Hello Christy,
All best wishes to you on your birthday from a sunny Shanklin. It was great to hear you on RTE on Good Friday via my smart speaker. We’re so looking forward to you being back on the road again when it is safe.
Take care and all the best. I hope you stay safe and well.
Sue
Happy 75th, Christy – what a great young age to be! 🤩Enjoy this special day with your family and looking forward to seeing and hearing you again when sentence is over.
🎂🎼🎶🔊💚
Happy Birthday, Christy!
I hope you can enjoy this special day in spite of the circumstances and get some well deserved cake ;-).
Thank you for so many great songs, countless hours of fun and some struggles with my own guitar…
And thanks to the other writers here for interesting comments and links – be it the falcons or the rte interview with your ancient Nokia!
Just learnt you sang Blackwaterside as well, only knew that song by the Oysterband, one of my favourite bands for decades now.
All the best to you and I hope you will soon be able to play gigs again! Keep your spirits high!
Well Christy…This is the Day. Many, many congratulations on the 75th. I know it is probably not how you intended to celebrate it. But you are with the most important person in the world for this day,,,,THATS what matters.
Best Wishes.
Patsy
Presumably,for a gig at your local folk club when you stayed with family.It led to a good lockdown diversion to check out some songs I didn’t know…’Blackwaterside’ has long been a favourite via Sandy Denny and Anne Briggs (ace versions by both on youtube)I’d love to hear your version with your current companeros…
So,looking back over the years,to the eve of your 25th birthday…was there a plan to achieve a specific aim…enjoy the gigs…make an LP…travel…return to Ireland?…you have a fascinating back story and there must have been a few times when you’ve pondered what would have happened without a Bank strike!
Hi Patsy,
..Thats Murphy alright..his first album was called “Nyaaaaaagh”
our young 4711er colleague CS(15) sent me this earlier…he felt it was too long to post on the website !
Yard Work (overheard in a Heavenly conversation between God and St. Francis)
God: Francis, you know all about gardens and nature; what in the world
is going on down there? What happened to the dandelions,
violets, thistles and the stuff I started eons ago? I had a perfect
no-maintenance garden plan. Those plants grow in any type of soil,
withstand drought, and multiply with abandon. The nectar from the
long-lasting blossoms attracts butterflies, honeybees, and flocks of songbirds. I expected to see a vast garden of color by now. All I
see are patches of green.
St. Francis: It’s the tribes that settled there, Lord. They are called
the Suburbanites. They started calling your flowers “weeds”, and went to great lengths to kill them and replace them with grass.
God: Grass? But it is so boring. It’s not even colorful. It doesn’t
attract butterflies, bees, or birds, only grubs and sod worms. It’s temperamental with temperatures. Do these Suburbanites really want
grass growing there?
St. Francis: Apparently not, Lord. As soon as it has grown a little,
they cut it; sometimes two times a week.
God: They cut it? Do they bale it like hay?
St. Francis: Not exactly, Lord. Most of them rake it up and put it in
bags.
God: They bag it? Why? Is it a cash crop? Do they sell it?
St. Francis: No sir, just the opposite. They pay to throw it away.
God: Now let me get this straight. They fertilize it to make it grow,
but when it does grow, they cut it off and pay to throw it away?
St. Francis: Yes, sir.
God: These Suburbanites must be relieved in the summer when we cut
back on the rain and turn up the heat. That surely slows the growth
and saves them a lot of work.
St. Francis: You aren’t going to believe this Lord, but when the grass
stops growing so fast, they drag out hoses and pay more money to water
it so they can continue to mow it then pay to get rid of it.
God: What nonsense! At least they kept some of the trees. That was a
sheer stroke of genius, if I do say so myself. The trees grow leaves
in the Spring to provide beauty and shade in the summer. In the
Autumn they fall to the ground and form a natural blanket to keep the
moisture in the soil and protect the trees and bushes. Plus, as they
rot, the leaves become compost to enhance the soil. It’s a natural
circle of life.
St. Francis: You’d better sit down, Lord. As soon as the leaves fall,
the Suburbanites rake them into great piles and pay to have them
hauled away.
God: No way! What do they do to protect the shrubs and tree roots in
the winter, to keep the soil moist and loose?
St. Francis: After throwing the leaves away, they go out and buy
something called mulch. They haul it home and spread it around in
place of the leaves.
God: And where do they get this mulch?
St. Francis: They cut down the trees and grind them up to make mulch.
God: Enough! I don’t want to think about this anymore. Saint
Catherine, you’re in charge of the arts. What movie have you
scheduled for us tonight?
St. Catherine: “Dumb and Dumber,” Lord. It’s a really stupid movie
about…
God: Never mind. I think I just heard the whole story from Saint
Francis!
Hearing your first LP would have been amazing anyway.Very special to have such a ‘mucker’ as Mr Murphy to share it …and,what a mate he will have been!
Only saw Noel once-solo,larger than life and definitely a man for the craic and gargle,if not the ganga in a Sunday night folk club! It would have probably been 1971, in the same era and venue,where I first heard you…the back room of The Golden Lion pub,Withington…club run by the (in)famous Harris and Appleton…
Interesting about your gig style…when you played your first ‘floor spot’ ,its fair to say that it was your quiet intensity that grabbed the punters’ attention…certainly,mine…Your return to do a ‘guest night’ a few weeks later,was definitely by public demand! If you have notes to hand,I’d be really interested to be reminded of your repertoire around that time…’Come by the hill’ comes to mind-and gave me some challenge as I tried to play it on my guitar when I got home!Is it ever given an outing these days-its a fantastic song.
Sounds like you’ll be allowed to go on post lockdown wandering quite soon-people fortunate to survive in this country might be emerging from the shambles c 2025…
Enjoy the day
Dave
Christy's reply
Here is my set list from Bury Folk Club,May 6th 1967….
Rocky Road to Dublin
Verdent Braes of Skryne
Black Water Side
Spainish lady
Calton Weaver
Carnloch bay
Enniskillen Dragoon
Maid from Dungannon
James Connolly
Sam Hall
Paddy works on the railway
All for me Grog
Spancilhill
Take it down from the mast
I’m a Rover
Mary from Dungloe
The Bury Folk Club was run by The Valley Folk from Rossendale…Steve,John and the Carruthers Sisters…an excellent Accapella band in the style of Watersons/Young Tradition…that same week I played in the Wellgreen Folk Club in the suburbs of Suffragete City
It seems everyone is having a birthday this year..happy birthday young fella. Mine is creeping up soon too, maybe a time to reflect and think about our buddies who didn’t make it this far.. remember .” Your only as old as the woman you feel. Peace and good health to you Christy. This too shall pass.
There certainly was an amazing choice of 60s venues and ‘turns’,Christy,,,
Great posts about MSG memories,and classic venues/bands etc on http://www.manchesterbeat.com if you head for ‘venues’…’Manchester CBD’ includes MSG…you might recognise some names…elsewhere on the site,there’s an ace mix of band photos etc…just remembered ‘The Carousel Club’…must check on the showbands there…
Surprising that its 30 years since Jo-Ann Kelly died …she was amazing…
Good times!
Dave
Christy's reply
did you ever hear Noel Murphy ?… back in the day he was the biggest draw in the MSG. I saw him there solo circa 1966…just him and a battered acoustic….later he was joined by Shaggis, a young lad I first heard in Edinburgh…at 16 he was a show stopping banjo player…after playing for some time with Noel he swopped Banjo for guitar and reverted to being Davey Johnston. A blonde haired Adonis who achieved world wide recognition with, among others, Elton John and Rod Stewart.
Noel Murphy was a unique performer….he was all about the craic,the gargle and the ganja….seeing him made me realise that I needed to shed my withdrawn-trying-to-hide-behind-my-guitar-persona….Noel was an amalgam of Eddie Murphy, Chris Rock and Alex Cambell on acid who could also sing songs and play the box… I used to visit him in London where he gave me floor space, floor spots and good hospitality..
I recall the day in London that I was given a copy of my first album by the man from Mercury….having no where to play it I rang Noel who invited me to his Flat in Shepherd’s Bush.
The first time I heard my first album was with Noel Murphy.A cherished memory from 52 years past….
Ah Christy, what sad and powerful footage of Bobby’s funeral. Thanks for sharing it with us. Those were knife edge days…the flame he lit while leaving is still burning strong. No better songs or singer to shoulder the images of his funeral. Suaimhneas síoraí ar a Anam 💚 Le grá Mary
Christy's reply
I was surprised to find the songs had been attached to the film…surprised and honoured to be included
Fair point Christy, have nailed up the blanket against the window.
It would be great to hear you sing another of Bobby Sands’ , is it ‘sitting at the window’ ( sad song for susan)? Or maybe should we wait in anticipation.
Regards ,on this important day,
Rory
Christy's reply
Its a rediscovered song that has recently emerged
After a concert last year I met with two ex POWs both of whom were “on the blanket” with Bobby… they spoke about the song which I’d not heard previously. They vowed to track it down and send it to me. It arrived in due course. I’ve been spending time with it since and hope to share it when the time is right.With certain songs it takes time….time is plentiful in these times
The Stoller Hall is a concert venue within Chetham’s Schol…a plectrum’s flick from the site of the iconic MSG club…The Stoller hosts a varied programme inc top folkies such as Carthys and Unthanks…as well as orchestral concerts.
In lockdown ,and to keep music going-virtually…tonight,there’s an online concert at 7 pm…its orchestral,and,if successful,will hopefully lead to other events…
http://www.stollerhall.com The Bridgewater Hall is a superb venue and I’m chuffed to have seen you there a few times now,but should you ever fancy a smaller venue,for a series of dates,perhaps,The Stoller might be worth a look…sadly,there’d be no ‘Jenks’ ruling the roost,but ‘characters’like him are thin on the ground these days!
I’m away for a sunny wander now…hope you manage similar,in anticipation of the cake fest in the next few days.
Dave
Christy's reply
jenks..dear old jenks..Pete and Bob on the door…every sat,sun, mon, ’66,’67,
Noel Murphy, Martin Carthy Jo-Anne Kelly, ..we were spoiled for choice
Hi Christy,
I find myself, early doors, sitting at the window humming along to McIlhatton and Back home in Derry.
Some man.
Regards to you
Rory
Christy's reply
So you have a window in your bunker !…I trust you have thick, over-lapping black out curtains…
I have received another song written by Bobby…I hope to do it justice when the time is right
Enjoyed listening back to your interview with Ray the other day. Brought a smile to the face during these testing times. Glad to hear that all is well and not surprised that the ould Nokia is still holding up – ould dog for the hard road. Take care and hopefully see you back on the road some time soon
Christy's reply
My old Nokia is an amazing piece of kit…before the interview myself and the technician did a sound check on 3 different phones..Landline, iPhone and Nokia….the Nokia delivered the best result by far….
I think I may record my next album on this wee Nokia !!! “Songs from a Cocoon”
I look around me at all the things people can do on Smart Phones….
I must confess to having one..I use it for listening to Sean O’Rourke down the garden….
Hi All. Christy in your recent interview with Ray D’Arcy you mentioned an interview with Gerry Ryan, well Tony the Rebel 4711er and Youtube Detective found this and kindly shared it on social media, he gave me permission to share it here. It’s a long interview by any standards, even the ads at a distance of 16 years are interesting. However, and more importantly, ye chat mostly about the Box Set, with some background on the songs and individual recordings, etc yet another ” opportunity to communicate with songsters near and far ” which makes it radio gold to my ears ! Just wondering if this was the time ye continued to chat after the tape was turned off ? Enjoy, https://youtu.be/8MehWkU-pbg Beir bua agus beannacht. H
Christy's reply
Thanks to you both,Tony and Hilary, for sharing this recording.Yes H.That was the occasion.
Usually, at live radio interviews, the guest exits quickly during ad breaks so as the show can continue with the next item on the agenda. On this occasion my chat with Gerry was the final item on the show. We began to chat. One by one the crew wrapped up and left the control room until only the two of us remained in the studio. What I recall is that our conversation was much more interesting and personal then the interview !
On the subject of RTE Radio interviews. I was invited to speak to Sean O’Rourke this morning to mark his “retirement”. Sean has been part of our lives for many years and I felt honoured to play a small part in his send-off. I was asked to choose a piece of music to conclude our brief converation. I had chosen Liam Óg O’Flynn’s “Slievenamon” from his “Piper’s Call”album.
Then came the text. Because I had spoken on air to Ray Darcy last week I was no longer needed to speak to Sean O’Rourke.Simple as that. At the time I brushed it off but it has lingered.
75 years young, have a good one Christy!
Lá breithe shona duit. X
Mornin’ Christy
Very Happy Birthday wishes from here to there…have as normal a birthday as the times allow.
The main thing is that you’ll be surrounded by good mojo fom you nearest and earest…and cake!
As the greetings card reads,’growing old is inevitable,growing up is optional!’
Thanks for all you do. keep on keepin’ on
Dave
Hello Christy,
All best wishes to you on your birthday from a sunny Shanklin. It was great to hear you on RTE on Good Friday via my smart speaker. We’re so looking forward to you being back on the road again when it is safe.
Take care and all the best. I hope you stay safe and well.
Sue
Happy 75th, Christy – what a great young age to be! 🤩Enjoy this special day with your family and looking forward to seeing and hearing you again when sentence is over.
🎂🎼🎶🔊💚
Happy Birthday, Christy!
I hope you can enjoy this special day in spite of the circumstances and get some well deserved cake ;-).
Thank you for so many great songs, countless hours of fun and some struggles with my own guitar…
And thanks to the other writers here for interesting comments and links – be it the falcons or the rte interview with your ancient Nokia!
Just learnt you sang Blackwaterside as well, only knew that song by the Oysterband, one of my favourite bands for decades now.
All the best to you and I hope you will soon be able to play gigs again! Keep your spirits high!
Well Christy…This is the Day. Many, many congratulations on the 75th. I know it is probably not how you intended to celebrate it. But you are with the most important person in the world for this day,,,,THATS what matters.
Best Wishes.
Patsy
Oh my goodness, what’s wrong with sitting on the grass and staying there.
exactly
Thanks for the Bury set list,Christy
Presumably,for a gig at your local folk club when you stayed with family.It led to a good lockdown diversion to check out some songs I didn’t know…’Blackwaterside’ has long been a favourite via Sandy Denny and Anne Briggs (ace versions by both on youtube)I’d love to hear your version with your current companeros…
So,looking back over the years,to the eve of your 25th birthday…was there a plan to achieve a specific aim…enjoy the gigs…make an LP…travel…return to Ireland?…you have a fascinating back story and there must have been a few times when you’ve pondered what would have happened without a Bank strike!
Hope you’re set for presents and cake!
Dave
A bit of Noel Murphy https://youtu.be/np8iLIt7G0A
Hi Patsy,
..Thats Murphy alright..his first album was called “Nyaaaaaagh”
our young 4711er colleague CS(15) sent me this earlier…he felt it was too long to post on the website !
Yard Work (overheard in a Heavenly conversation between God and St. Francis)
God: Francis, you know all about gardens and nature; what in the world
is going on down there? What happened to the dandelions,
violets, thistles and the stuff I started eons ago? I had a perfect
no-maintenance garden plan. Those plants grow in any type of soil,
withstand drought, and multiply with abandon. The nectar from the
long-lasting blossoms attracts butterflies, honeybees, and flocks of songbirds. I expected to see a vast garden of color by now. All I
see are patches of green.
St. Francis: It’s the tribes that settled there, Lord. They are called
the Suburbanites. They started calling your flowers “weeds”, and went to great lengths to kill them and replace them with grass.
God: Grass? But it is so boring. It’s not even colorful. It doesn’t
attract butterflies, bees, or birds, only grubs and sod worms. It’s temperamental with temperatures. Do these Suburbanites really want
grass growing there?
St. Francis: Apparently not, Lord. As soon as it has grown a little,
they cut it; sometimes two times a week.
God: They cut it? Do they bale it like hay?
St. Francis: Not exactly, Lord. Most of them rake it up and put it in
bags.
God: They bag it? Why? Is it a cash crop? Do they sell it?
St. Francis: No sir, just the opposite. They pay to throw it away.
God: Now let me get this straight. They fertilize it to make it grow,
but when it does grow, they cut it off and pay to throw it away?
St. Francis: Yes, sir.
God: These Suburbanites must be relieved in the summer when we cut
back on the rain and turn up the heat. That surely slows the growth
and saves them a lot of work.
St. Francis: You aren’t going to believe this Lord, but when the grass
stops growing so fast, they drag out hoses and pay more money to water
it so they can continue to mow it then pay to get rid of it.
God: What nonsense! At least they kept some of the trees. That was a
sheer stroke of genius, if I do say so myself. The trees grow leaves
in the Spring to provide beauty and shade in the summer. In the
Autumn they fall to the ground and form a natural blanket to keep the
moisture in the soil and protect the trees and bushes. Plus, as they
rot, the leaves become compost to enhance the soil. It’s a natural
circle of life.
St. Francis: You’d better sit down, Lord. As soon as the leaves fall,
the Suburbanites rake them into great piles and pay to have them
hauled away.
God: No way! What do they do to protect the shrubs and tree roots in
the winter, to keep the soil moist and loose?
St. Francis: After throwing the leaves away, they go out and buy
something called mulch. They haul it home and spread it around in
place of the leaves.
God: And where do they get this mulch?
St. Francis: They cut down the trees and grind them up to make mulch.
God: Enough! I don’t want to think about this anymore. Saint
Catherine, you’re in charge of the arts. What movie have you
scheduled for us tonight?
St. Catherine: “Dumb and Dumber,” Lord. It’s a really stupid movie
about…
God: Never mind. I think I just heard the whole story from Saint
Francis!
Hi Christy
Hearing your first LP would have been amazing anyway.Very special to have such a ‘mucker’ as Mr Murphy to share it …and,what a mate he will have been!
Only saw Noel once-solo,larger than life and definitely a man for the craic and gargle,if not the ganga in a Sunday night folk club! It would have probably been 1971, in the same era and venue,where I first heard you…the back room of The Golden Lion pub,Withington…club run by the (in)famous Harris and Appleton…
Interesting about your gig style…when you played your first ‘floor spot’ ,its fair to say that it was your quiet intensity that grabbed the punters’ attention…certainly,mine…Your return to do a ‘guest night’ a few weeks later,was definitely by public demand! If you have notes to hand,I’d be really interested to be reminded of your repertoire around that time…’Come by the hill’ comes to mind-and gave me some challenge as I tried to play it on my guitar when I got home!Is it ever given an outing these days-its a fantastic song.
Sounds like you’ll be allowed to go on post lockdown wandering quite soon-people fortunate to survive in this country might be emerging from the shambles c 2025…
Enjoy the day
Dave
Here is my set list from Bury Folk Club,May 6th 1967….
Rocky Road to Dublin
Verdent Braes of Skryne
Black Water Side
Spainish lady
Calton Weaver
Carnloch bay
Enniskillen Dragoon
Maid from Dungannon
James Connolly
Sam Hall
Paddy works on the railway
All for me Grog
Spancilhill
Take it down from the mast
I’m a Rover
Mary from Dungloe
The Bury Folk Club was run by The Valley Folk from Rossendale…Steve,John and the Carruthers Sisters…an excellent Accapella band in the style of Watersons/Young Tradition…that same week I played in the Wellgreen Folk Club in the suburbs of Suffragete City
It seems everyone is having a birthday this year..happy birthday young fella. Mine is creeping up soon too, maybe a time to reflect and think about our buddies who didn’t make it this far.. remember .” Your only as old as the woman you feel. Peace and good health to you Christy. This too shall pass.
quadruple gulp
There certainly was an amazing choice of 60s venues and ‘turns’,Christy,,,
Great posts about MSG memories,and classic venues/bands etc on http://www.manchesterbeat.com if you head for ‘venues’…’Manchester CBD’ includes MSG…you might recognise some names…elsewhere on the site,there’s an ace mix of band photos etc…just remembered ‘The Carousel Club’…must check on the showbands there…
Surprising that its 30 years since Jo-Ann Kelly died …she was amazing…
Good times!
Dave
did you ever hear Noel Murphy ?… back in the day he was the biggest draw in the MSG. I saw him there solo circa 1966…just him and a battered acoustic….later he was joined by Shaggis, a young lad I first heard in Edinburgh…at 16 he was a show stopping banjo player…after playing for some time with Noel he swopped Banjo for guitar and reverted to being Davey Johnston. A blonde haired Adonis who achieved world wide recognition with, among others, Elton John and Rod Stewart.
Noel Murphy was a unique performer….he was all about the craic,the gargle and the ganja….seeing him made me realise that I needed to shed my withdrawn-trying-to-hide-behind-my-guitar-persona….Noel was an amalgam of Eddie Murphy, Chris Rock and Alex Cambell on acid who could also sing songs and play the box… I used to visit him in London where he gave me floor space, floor spots and good hospitality..
I recall the day in London that I was given a copy of my first album by the man from Mercury….having no where to play it I rang Noel who invited me to his Flat in Shepherd’s Bush.
The first time I heard my first album was with Noel Murphy.A cherished memory from 52 years past….
Ah Christy, what sad and powerful footage of Bobby’s funeral. Thanks for sharing it with us. Those were knife edge days…the flame he lit while leaving is still burning strong. No better songs or singer to shoulder the images of his funeral. Suaimhneas síoraí ar a Anam 💚 Le grá Mary
I was surprised to find the songs had been attached to the film…surprised and honoured to be included
Fair point Christy, have nailed up the blanket against the window.
It would be great to hear you sing another of Bobby Sands’ , is it ‘sitting at the window’ ( sad song for susan)? Or maybe should we wait in anticipation.
Regards ,on this important day,
Rory
Its a rediscovered song that has recently emerged
After a concert last year I met with two ex POWs both of whom were “on the blanket” with Bobby… they spoke about the song which I’d not heard previously. They vowed to track it down and send it to me. It arrived in due course. I’ve been spending time with it since and hope to share it when the time is right.With certain songs it takes time….time is plentiful in these times
Remembering today your great song of the late Bobby Sands, MP who died on hunger strike after 66 days. Dark days they were..
https://www.bobbysandstrust.com/thirty-nine-years/
Hi Christy
The Stoller Hall is a concert venue within Chetham’s Schol…a plectrum’s flick from the site of the iconic MSG club…The Stoller hosts a varied programme inc top folkies such as Carthys and Unthanks…as well as orchestral concerts.
In lockdown ,and to keep music going-virtually…tonight,there’s an online concert at 7 pm…its orchestral,and,if successful,will hopefully lead to other events…
http://www.stollerhall.com The Bridgewater Hall is a superb venue and I’m chuffed to have seen you there a few times now,but should you ever fancy a smaller venue,for a series of dates,perhaps,The Stoller might be worth a look…sadly,there’d be no ‘Jenks’ ruling the roost,but ‘characters’like him are thin on the ground these days!
I’m away for a sunny wander now…hope you manage similar,in anticipation of the cake fest in the next few days.
Dave
jenks..dear old jenks..Pete and Bob on the door…every sat,sun, mon, ’66,’67,
Noel Murphy, Martin Carthy Jo-Anne Kelly, ..we were spoiled for choice
Hello Christy,
That Atkins of yours sounds like a lovely guitar. It blends with you so beautifully. It doesn’t need any help at all, does it.
Good morning to all 🙂
Rebecca
I have become very attached to my Atkin Guitar….there is a lovely film on youtube “Atkin Guitars” …. it shows the maker at work
Hi Christy,
I find myself, early doors, sitting at the window humming along to McIlhatton and Back home in Derry.
Some man.
Regards to you
Rory
So you have a window in your bunker !…I trust you have thick, over-lapping black out curtains…
I have received another song written by Bobby…I hope to do it justice when the time is right
Hi Christy,
Enjoyed listening back to your interview with Ray the other day. Brought a smile to the face during these testing times. Glad to hear that all is well and not surprised that the ould Nokia is still holding up – ould dog for the hard road. Take care and hopefully see you back on the road some time soon
My old Nokia is an amazing piece of kit…before the interview myself and the technician did a sound check on 3 different phones..Landline, iPhone and Nokia….the Nokia delivered the best result by far….
I think I may record my next album on this wee Nokia !!! “Songs from a Cocoon”
I look around me at all the things people can do on Smart Phones….
I must confess to having one..I use it for listening to Sean O’Rourke down the garden….
Hi All. Christy in your recent interview with Ray D’Arcy you mentioned an interview with Gerry Ryan, well Tony the Rebel 4711er and Youtube Detective found this and kindly shared it on social media, he gave me permission to share it here. It’s a long interview by any standards, even the ads at a distance of 16 years are interesting. However, and more importantly, ye chat mostly about the Box Set, with some background on the songs and individual recordings, etc yet another ” opportunity to communicate with songsters near and far ” which makes it radio gold to my ears ! Just wondering if this was the time ye continued to chat after the tape was turned off ? Enjoy, https://youtu.be/8MehWkU-pbg Beir bua agus beannacht. H
Thanks to you both,Tony and Hilary, for sharing this recording.Yes H.That was the occasion.
Usually, at live radio interviews, the guest exits quickly during ad breaks so as the show can continue with the next item on the agenda. On this occasion my chat with Gerry was the final item on the show. We began to chat. One by one the crew wrapped up and left the control room until only the two of us remained in the studio. What I recall is that our conversation was much more interesting and personal then the interview !
On the subject of RTE Radio interviews. I was invited to speak to Sean O’Rourke this morning to mark his “retirement”. Sean has been part of our lives for many years and I felt honoured to play a small part in his send-off. I was asked to choose a piece of music to conclude our brief converation. I had chosen Liam Óg O’Flynn’s “Slievenamon” from his “Piper’s Call”album.
Then came the text. Because I had spoken on air to Ray Darcy last week I was no longer needed to speak to Sean O’Rourke.Simple as that. At the time I brushed it off but it has lingered.