Irish again about a year ago. So hoping for subtitles mind you no translation required for Liam’s wonderful music. Like yourself regret not keeping it up. Le grá Mary
Christy's reply
Béidir go mbeidh an beirt againn abailte cúpla focal a rá le cheile an céad uair eile a mbeimíd san Cúltúrlann i mBéal Feirste..
Marcaídh ar aghaidh…( please correct )
Very good interview this morning on Radio 1 Christy.
The message must be gotten across to all that moving about the country is a dangerous game which can result in the deaths of thousands of people.
Irresponsibility is not an option and we all must play our part to keep ourselves and our vulnerable safe. Hats off to all the people who are putting themselves on the line for the rest of us and I’m glad you said that they must be rewarded when all of this is over. Please don’t leave it too long to do another interview we need people who make sense and speak plainly.
Well done
Barney
Christy's reply
it was great to hear you yesterday Barney..it did the heart good to hear you reflect upon The Gibbet Rath..
sending Good Vibrations to You and all your family, and to all around Brownstown, Suncroft, Athgarvan, Moore’s Bridge, Donnolly’s Hollow, Yellow Furze, Sandhills, 6 furlong Post, Paddy Leahy’s snug, Flanagans, Japanese Gardens, St Brigid’s Well,The Rising Sun, The Soldiers Graveyard, The Sergeant’s Mess, The Soldier’s Home, Reggie Darling’s,The Glasshouse,the whole shebang
a very different Easter,but started well,with the superb youtube of ‘Easter Snow’ -with Liam Og O’Flynn and Catherine Ennis…also Liam talking about maestro,Seamus Ennis…
Dear Christy
Just watched the TG4 documentary on Liam Og O’Flynn. What a great musician and master piper he was. Although I couldn’t understand the parts in gaelic it was such a beautiful portrait of the man and his music. A man who stood in the middle of the Irish tradional music culture and was able to enrich other parts of the music scene with these traditions without compromising. A giant.
My very first encounter with the music of Planxty was some 40 years ago when my cousin let me listen to this band from Ireland. The first music of Planxty was the mesmerizing sound of the uilleann pipes. Some 25 years later I briefly met Liam together with Andy in a folkclub in Schiedam (near Rotterdam) I treasure the picture of that meeting.
I don’t know if the TG4 documentary has been on television before but I think that a lot of people in- and outside of Ireland would love to see it. It’s called “Liam O’Flynn – Piobaire”
A intimate and emotional portrait of the master piper.
John
“I think its time we had a slice of Jane’s cake” sez The Glack….
Dear Christy,
My name is Aine Fleming and I’m from Kildare Town. Im a former student of Newbridge College also! I’m twenty one years of age and studying to be a primary school teacher. In the past year my brother has introduced me to your music and it really has been an amazing experience to learn about my area through your music.
At the moment myself and six of my friends have set up a community newsletter during these uncertain times. We’re hoping to get it out to older isolated people who may not be able to use technology and social media. Each week we include a variety of pictures (current and old), quizzes, talent in our town and some light heart messages from people in our town.
A big thing we’re trying to engage with at the moment is looking back and making connections with childhood memories. We’re getting in touch with locals to give us a sense of what life was like when they were growing up. Reminiscing during this time brings great comfort for people. I’ve really enjoyed listening to your songs especially “Lily” and “1945” as I recognise these places and I’m sure such songs would resonate with other local people even more. I think music is helping people a lot through these times.
Id love if we could maybe publish the lyrics of one of your songs and maybe a note from yourself on the background of it!
I would love to get in contact with you about this. I hope you are keeping well and busy during these times! Hopefully when this is all over we will be back in Vicar Street enjoying music together.
Kind regards
Aine Fleming
don’t know if you saw last nights tribute to Liam Óg O’Flynn on TG4..it was beautifully made and I recommend it..when Donovan speaks of hearing Planxty in 1972..that gig was in the Theatre at Newbridge College…I’ll be in touch directly re your other queries
Fáilte romhat i gcónaí a Christy…look forward to it and no corrections needed…as if I’d know, had to get help to read it! 🙄Love the fact that each of the letters of the Irish language stands for the name of trees as gaelic. TG4 – T…teithne /furze or whin, G…gort/ivy. During these strange days I’ve been busy sa cistin. I made butter and hope my Tyrone folk and and my Glen’s of Antrim folk who did so, for generations, would be proud. Sorry for rambling! Sonas na Cásca/happy Easter to all. Marcaigh ar aghaidh/ride on! Mary
You bring me right back to Barronstown in the 1950s….back to that clean cool dairy where Auntie Nan Dowling would churn butter every Thursday….as I grew older I was allowed to spin the churn….the Golden Butter would be emptied out upon a marble slab and patted into rectangles, wrapped in grease-proof paper to be placed in the coolest corner of that dairy ….later it was spread copiously on bread baked upon the open hearth fire, it melted generously into the daily diet of floury spuds…..Uncle Francis cared not a hoot for meat nor veg as long as he had a mound of butter-melting-potatoes heaped before him..
you’re “rambling” always welcome here Mary
Hi Christy, I wrote this for victims of clerical child abuse, and I think you would do an amazing job singing it. Would you have a listen and see what you think?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tN65iHAT84s
Thanks a mill, Ger
Thanks for sharing Ger
Dear Christy,
Happy Easter and I hope that you are keeping well. I would like to say thank you, I attended your final performance at Vicar Street in January with my Mother, I forgot to mention her name at the time, she is called Christine. The performance was amazing, everything that we had both hoped for in atmosphere, company and songs. It was a lovely night that we will remember for a long time.
Since then has been a hectic time, on the leap year in February we managed a trip back to Ireland into Storm Jose, flying into Knock airport with my wife, Demetria, and our son, Christophoros, along again with my mum. So we drove out through to Islandaedy to visit the family graves and then onto Westport in Mayo. The purpose of the trip, it would have been my Grandfather, Christopher Fitzgerald, 100th birthday (or 25th!) that day. An important trip to a beautiful place.
And so returned home back into a different Storm brewing, case reports had come from China of a new coronavirus causing a SARS-like illness, then cases in Italy. The storm was getting closer, at work in the Hospital and the air ambulance preparation was taking place, slowly at first but then at a more frenetic pace, then the first cases arrived. I will spare you the details, but we are now well and truly have entered into “Duffy’s Cut”!
At the moment half of my colleagues have now tested positive for COVID-19 and we have also seen the death locally of a doctor and a nurse. And there is likely to be more to come. It is frightening times. But as always it is having excellent colleagues and hope that is bringing us through.
Your music remains as relevant as ever, poignant songs for difficult times. We would have been coming to see you in Barrowlands next week which is understandably cancelled. Alas, I will be on nights in the COVID Emergency Department then now.
I hope that you will be able to eventually sing a song for all the people involved around the world, the healthcare workers, nurse, doctors, paramedics, and hospital staff plus all the others core workers and carers keeping us going at this difficult time. Plus for all of the poor people who have lost loved ones, families and friends from this tragic disease. I know that it is a big ask, but I feel that you are a man capable of the task.
Stay safe and thank you to everyone for staying home, it is making our job manageable.
Thank you,
Dr Jonny
Jonny,
sending love and respect to you and all your co-workers…Thank You…
I cannot even start to imagine the trauma and mayhem you are experiencing on the front line…around the world a new order emerges…you and your comrades, alongside all other essential workers are keeping us alive….
yet the horror is ignored by a selfish,greedy, mindless gang who deem theselves above all pleas, who continue on their wanton way….Karma will surely pursue those thugs of this time…….
and Karma will honour those of you who shine a light upon us at this time
Hi Christy
Nice interview on the radio ( thank you Hilary).
Also good to hear that people are the same everywhere!
As you know I’m a nurse and it makes me also very angry to see how some people ignore safety rules, but they are fortunately a minority.
Normally we would be in Scotland next week to see you but luckily we have the DVD from Barrowlands to watch instead!
Keep inside and safe Irish friends and see you….
Greetings Chris
Hopefully,we will meet again in a better place…in a new order with more compassion, generosity and tolerance, where Mother Earth and Her Nature will recieve the respect and care it needs and deserves….let us all work together when that longed-for day arrives…let the music keep our spirits high
Hi Christy,
Happy Easter to you, your family, and everybody on this guestbook! Strangest Easter I’ve ever experienced. Just lounging around the house with the wife and kids and listening to your music. Hope your finding joy on this day and all others. Stay safe, stay strong!
Buck
Thank You.
Sail On.
Two thoughts Christy,
Today i was drawn, over and over, to the song ‘Burning Times’, indeed she plays in the background as i write this.
I know you play it often ,and to the memory of Lyra ( check out Matt McGinn’s song for her). Burning Times is both a fine album and also is such a soft yet powerful song. I feel i do not want to take her off my deck today, she can keep spinning into the night.
The second thought was wondering which 4 people you would invite to an imaginary meal, around your kitchen table, to enjoy chewing the cud with from any age, alongside you in the bunker. Such a treat to imagine, and to pass some time during the lockdown .
Regards from Scotland’s borderland.
Rory
we were planning to hear Matt McGinn play in Dublin this week….really like his singing and him from lovely Hilltown….
the following is a sleeve note for Burning Times……
(“Roy Bailey of Nottingham, England recorded this song having learned it from the writer Charlie Murphy of California. Martha McClelland of Derry heard Roy’s version and passed it on to my sister Terry Moore in Co. Kildare. She rightly thought the song would appeal to me and I began singing it in the early 90s. I have recorded it on three separate occasions finally getting it done to my own satisfaction on “Burning Times” in 2005. Like many songs and poems it does not look great on the page but comes to life when the air is blown into it. Then the beauty of the words, tho’ awful betimes, sail out and create imagery that never fails to stir me as the song gets sung. We are destroying that which sustains us, as sure as the sun has gone down this night. It feels to me like we are past the point of no return so let us sing and dance as if there were no tomorrow.”)
PS.I’ve since recorded it a 4th time.Charlie is no longer with us. I got to sing it for him and his partner at Royal Festival Hall London before he died.
Now the Earth is a witch,
we still burn her,
stripping her down with mining and the poison of our wars.
Still to us the Earth is a healer a teacher and a Mother
a weaver of a web that keeps us all alive.
She gives us the wisdom to see through the chaos,
he gives us the courage it is our will to survive.
Hi Christy,
as we can’t get to see you in Glasgow next Saturday we decided to do the next best thing and watch the 2009 Live Barrowlands recording. I couldn’t believe my eyes, eleven years ago and you still look as young as the day it was recorded. Whats your secret, is it good living or the auld botox? Stay safe (if not sane) John
here comes Jinky Johnson
Hi Christy,
Hope all is well there. Just read President Higgins’ obituary for John Prine and your comments on your wonderful president. I was at John Sheahan’s 80th birthday celebration at the Vicar Street in December when President Higgins was introduced resulting in a thunderous applause from the crowd. I couldn’t help being impressed and a little envious of having a president you can actually be proud of. Any chance we can swap? Stay safe, keep your spirits high!
Buck
no deal
Hi Christy,On lockdown here,no fishing one walk a day,small price to pay,stay local,some idiots not listening and think that they are invincible,stay safe Christy and eat plenty of bara brith.
damn those idiot transgressors as they spit in the face of reason….greetings to all songsters in CYMRU
Hello Christy.It was great to hear you on the radio yesterday.Ihope you are keeping well in these diffacult times.Hopefully the never ending tour will be on the road again soon.At least we have your wonderful cds and dvds to watch and listen.I hope you have a peaceful and a happy easter.No doubt you will be back by the Lee in the near future.Let the music keepp our spirits high.
Good Man Dave…Its always a pleasure to see you at the gig….hopefully we’ll get rockin again soon…tearing into a few ballads alongside a few soothing lullabies….
Shine On
Christy, any plans on any online shows during these unprecedented times? Have been watchjng lot’s of your performances on youtube but would love to see something live! Stay safe my friend.
I regret to say that I dont have the necessary skill to achieve such an outcome…whatever way my brain is wired I fall into confusion when confronted with such a task….the only recording device I ever conquered was my trusty old cassette machine…
I have watched and listened in wonder at many recent online performances…among them my own Brother Luka Bloom (Kevin Barry Moore), Daoiri Farrell, Paddy Nash,….
this Morning I began this Easter Sunday listening to John Reilly’s album “The Bonny Green Tree” (Spotify)….it brought me back to the Fleadh Ceol in Boyle, County Roscommon in 1965 where I first heard John sing…
Back then his beautiful singing stilled the night as we listened in rapture….we had nothing, not money nor tent nor sleeping bag, we threw caution to the wind and travelled the road to Roscommon (in Mick Curran’s Bedford Van) our journey so richly rewarded when we heard John sing..the icing on the cake was hearing The Grehan Sisters sing and play….. Marie,Francie and Helen (aka Bernie) Grehan were simply magnificent…..as we departed Boyle that Monday morning the music reverberated… as we made our way home to Newbridge we were contemplating our next trip to Boyle, back again to “The Raggle Taggle Gypsy” and “Old Caravee”
Hi Christy, brilliant chat with Ryan on the radio yesterday.
Just a quick question, you mentioned a song called “The least we can do”. Call me lazy if you must but rather than go through all your stuff can you tell me if its on any of your albums. I’d love to hear the rest of it.
Take care and stay safe. John
“The Least We Can Do”
Its there on the “Ride On ” album from 1984..written by Gerry Murray from Charlestown, Co Mayo..started to sing it again at a Concert in the Philharmonic Hall in Liverpool last year…..
Hi Christy
A very poignant ,erudite ,John Prine obituary by President Higgins in The Irish Times today.
Bogglingly impressive to me a) that a President would take the trouble to do such a thing…b) would be a knowledgeable fan,in the first place… c)is humanitarian…(a,b and c,not necessarily in the right order…)
What an informative read too,albeit tragic to have lost JP…I’d been interested to read posts here about the sessions in the West etc,but hadn’t realised the extent of the Prines’ links to Ireland.So,lessons learned from a President…not very often I say that in a positive context…
Let’s hope we can all keep on keepin’ on
Dave
Our President,Michael D Higgins, is truly a man of the people….throughout his long career he has always kept his ear to the ground,always been on the side of the oppressed and the needy….
it has always been a pleasure to meet with Michael D…..last time was at a memorial concert in Galway Town Hall where we celebrated the life and music of Tony Small…Tony was a dear friend and singer, “Mandolin Mountain” is one of his songs..
Our President, alongside Sabina, travelled to Galway that night to honour Tony and the Small Family….
Michael D always remembers
Hello christy,
For your songs during your concerts, do you keep the guitar in standard tuning, or do you use alternate timings like DADGAD or open g ?
I always keep the guitar in my own awkward tuning..standard except for 6th string which always remains tuned up to F…
do not try this at home…
it is not a good idea…
I can safely say that no one else in the entire world employs this tuning…I’ve often tried to revert but some inbuilt disfunction prevents..
I do not recommend it
Gaggle, did i hear the word gaggle 🙂 ? oh well that’s something to hang on to in hope of better days…
It was good to hear your voice this morning on the wave, lots of radio here too, confined on my own since 16th march. The least we can do is be thankful for the privilege of a roof and a view of the mountains.
Keep safe everyone and stay home.
sending sweet refrains to Chile….may there be peace of mind in your confinement…
hard to believe it is 10 years since we gathered in Lios Dún Bhearna….took the waters of the Spa, walked the paths of Mullaghmore and traversed the beauty of The Burren..
May we all gather there again some day, hear the rafters ring, hear 4711ers sing
Come all you dreamers
My grandfather worked in Conway Mill. Thanks to Tom, yourself and all with foresight to create such a wonderful venue.The Féile choir has sang in it. You probably know, but just in case: Tá Liam O’Flynn Píobaire is on TG4 Domhnach na Cásca ar a 9.30pm. There’s an article about it in the paper with a pic of Planxty. I only started learning Irish again about a year ago. So hoping for subtitles mind you no translation required for Liam’s wonderful music. Like yourself regret not keeping it up. Le grá Mary
Béidir go mbeidh an beirt againn abailte cúpla focal a rá le cheile an céad uair eile a mbeimíd san Cúltúrlann i mBéal Feirste..
Marcaídh ar aghaidh…( please correct )
Very good interview this morning on Radio 1 Christy.
The message must be gotten across to all that moving about the country is a dangerous game which can result in the deaths of thousands of people.
Irresponsibility is not an option and we all must play our part to keep ourselves and our vulnerable safe. Hats off to all the people who are putting themselves on the line for the rest of us and I’m glad you said that they must be rewarded when all of this is over. Please don’t leave it too long to do another interview we need people who make sense and speak plainly.
Well done
Barney
it was great to hear you yesterday Barney..it did the heart good to hear you reflect upon The Gibbet Rath..
sending Good Vibrations to You and all your family, and to all around Brownstown, Suncroft, Athgarvan, Moore’s Bridge, Donnolly’s Hollow, Yellow Furze, Sandhills, 6 furlong Post, Paddy Leahy’s snug, Flanagans, Japanese Gardens, St Brigid’s Well,The Rising Sun, The Soldiers Graveyard, The Sergeant’s Mess, The Soldier’s Home, Reggie Darling’s,The Glasshouse,the whole shebang
Hi Christy
a very different Easter,but started well,with the superb youtube of ‘Easter Snow’ -with Liam Og O’Flynn and Catherine Ennis…also Liam talking about maestro,Seamus Ennis…
Heartening…who needs to leave the bunker anyway?
Greetings to you and companeros
Dave
Liam and Catherine….beautiful