Hi Christy,
Traudel is some music whisperer, John Spillane will no doubt get a whirl soon as he has such marvellous songs.
Hawick rfc play in green, Hawick is surrounded by green hills and dear green places, so Gortatagort would be a gorgeous choice.
Mind you for my second pick ‘Johnny dont go to Ballincollig’ by john spillane ,has a great message for lockdown and social distancing.
My third choice for monday’s set would have to be a cover of Johnny Fingers’ I Don’t Like Mondays’
Now i know Bob got the Brit ‘gift’ of ‘arise sir geldof’ but johnny was the boomtown genius for me.
Keep on keeping on and you might get a shot at the Phoenix park cabaret spot again ,if the brown nosing helicopter returns.
Arra best
Rory
Christy's reply
Here Comes the Chinook
O Chinooki ár Lá
Prince Andrew lands her on the H
comes down the ladder
with his little bag of MBEs and OBEs
the sweat was pourin out of him
and him only back from active service
on the Virgin Islands
Willie’s ballad, great choice. Thank You Brother For Your Comment. Its Great We Can Share The Love Of Jesus And Holiness On YouTube. So says Willie! “OK, I think I have bled this one enough. Roll on session 4!
Lovely song Marty
neat pickin on that sweet box
was tryin to figure the make
was it Yatari ?
I missed some of the lyrics
could you put the words up here?
great finishing line
“thats all I’ve got to say”!!
lovely auld Traveller vibe off your song
HI Christy, really enjoying the lockdown sessions, I noted your reply to EASKEY 12 (listener’s need songs) and taking the bull by the horns, my own mother died at the start of this pandemic which gave me the incentive to write a sad lyric called (the face behind the window) in tribute to all those who died preventable deaths in our nursing homes due to delayed testing for Covid 19, I think it will strike a chord with you. I had the brass neck to send it to your e-mail address but it keeps failing, I then sent it to your agent Paddy Doherty but I don’t know if he is actually working, if you were to send your postal address to latalec@hotmail.com I could post you a laminated hard copy, if you didn’t like it no harm done, thanks again Christy for the sessions, stay safe. Alec.
Christy's reply
Dear Alec,
Greetings to Nás na Rí,
Sorry to read about the loss of your dear Mother.
Begins Christo, you’re some man for one man! You’re gonna sing with Arlene’s RHI Céilí band! Well then, we gotta pick the song! How about Section 31, or 90 miles to Dublin, or prob the best choice, getting the old DTs…
Christy's reply
we’re in rehearsals..the band have decided upon “The Ballad of Willie McCrea” you’ll find it on you tube from Sean Mone (who also wrote the beautiful “Rosalita & Jack Cambell”)
Great to have part 3 of the lockdown series… thanks especially for Spancil Hill. …. the Bean an Ti was suitably impressed…….
I’ve been on the same mission as Iggy but rain has stopped play for today….
“..if you don’t like the Irish weather , just wait a couple of days… ”
Better outlook for tomorrow. …
I’m a bogman….. deep down. …
I would like to ask a favour of you. There is a teacher in my school (Oatlands College, Mount Merrion, Co. Dublin ) called Mr Ryan who is retiring this year after over 40 years of teaching geography. He is extremely well thought of and a fantastic educator and your music is one of his great passions. Just about every group that he has ever taught remembers him playing “Joxer Goes To Stuttgart” for the class. He is now a Year Head and as a Fifth Year student in Oatlands College I am in his final year group. We have put together a video in which we all thank him for what he has achieved and for all the wonderful things he has taught us. I know you might get a lot of requests like this but I think it would be nice to do something for this man who really deserves everything that comes to him after such an amazing career. All you would have to do would be to record yourself saying something along the lines of:
“Hello Mr Ryan. I hope you’re keeping well at this time. I’d like to thank you for your support of my music down the years and I hope you enjoy all that life has left to offer, Christy.”
It would only have to be around 10 seconds long but I know that this would mean a really great deal to Mr Ryan and I do hope that you could just spend the 30 seconds or so to record it.
Thank you so much and I do hope you can make a difference,
Yusuf Alraqi, 5th Year Student in Oatlands College.
Enjoying your stories and songs as told and sung from the comfort of your home. Of course I do miss the camaraderie atmosphere of a gig (am sure the Edinburgh gig will happen one day soon) but these lock down sessions are unique…makes me feel special being the only one in the audience.
I’ll sign off by making a request – could you sing Black is the Colour (of my true love’s hair)?
Christy's reply
good to hear from you in Petaling
yes Siew, I hope the Edinburgh gig will happen again
Good Morning, I’m back from the search, turns out Elvis did die after all…
I’ve been on radio duty a lot…the family have been callin me Lockdown Larry…and the quiff has got a treatment…I was starting to look like Mattress Mick..
Absolutely loving the music room sessions from you..( I have a tripod stand for mic) they are great choices of songs…more to follow by the sounds of it and we look forward.
Tonight we try a first…Wally & Johnny do about an hour with us in a lovely relaxed setting, we hope to have a few different cameras etc and it will sound great, it’s a greatest hits night…and Wal is sounding well..if I can be so bold as to put up a link…FB live at 9pm..It’s a seaview session, without the sea view… https://www.facebook.com/theseaviewsessions/
thank you for all the music, you look and sound fantastic..love to you ..Larball x
Christy's reply
fair play Lar…good luck to Wally & Johnny….catch ye later
Another wonderful online Gig….. who would have ever thought we would live to see the day where we are raving about Online gigs of our favourite artist….. “ Oh the times they are changing “ isn’t that a line from some Song. Loads of requests; Jukebox mode from the throw in. We haven’t reached the Hour mark yet; so I reckon it’s still your choice. Thanks so much for what you do.
Patsy
Both Christy and may I respectfully suggest you play the Tuam Beat, on the lambeg at your interview! Just watched Slí na Mbeaglaoich (TG4) exploring the west coast of Ireland in Donegal. A wonderful heart-warming programme and a musical feast. It was great to watch Ciarán ÓMaonaigh (Frankie and Máireád’s nephew) perform along with his wife Cáitlín. Oíche mhaith agus codhladh sámh daoibh go léir. Le grá…
Christy's reply
we thought that the Begley series was simply magnificent…. a proper Irish Road Movie…pure and proper….many outstanding performances from young musicins..so many highlights….
the chops on the pan,
the holy water font
the duet from the Spa waters
Laoise and Caoilte
the Tansey ( “cry you bastard”)
and lots more
It was a proper series about THE MUSIC..none of the antics and shenanigans of many music presenters some of whom appear like they’ve done all their prep in Brown Thomas’s
I loved the way Cormac and Brendan really listened to the music they were encountering on their journey
Well Done TG4
Ye have gained the laurels once again
I am enjoying your home sessions, Christy, and like your selections and commentary. A few days ago, I escaped to the Bay Area (essential visit), and when we were sitting outside one evening, we got to talking about you. One of the songs that came up in discussion was “Riding the High Stool” since we quite often use the line, “For knowing it all is a lonely place to be,” when slagging someone who is spoofing too much. I much prefer the spoken version that I first heard on “Where I Come From.” Many of us have been affected by or know someone who is struggling with addiction, and the poignancy of the spoken words evokes emotions that the musical version doesn’t. I would love to hear you say it on one of your sessions.
By the way, Dave, I got to see several of the peregrines flying for real and it was brilliant.
Christy's reply
Leave it with me Lizzy
Thank You….
we were lying on the River Bank
there was a Harvest Moon
Billy Parkinson, Mickser and me
and Mickser sang “O Gentle Swallow”
Hi C. many thanks again for your home videos, they are the highlight of my week !! as you say ” Wally paints such vivid pictures, is such a soulful singer ” Seaview Sessions are organising an online gig with Wally Page tomorrow Sat at 9pm on facebook, I know Lar Flynn is probably too shy to mention that here !! beir bua agus beannacht go deo. H
Christy's reply
Thank You H…
I’ll see if I can navigate my way into that gathering..
I could do with a blast of the mighty Waldo..
not a word out of Larball these days
glad to hear that he is well occupied with his Seaview Sessions..
hope yizzer all ceart go leor síos insan Ríocht..
we’re hangin in here
thinking of Waterford
A day spent watching all 3 lockdowns and ,this evening,trying to absorb the news that the UK ‘official’ Covid death toll is 40,261.Many deaths could have been prevented by a half decent Government.There’ll be more yet…’we’ve been sold out…’ for sure…time and time again…
As well as finding the lockdown songs totally absorbing,there’s always the great spin offs from this forum…I was glad to learn that your sculpture is the work of Eamonn O’Doherty.It looks wonderful and I spent quite awhile online,having a butchers at many of his larger works…Above ‘The Emigrants;,it looks like a terrific painting by Brian Maguire.The illustration for ‘Lily’ works so well.
I’m sure I’m not alone in being intrigued by the story telling from Easkey.If there’s chance for a sequel to the back story abut the writing of the ‘Dunmanway’ song,I’d really like to hear it!
‘Lily’ is keeping me company in the bunker.I’ve always liked the album,but its really grown on me recently,for some reason..’Green grows the laurel’ grabbed me from its first play.You really got inside the song…have you gigged it much,or is it too intense for a ‘live ‘setting?
Thanks for so many terrific songs.
Dave
Christy's reply
Its gratifying when certain songs are “back referenced”
“Green Grows The Laurel” being one such…. I first heard John Reilly sing this song over 50 years ago…..when I heard Helen Grehan sing it in Boyle about 10 years ago it stilled the night….Helen was a member of the original Grehan Sisters trio in the 60s and 70s….they drew the attention of us Kildare balladeers towards the singing and songs of John….
I was smitten by “Green Laurel” and set to work at covering it…..as happened previously with some of John songs,I felt there was a gap in the narrative…I wrote and added in a verse… (I’d done this previously with Lord Baker and Well Below The Valley)
I have vivid recall of the recording. We had set up a studio in The Royal Spa Hotel in Lios Dún Bherna. We struggled for a while over The Laurel….but then we were visited by the spirit of John “Jacko” Reilly and the song began to fall into place..it was a joyful recording moment for me….
fair play to you for spotting Maguire’s Lilies in Black and white….aspects of Brian’s work have featured on a number of albums….most notably his painting of the murder of Rachel Corrie ( American Hero) on the album “Burning Times”
Glad u like the auld ramble, I’m always mindfully I don’t over step the boundaries, and I am very greatfull for the auld sound board off your ears, it gives me a reason to write some more stories, and keep sanity tucked away in the boosim of my soul. Keep well christy.i hope we get to have a cup of good strong tae together, and shoot the breeze.
Christy's reply
songs need singers
singers need listeners
listeners need songs
and on we go , heel to the toe,
Daddy Longlegs jumped up sprightly
and danced to the Reel in The Flickering Light….( Colm Gallagher)
Dietmar
June 5, 2020 at 4:30 pm
Location: The hills above the River Rhine where lightning strikes while the birds still sing...
What a brilliant session, Christy, with wonderful songs and stories! Lightning, bird, wind, river man is a very special one… Just when I write this, lightning strikes, the rain lashing down, while the birds still sing – what a coincidence. Rough enough to structure days in permanent duty at home office, but earth and sky and music shared are like a pint of beauty now after this long one. Will call it a day now!
With your great performance of Spancil Hill, it really struck a chord with me. We‘ve used to sing that song in our Folk Band now and again over the years, and your rendition will give it another twist. It’s spellbinding how you celebrate words and tune.
All the best, and thanks so much,
Dietmar
Christy's reply
Spancilhill is one of those songs that transports me every time…I float away with the verses…along with “the little stream of water that flows down Spancilhill”
I am really enjoying re-reading your great book ‘One Voice’ from 2000, perfect lockdown enlightenment. In your foreword you mention that some of the pruning of your original list of 500 was very painful. Any thoughts on revisiting the 500 concept twenty years on – along with the many more songs that have flowed under the bridge since then. Now that we’ve been set free, it’s time to walk the Sheep’s Head Way once more!
Christy's reply
Sounds good to me John… a few months on The Sheep’s Head…twas in Moulnaskehagh that I wrote “One Voice”….were it not for the Creamery Lorry heading up to Mary Logan’s I’d never have known what day it was….great neighbours, John Bowan, Jenny Blackie, Christy and Margaret Tobin, John Joe and Frances Daly,Claire & Yanni, Paddy and Peggy “The Point”, Ellis’s, O’Mahoneys and Arundels and all the good people of that noble place….shure the book would nearly write itself
Hi Christy,
Traudel is some music whisperer, John Spillane will no doubt get a whirl soon as he has such marvellous songs.
Hawick rfc play in green, Hawick is surrounded by green hills and dear green places, so Gortatagort would be a gorgeous choice.
Mind you for my second pick ‘Johnny dont go to Ballincollig’ by john spillane ,has a great message for lockdown and social distancing.
My third choice for monday’s set would have to be a cover of Johnny Fingers’ I Don’t Like Mondays’
Now i know Bob got the Brit ‘gift’ of ‘arise sir geldof’ but johnny was the boomtown genius for me.
Keep on keeping on and you might get a shot at the Phoenix park cabaret spot again ,if the brown nosing helicopter returns.
Arra best
Rory
Here Comes the Chinook
O Chinooki ár Lá
Prince Andrew lands her on the H
comes down the ladder
with his little bag of MBEs and OBEs
the sweat was pourin out of him
and him only back from active service
on the Virgin Islands
Willie’s ballad, great choice. Thank You Brother For Your Comment. Its Great We Can Share The Love Of Jesus And Holiness On YouTube. So says Willie! “OK, I think I have bled this one enough. Roll on session 4!
“No Surrender” sez the Reverend Willie
Thaught u might like this.
https://youtu.be/l6c-ujdvgPI
Lovely song Marty
neat pickin on that sweet box
was tryin to figure the make
was it Yatari ?
I missed some of the lyrics
could you put the words up here?
great finishing line
“thats all I’ve got to say”!!
lovely auld Traveller vibe off your song
HI Christy, really enjoying the lockdown sessions, I noted your reply to EASKEY 12 (listener’s need songs) and taking the bull by the horns, my own mother died at the start of this pandemic which gave me the incentive to write a sad lyric called (the face behind the window) in tribute to all those who died preventable deaths in our nursing homes due to delayed testing for Covid 19, I think it will strike a chord with you. I had the brass neck to send it to your e-mail address but it keeps failing, I then sent it to your agent Paddy Doherty but I don’t know if he is actually working, if you were to send your postal address to latalec@hotmail.com I could post you a laminated hard copy, if you didn’t like it no harm done, thanks again Christy for the sessions, stay safe. Alec.
Dear Alec,
Greetings to Nás na Rí,
Sorry to read about the loss of your dear Mother.
Begins Christo, you’re some man for one man! You’re gonna sing with Arlene’s RHI Céilí band! Well then, we gotta pick the song! How about Section 31, or 90 miles to Dublin, or prob the best choice, getting the old DTs…
we’re in rehearsals..the band have decided upon “The Ballad of Willie McCrea” you’ll find it on you tube from Sean Mone (who also wrote the beautiful “Rosalita & Jack Cambell”)
Great to have part 3 of the lockdown series… thanks especially for Spancil Hill. …. the Bean an Ti was suitably impressed…….
I’ve been on the same mission as Iggy but rain has stopped play for today….
“..if you don’t like the Irish weather , just wait a couple of days… ”
Better outlook for tomorrow. …
I’m a bogman….. deep down. …
Hey Christy,
I would like to ask a favour of you. There is a teacher in my school (Oatlands College, Mount Merrion, Co. Dublin ) called Mr Ryan who is retiring this year after over 40 years of teaching geography. He is extremely well thought of and a fantastic educator and your music is one of his great passions. Just about every group that he has ever taught remembers him playing “Joxer Goes To Stuttgart” for the class. He is now a Year Head and as a Fifth Year student in Oatlands College I am in his final year group. We have put together a video in which we all thank him for what he has achieved and for all the wonderful things he has taught us. I know you might get a lot of requests like this but I think it would be nice to do something for this man who really deserves everything that comes to him after such an amazing career. All you would have to do would be to record yourself saying something along the lines of:
“Hello Mr Ryan. I hope you’re keeping well at this time. I’d like to thank you for your support of my music down the years and I hope you enjoy all that life has left to offer, Christy.”
It would only have to be around 10 seconds long but I know that this would mean a really great deal to Mr Ryan and I do hope that you could just spend the 30 seconds or so to record it.
Thank you so much and I do hope you can make a difference,
Yusuf Alraqi, 5th Year Student in Oatlands College.
https://www.bostonirish.com/commentary/2020/en-masse-protesters-dublin-marched-and-took-knee-honor-george-floyd
I thought you might like this piece.
Thanks for posting this Tim..a good read
Hi Christy,
Enjoying your stories and songs as told and sung from the comfort of your home. Of course I do miss the camaraderie atmosphere of a gig (am sure the Edinburgh gig will happen one day soon) but these lock down sessions are unique…makes me feel special being the only one in the audience.
I’ll sign off by making a request – could you sing Black is the Colour (of my true love’s hair)?
good to hear from you in Petaling
yes Siew, I hope the Edinburgh gig will happen again
Good Morning, I’m back from the search, turns out Elvis did die after all…
I’ve been on radio duty a lot…the family have been callin me Lockdown Larry…and the quiff has got a treatment…I was starting to look like Mattress Mick..
Absolutely loving the music room sessions from you..( I have a tripod stand for mic) they are great choices of songs…more to follow by the sounds of it and we look forward.
Tonight we try a first…Wally & Johnny do about an hour with us in a lovely relaxed setting, we hope to have a few different cameras etc and it will sound great, it’s a greatest hits night…and Wal is sounding well..if I can be so bold as to put up a link…FB live at 9pm..It’s a seaview session, without the sea view…
https://www.facebook.com/theseaviewsessions/
thank you for all the music, you look and sound fantastic..love to you ..Larball x
fair play Lar…good luck to Wally & Johnny….catch ye later
Another wonderful online Gig….. who would have ever thought we would live to see the day where we are raving about Online gigs of our favourite artist….. “ Oh the times they are changing “ isn’t that a line from some Song. Loads of requests; Jukebox mode from the throw in. We haven’t reached the Hour mark yet; so I reckon it’s still your choice. Thanks so much for what you do.
Patsy
no more Bats for breakfast Patsy
PS Lizzie did you see my post about Tyrone? Glad the peregrines are flying!
Both Christy and may I respectfully suggest you play the Tuam Beat, on the lambeg at your interview! Just watched Slí na Mbeaglaoich (TG4) exploring the west coast of Ireland in Donegal. A wonderful heart-warming programme and a musical feast. It was great to watch Ciarán ÓMaonaigh (Frankie and Máireád’s nephew) perform along with his wife Cáitlín. Oíche mhaith agus codhladh sámh daoibh go léir. Le grá…
we thought that the Begley series was simply magnificent…. a proper Irish Road Movie…pure and proper….many outstanding performances from young musicins..so many highlights….
the chops on the pan,
the holy water font
the duet from the Spa waters
Laoise and Caoilte
the Tansey ( “cry you bastard”)
and lots more
It was a proper series about THE MUSIC..none of the antics and shenanigans of many music presenters some of whom appear like they’ve done all their prep in Brown Thomas’s
I loved the way Cormac and Brendan really listened to the music they were encountering on their journey
Well Done TG4
Ye have gained the laurels once again
I am enjoying your home sessions, Christy, and like your selections and commentary. A few days ago, I escaped to the Bay Area (essential visit), and when we were sitting outside one evening, we got to talking about you. One of the songs that came up in discussion was “Riding the High Stool” since we quite often use the line, “For knowing it all is a lonely place to be,” when slagging someone who is spoofing too much. I much prefer the spoken version that I first heard on “Where I Come From.” Many of us have been affected by or know someone who is struggling with addiction, and the poignancy of the spoken words evokes emotions that the musical version doesn’t. I would love to hear you say it on one of your sessions.
By the way, Dave, I got to see several of the peregrines flying for real and it was brilliant.
Leave it with me Lizzy
Thank You….
we were lying on the River Bank
there was a Harvest Moon
Billy Parkinson, Mickser and me
and Mickser sang “O Gentle Swallow”
Hi C. many thanks again for your home videos, they are the highlight of my week !! as you say ” Wally paints such vivid pictures, is such a soulful singer ” Seaview Sessions are organising an online gig with Wally Page tomorrow Sat at 9pm on facebook, I know Lar Flynn is probably too shy to mention that here !! beir bua agus beannacht go deo. H
Thank You H…
I’ll see if I can navigate my way into that gathering..
I could do with a blast of the mighty Waldo..
not a word out of Larball these days
glad to hear that he is well occupied with his Seaview Sessions..
hope yizzer all ceart go leor síos insan Ríocht..
we’re hangin in here
thinking of Waterford
As I was walking home one evening
I saw the whole world
And let it in
lift the latch
open the door
walk right in
Hi Christy
A day spent watching all 3 lockdowns and ,this evening,trying to absorb the news that the UK ‘official’ Covid death toll is 40,261.Many deaths could have been prevented by a half decent Government.There’ll be more yet…’we’ve been sold out…’ for sure…time and time again…
As well as finding the lockdown songs totally absorbing,there’s always the great spin offs from this forum…I was glad to learn that your sculpture is the work of Eamonn O’Doherty.It looks wonderful and I spent quite awhile online,having a butchers at many of his larger works…Above ‘The Emigrants;,it looks like a terrific painting by Brian Maguire.The illustration for ‘Lily’ works so well.
I’m sure I’m not alone in being intrigued by the story telling from Easkey.If there’s chance for a sequel to the back story abut the writing of the ‘Dunmanway’ song,I’d really like to hear it!
‘Lily’ is keeping me company in the bunker.I’ve always liked the album,but its really grown on me recently,for some reason..’Green grows the laurel’ grabbed me from its first play.You really got inside the song…have you gigged it much,or is it too intense for a ‘live ‘setting?
Thanks for so many terrific songs.
Dave
Its gratifying when certain songs are “back referenced”
“Green Grows The Laurel” being one such…. I first heard John Reilly sing this song over 50 years ago…..when I heard Helen Grehan sing it in Boyle about 10 years ago it stilled the night….Helen was a member of the original Grehan Sisters trio in the 60s and 70s….they drew the attention of us Kildare balladeers towards the singing and songs of John….
I was smitten by “Green Laurel” and set to work at covering it…..as happened previously with some of John songs,I felt there was a gap in the narrative…I wrote and added in a verse… (I’d done this previously with Lord Baker and Well Below The Valley)
I have vivid recall of the recording. We had set up a studio in The Royal Spa Hotel in Lios Dún Bherna. We struggled for a while over The Laurel….but then we were visited by the spirit of John “Jacko” Reilly and the song began to fall into place..it was a joyful recording moment for me….
fair play to you for spotting Maguire’s Lilies in Black and white….aspects of Brian’s work have featured on a number of albums….most notably his painting of the murder of Rachel Corrie ( American Hero) on the album “Burning Times”
Glad u like the auld ramble, I’m always mindfully I don’t over step the boundaries, and I am very greatfull for the auld sound board off your ears, it gives me a reason to write some more stories, and keep sanity tucked away in the boosim of my soul. Keep well christy.i hope we get to have a cup of good strong tae together, and shoot the breeze.
songs need singers
singers need listeners
listeners need songs
and on we go , heel to the toe,
Daddy Longlegs jumped up sprightly
and danced to the Reel in The Flickering Light….( Colm Gallagher)
What a brilliant session, Christy, with wonderful songs and stories! Lightning, bird, wind, river man is a very special one… Just when I write this, lightning strikes, the rain lashing down, while the birds still sing – what a coincidence. Rough enough to structure days in permanent duty at home office, but earth and sky and music shared are like a pint of beauty now after this long one. Will call it a day now!
With your great performance of Spancil Hill, it really struck a chord with me. We‘ve used to sing that song in our Folk Band now and again over the years, and your rendition will give it another twist. It’s spellbinding how you celebrate words and tune.
All the best, and thanks so much,
Dietmar
Spancilhill is one of those songs that transports me every time…I float away with the verses…along with “the little stream of water that flows down Spancilhill”
I am really enjoying re-reading your great book ‘One Voice’ from 2000, perfect lockdown enlightenment. In your foreword you mention that some of the pruning of your original list of 500 was very painful. Any thoughts on revisiting the 500 concept twenty years on – along with the many more songs that have flowed under the bridge since then. Now that we’ve been set free, it’s time to walk the Sheep’s Head Way once more!
Sounds good to me John… a few months on The Sheep’s Head…twas in Moulnaskehagh that I wrote “One Voice”….were it not for the Creamery Lorry heading up to Mary Logan’s I’d never have known what day it was….great neighbours, John Bowan, Jenny Blackie, Christy and Margaret Tobin, John Joe and Frances Daly,Claire & Yanni, Paddy and Peggy “The Point”, Ellis’s, O’Mahoneys and Arundels and all the good people of that noble place….shure the book would nearly write itself