Hello Christy,
Oh that was so exciting. A place where the earth and sky are one. And the river below too. I’ve never really got the ancestor thing, but it was so clear this morning.
I listened to your fab, relaxed interview with Miriam. She sounds like a kind person.
I’ve been wondering, if you were given the chance to choose songs from the album to talk about, which would you like right now?
I’m off the practice now. The peacock’s feather. This is the first time I’ve ever had a teacher who said, “Come back when you can play it.”. I’m determined not to fall flat on my face in front of her, well, not more than I usually would. So polish, polish, polish. It will be as beautiful as I can make it.
Has anyone worked out how to hear the recording of reel in the flickering light from Sunday night? I need to do some searching.
Rebecca
Christy's reply
Miriam and her producer Tom picked all the songs and asked me to pick the final one…. my Brother’s “Wave Up To The Shore”
I think its great that you have connected with Máire….I hope it works out for you….some of us have to work extremely hard to gain any fluency in our playing..I’ve been playing guitar for almost 60 years and this is the first year I have gained any confidence in my playing..still very few chords but I’m finally finding my own way of playing them….
What a show… a favourite prog rock piece is ‘Heart of the sunrise’ by Yes – the heart just now was powerful -plus sound of birdsong,presumably unchanged over the millenia…
Yesterday, I was reunited with a box of goodies,placed in storage after a house move ages ago. So,much missed Joni Mitchell albums are re played and I’m straight into Leagues’ masterful book ‘The humours of Planxty’.A terrific read and great photos. ‘Young Christy’ on pg 14 resonates – very much the image in my head from first seeing you play – a half century on in 2021!
This morning,thoughts are with stranded drivers near Dover. The latest mess that’s downplayed by a sniggering,bumbling ‘leader’. No wonder ‘New St George’ is pretty much on repeat.
Good morning Christy,
Each year i send my kids a countdown of festive songs , one every day towards Christmas day.
As oft’ times before the one for the 24th will speak for itself.
This year i plan to send the following song on the 25th, this year more than ever in recent times are the lyrics poignant.
Keep the flame alive Christy, find whatever family and peace you can and rest up big fella, i reckon our friend is going to have a busy time gigging after the spring.
Anyway the song for Friday…
No eastern kings came bearing gifts.
Instead the order came to shift.
The eastern sky was full of stars
And one shone brighter than the rest
The wise men came so stern and strict
And brought the orders to evict
Stay safe, stay well
Rory
Christy's reply
spuds,sprouts, stuffin, turnip,parsnips all waiting for the bird to land….there’ll be trifle not to be trifled with, hot tea and port for them thats able for it, a walk down the pier then to work up an appetite for the selection box in front of the fire with Old Moore’s Almanac before sending up a few zzzs and waking up in time to try and find a channel that has neither Mrs Brown or Fiona Bruce
just one day off ..returning to the work bench on St Stephen’s day…
Hello Christy,
It was such a good programme from Newgrange this morning. The sun was hidden but there was an atmosphere and the two presenters made it come alive.
I was there on 2nd January this year and stood in the chamber. Something I will remember forever. I hope to be back to that great landscape soon, as well as it being in my head
Thanks to Dave and Pam for all the info. You got me thinking about the wire harp
I’ve seen the Trinity College Harp twice.
I’m not sure how much people here know about the wire strung harp.
It makes a very different noise to the gut strung harp we hear more often. It s a robust and solid instrument that makes a decisive, strong, sweeping sound. It can fill a large hall easily.
Sometimes precious metals were used for the strings and, even now, there are often one or two silver strings that act as a kind of drone for the rest of the brass strings.
and thanks again for the llink,Rebecca… no sun,but it didn’t matter.Wonderful chat from experts and images of the site.I can’t tell you how many memories came back from 80s/90s family trips- with many people,now gone…
There’s a timeless magic to some places – it’s a ‘Yellow Furze’ day now…
Pam- good luck with the weather – Jupiter and Saturn aligning ,low in the SE sky c 30 minutes after sunset, apparently. Unlikely to be visible from the bunker – hope there’s a sunrise somewhere. Might be hibernation time,folks. D
Christy's reply
“of all the stars that ever shone” sang Barney Rush,The Bard of Sallynoggin
My granddaughter has told me to look to the heavens tonight, Jupiter and Saturn are so close they’ll appear like a large star, being referred to as the ‘Christmas star’, not happened for 400years so don’t expect to get another chance! we won’t see each other now over Christmas, although I’ve moved closer to them so this is our Christmas moment. Not sure if it’ll be too visible here in the murky north. So lot of sky watching at the mo.
Congrats to Rory on January twit lyrics. Cheers all Pam
Christy's reply
“I know the minds behind them are riddled full of holes
not to be trusted with their hands at the controls
their eyesight is twisted by the glory of their careers
the heaped praise of flattery is music to their ears
they’ve sealed their own inevitable doom,it must surely come
not even the moons of Jupiter will be far enough away to run
when this Earth that they’ve assaulted begin to turn around
and the unavoidable gravity sucks them to the ground”
…..you remind me of Jim Page’s “Hiroshima Nagasaki Russian Roulette” from “Moving Hearts”album 1981
and companeros – hoping for a stunning sunrise on Solstice Day. There’s great reading about discovering and developing the Newgrange site on the official website,but even more atmospheric/context via http://www.carrowkeel.com Some lads were busy in 1699!
Such an amazing area,with Knowth and Dowth, linked in and on going digs at Newgrange Farm.Lots of online info – well worth a shufti…especially,whilst playing Early Years and a kettle boiling…
Enjoy the day
Dave
Christy's reply
“all along the Valley of The Boyne, on to Tara Hill”
great hearing u on the radio had forgot a lot of the old songs great to hear them must get the cd hope to get to gig 2021
Christy's reply
some of those songs first saw the light of day on the Protestant Road….up beside all those good neighbours…Stedmonds, Walshes, Kellys,..we had manys “the gallery” over 40 years ago….from Sheerans to Moloneys to The Salmon Pool, to Larkins, Conways, The Coalmine,…..it was all ground hurling…..and Toby always brought the post
Dear Christy,
After last night’s changes i went to see my kids and grandaughter , as Santa, today instead of in a few days when we cannot.
As i drove January Man seemed something for a scribe or author to harness when i got home tonight. Completely by chance here is an outpouring of bile i found on a piece of paper blown onto my windscreen as i stopped, i am sure whoever wrote it did so with apologies to you and to Dave Goulder.
JANUARY TWIT
The January twit he goes around in silken ties , dishevelled hairstyle.
The February twit still shakes the hand and tells his lies, avoids your glare.
The twit of March he sees the ‘flu’ and wonders if the fuss is true, hopes it blows away like weather.
Through April plague the twit claps on the steps to mask the truth- he underfunded.
The twit of May gets ever worse and watches yankees throw away Black lives.
In June the twit inside the twit cares less, to friends he lends a hand, buys donor’s unsafe facemasks.
In July twit’s friend in cotton shirt he sweats and drives to Barnard Castle.
The August twit allows millions to take to the road to find the plague, and spread the germs.
September twit’s embarrassed fear, to pull on some new soccer gear, and Rashford is his better.
The twit of new October eats his weight in golden food, destitutes are on his doorstep.
The ‘poor’ November twit sees saving cod and hake as sovereign, madness here.
December twit changed Christmas stats, to rob us of our family meals, the young, the sick,the older.
The January twit a xenophobe with dither, bluff and a hard border.
To take us down the road to self destruct, and long dole queues we know so well.
The January twit must go, and take his crony ‘outlaw’ chums, o’er the cliff forever.
Goodnight
Rory
Christy's reply
no apologies necessary Rory….keep coming back, I hope you’re safe and well with peace of mind
and thanks to Hilary for the link…I was absorbed by the depth of Karine Polwart’s sounds today – and am grateful for your gem of a programme tonight. I hadn’t heard Miriam before, but her style is great and led to a very natural chat with you.Another treat in these troubled times – thanks.
Good luck to Rebecca with an early start for bru na boinne tomorrow – when its ok to travel, I recommend a visit ,to wander the area and soak up the atmosphere -I really miss it…
Thanks again for the good jujum Christy and all the best to companeros near and far
Dave
Christy's reply
In the scratcher now after a long day…..
“from the Plains of Royal Meath, strong men came hurrying through”
Hi All. There was a virtual global gaggle around the radio at 10,am this last Sunday before Christmas. It was just wonderful to listen to you chat with Miriam Christy there is always something new to learn from your honest and generous sharing, and of course you hear your sweet tones, here is the link https://www.rte.ie/radio/utils/share/radio1/21885717 beir bua agus beannacht, H
Christy's reply
Fair play to you Hilary…thanks for making it available…they picked the tracks except for the last one which I picked….myself and Mick got a grand welcome to Radio Éireann…tea and biscuits…its great to get out and do a bit of work
So BEAUTIFUL to listen to you and your stories, dear Christy! Great choice of songs too!!!
Enjoy the winter sun,
Traudel
Christy's reply
I think back 53 years to my first interview on Radio Éireann…I was so nervous…paranoid and stuttering…..that conversation last week was relaxed and and very different….thanks for listening
Hello Christy
It was the first livestreamre of the solstice sunrise into Newgrange this morning at 8:45. And I slept through it. The clock said 9am when I woke up.
It will be live streamed at the same time tomorrow and Tuesday mornings. I hope it’s a clear day.
Dear Christy,
I am about to crawl back into the bunker, i have 3 tins of vegetarian corned beef, a jar of peaches ( in brine), a tub of dry shampoo and one of my dad’s used times crossword books for toilet paper, to cheer me up through the next lockdown.
Doing the rounds is a message that apparently the name ‘Tory’ comes from the irish for outlaw or robber ( which seems apt) though i could think of worse.
Greed and avarice, more more more for me and fuk the sick and needy….thatcher’s work ( as you wrote).
Johnson’s legacy is heading that way fast, so i implore you to write a piece for posterity ,and us now ,about him and his type…as an update on ‘Taking tea’.
I want to sleep but i cannot just now.
Regards
Rory
Christy's reply
I’m up to my oxters Rory….I’ve had to close down the made-to-measure dept…its 25 years since taking tea fell onto the page..hope to have some new verses floating about
Hello Christy,
Oh that was so exciting. A place where the earth and sky are one. And the river below too. I’ve never really got the ancestor thing, but it was so clear this morning.
I listened to your fab, relaxed interview with Miriam. She sounds like a kind person.
I’ve been wondering, if you were given the chance to choose songs from the album to talk about, which would you like right now?
I’m off the practice now. The peacock’s feather. This is the first time I’ve ever had a teacher who said, “Come back when you can play it.”. I’m determined not to fall flat on my face in front of her, well, not more than I usually would. So polish, polish, polish. It will be as beautiful as I can make it.
Has anyone worked out how to hear the recording of reel in the flickering light from Sunday night? I need to do some searching.
Rebecca
Miriam and her producer Tom picked all the songs and asked me to pick the final one…. my Brother’s “Wave Up To The Shore”
I think its great that you have connected with Máire….I hope it works out for you….some of us have to work extremely hard to gain any fluency in our playing..I’ve been playing guitar for almost 60 years and this is the first year I have gained any confidence in my playing..still very few chords but I’m finally finding my own way of playing them….
Hi Christy
What a show… a favourite prog rock piece is ‘Heart of the sunrise’ by Yes – the heart just now was powerful -plus sound of birdsong,presumably unchanged over the millenia…
over and out, for now.
Have a good day all
Dave
you are like Galway in the 60s…3 in a row
heading for Bru na Boinne – even if there’s no sun, the experts are worth a watch- and for the connection with the Boyne Valley D
I’m going to sing a song on Tara Hill..the 360 degree view i
Mornin’ Christy
Yesterday, I was reunited with a box of goodies,placed in storage after a house move ages ago. So,much missed Joni Mitchell albums are re played and I’m straight into Leagues’ masterful book ‘The humours of Planxty’.A terrific read and great photos. ‘Young Christy’ on pg 14 resonates – very much the image in my head from first seeing you play – a half century on in 2021!
This morning,thoughts are with stranded drivers near Dover. The latest mess that’s downplayed by a sniggering,bumbling ‘leader’. No wonder ‘New St George’ is pretty much on repeat.
Keep well – enjoy the day.
Dave
dont know what to say….
Good morning Christy,
Each year i send my kids a countdown of festive songs , one every day towards Christmas day.
As oft’ times before the one for the 24th will speak for itself.
This year i plan to send the following song on the 25th, this year more than ever in recent times are the lyrics poignant.
Keep the flame alive Christy, find whatever family and peace you can and rest up big fella, i reckon our friend is going to have a busy time gigging after the spring.
Anyway the song for Friday…
No eastern kings came bearing gifts.
Instead the order came to shift.
The eastern sky was full of stars
And one shone brighter than the rest
The wise men came so stern and strict
And brought the orders to evict
Stay safe, stay well
Rory
spuds,sprouts, stuffin, turnip,parsnips all waiting for the bird to land….there’ll be trifle not to be trifled with, hot tea and port for them thats able for it, a walk down the pier then to work up an appetite for the selection box in front of the fire with Old Moore’s Almanac before sending up a few zzzs and waking up in time to try and find a channel that has neither Mrs Brown or Fiona Bruce
just one day off ..returning to the work bench on St Stephen’s day…
Hi Christy,
Listening to your chat with Miriam.
Very good stuff.
Happy to hear you’ve spent lots of time working on songs, can’t wait to hear the final product!
hard labour here in the ballad room
Hello Christy,
It was such a good programme from Newgrange this morning. The sun was hidden but there was an atmosphere and the two presenters made it come alive.
I was there on 2nd January this year and stood in the chamber. Something I will remember forever. I hope to be back to that great landscape soon, as well as it being in my head
Thanks to Dave and Pam for all the info. You got me thinking about the wire harp
I’ve seen the Trinity College Harp twice.
I’m not sure how much people here know about the wire strung harp.
It makes a very different noise to the gut strung harp we hear more often. It s a robust and solid instrument that makes a decisive, strong, sweeping sound. It can fill a large hall easily.
Sometimes precious metals were used for the strings and, even now, there are often one or two silver strings that act as a kind of drone for the rest of the brass strings.
Here’s a short recording
https://youtu.be/tMRtWnvigO0
Rebecca
such sweet music..sent me off on a tour of harpists…I always end up back with Laoise Kelly
Hi Christy
and thanks again for the llink,Rebecca… no sun,but it didn’t matter.Wonderful chat from experts and images of the site.I can’t tell you how many memories came back from 80s/90s family trips- with many people,now gone…
There’s a timeless magic to some places – it’s a ‘Yellow Furze’ day now…
Thanks
Dave
This is The Day Dave
plenty of stars today,Christy
Pam- good luck with the weather – Jupiter and Saturn aligning ,low in the SE sky c 30 minutes after sunset, apparently. Unlikely to be visible from the bunker – hope there’s a sunrise somewhere. Might be hibernation time,folks. D
“of all the stars that ever shone” sang Barney Rush,The Bard of Sallynoggin
My granddaughter has told me to look to the heavens tonight, Jupiter and Saturn are so close they’ll appear like a large star, being referred to as the ‘Christmas star’, not happened for 400years so don’t expect to get another chance! we won’t see each other now over Christmas, although I’ve moved closer to them so this is our Christmas moment. Not sure if it’ll be too visible here in the murky north. So lot of sky watching at the mo.
Congrats to Rory on January twit lyrics. Cheers all Pam
“I know the minds behind them are riddled full of holes
not to be trusted with their hands at the controls
their eyesight is twisted by the glory of their careers
the heaped praise of flattery is music to their ears
they’ve sealed their own inevitable doom,it must surely come
not even the moons of Jupiter will be far enough away to run
when this Earth that they’ve assaulted begin to turn around
and the unavoidable gravity sucks them to the ground”
…..you remind me of Jim Page’s “Hiroshima Nagasaki Russian Roulette” from “Moving Hearts”album 1981
a bonus that http://www.carrowkeel.com also has a great music section- inc Bothy Band and harp info – good way to pass some pre sunrise time,Rebecca D
The Bothys sure hopped it out
Mornin’ Christy
and companeros – hoping for a stunning sunrise on Solstice Day. There’s great reading about discovering and developing the Newgrange site on the official website,but even more atmospheric/context via http://www.carrowkeel.com Some lads were busy in 1699!
Such an amazing area,with Knowth and Dowth, linked in and on going digs at Newgrange Farm.Lots of online info – well worth a shufti…especially,whilst playing Early Years and a kettle boiling…
Enjoy the day
Dave
“all along the Valley of The Boyne, on to Tara Hill”
great hearing u on the radio had forgot a lot of the old songs great to hear them must get the cd hope to get to gig 2021
some of those songs first saw the light of day on the Protestant Road….up beside all those good neighbours…Stedmonds, Walshes, Kellys,..we had manys “the gallery” over 40 years ago….from Sheerans to Moloneys to The Salmon Pool, to Larkins, Conways, The Coalmine,…..it was all ground hurling…..and Toby always brought the post
Dear Christy,
After last night’s changes i went to see my kids and grandaughter , as Santa, today instead of in a few days when we cannot.
As i drove January Man seemed something for a scribe or author to harness when i got home tonight. Completely by chance here is an outpouring of bile i found on a piece of paper blown onto my windscreen as i stopped, i am sure whoever wrote it did so with apologies to you and to Dave Goulder.
JANUARY TWIT
The January twit he goes around in silken ties , dishevelled hairstyle.
The February twit still shakes the hand and tells his lies, avoids your glare.
The twit of March he sees the ‘flu’ and wonders if the fuss is true, hopes it blows away like weather.
Through April plague the twit claps on the steps to mask the truth- he underfunded.
The twit of May gets ever worse and watches yankees throw away Black lives.
In June the twit inside the twit cares less, to friends he lends a hand, buys donor’s unsafe facemasks.
In July twit’s friend in cotton shirt he sweats and drives to Barnard Castle.
The August twit allows millions to take to the road to find the plague, and spread the germs.
September twit’s embarrassed fear, to pull on some new soccer gear, and Rashford is his better.
The twit of new October eats his weight in golden food, destitutes are on his doorstep.
The ‘poor’ November twit sees saving cod and hake as sovereign, madness here.
December twit changed Christmas stats, to rob us of our family meals, the young, the sick,the older.
The January twit a xenophobe with dither, bluff and a hard border.
To take us down the road to self destruct, and long dole queues we know so well.
The January twit must go, and take his crony ‘outlaw’ chums, o’er the cliff forever.
Goodnight
Rory
no apologies necessary Rory….keep coming back, I hope you’re safe and well with peace of mind
Hi Christy,
Great to hear you singing my favourite on the telly tonight and you all dressed up as well.
Christmas greetings and keep safe.
Frankie……
fair play Frankie…. round we go, heel to the toe
Hi Christy
and thanks to Hilary for the link…I was absorbed by the depth of Karine Polwart’s sounds today – and am grateful for your gem of a programme tonight. I hadn’t heard Miriam before, but her style is great and led to a very natural chat with you.Another treat in these troubled times – thanks.
Good luck to Rebecca with an early start for bru na boinne tomorrow – when its ok to travel, I recommend a visit ,to wander the area and soak up the atmosphere -I really miss it…
Thanks again for the good jujum Christy and all the best to companeros near and far
Dave
In the scratcher now after a long day…..
“from the Plains of Royal Meath, strong men came hurrying through”
Hi All. There was a virtual global gaggle around the radio at 10,am this last Sunday before Christmas. It was just wonderful to listen to you chat with Miriam Christy there is always something new to learn from your honest and generous sharing, and of course you hear your sweet tones, here is the link https://www.rte.ie/radio/utils/share/radio1/21885717 beir bua agus beannacht, H
Fair play to you Hilary…thanks for making it available…they picked the tracks except for the last one which I picked….myself and Mick got a grand welcome to Radio Éireann…tea and biscuits…its great to get out and do a bit of work
So BEAUTIFUL to listen to you and your stories, dear Christy! Great choice of songs too!!!
Enjoy the winter sun,
Traudel
I think back 53 years to my first interview on Radio Éireann…I was so nervous…paranoid and stuttering…..that conversation last week was relaxed and and very different….thanks for listening
Hello Christy
It was the first livestreamre of the solstice sunrise into Newgrange this morning at 8:45. And I slept through it. The clock said 9am when I woke up.
It will be live streamed at the same time tomorrow and Tuesday mornings. I hope it’s a clear day.
Here’s the link for all here
https://www.irishcentral.com/events/newgrange-winter-solstice-live-stream
Did anyone here see it? What was it like?
Rebecca
I slept til the Angelus bell
Dear Christy,
I am about to crawl back into the bunker, i have 3 tins of vegetarian corned beef, a jar of peaches ( in brine), a tub of dry shampoo and one of my dad’s used times crossword books for toilet paper, to cheer me up through the next lockdown.
Doing the rounds is a message that apparently the name ‘Tory’ comes from the irish for outlaw or robber ( which seems apt) though i could think of worse.
Greed and avarice, more more more for me and fuk the sick and needy….thatcher’s work ( as you wrote).
Johnson’s legacy is heading that way fast, so i implore you to write a piece for posterity ,and us now ,about him and his type…as an update on ‘Taking tea’.
I want to sleep but i cannot just now.
Regards
Rory
I’m up to my oxters Rory….I’ve had to close down the made-to-measure dept…its 25 years since taking tea fell onto the page..hope to have some new verses floating about