Looking forward to watching your concert tomorrow with my parents. It will be especially poignant for my family as we suddenly and tragically lost my father’s sister Maureen at the start of the month, and have just had her funeral this week.
Maureen was a beautiful soul and had such a passion for art and music. She loved your music and the music of so many others. She shone so brightly in our lives and will be sorely missed. My father has always found great comfort in your music at some of the hardest points in his life and tomorrow evening will be no different. Hopefully once this is all over we can see you in Glasgow again.
Thank you for the comfort and sheer joy your music has brought to our family over the years, I look forward to tomorrow evening.
Matthew Gallagher
Christy's reply
sorry to read of the loss of your Auntie Maureen..
best wishes to your Father
Myself, the Band and all the Crew have a great affinity with Glasgow
From my first gig there in 1967 ( Folk Centre, Montrose St.) to the most recent (Barrowland in 2019) its been a ongoing affair….in early days The Scotia and The French Club, outlying gigs in east Kilbride, Rutherglen, Paisley, latterly the great Concert Hall and Mags McIvor’s….listening, learning, sharing, receiving,…my home away from home in Motherwell with the Imlach clan …..all that plus the pleasures awaiting, just 40 miles away, in Auld Reekie
Great rambling and reminiscing here, I’ve just texted someone and awaiting reply. A local Facebook page not providing information; yet. Will be back. I attended all 3 Athlone concerts. ’72 and ’73, and a second one in ’73 (or ’74). Ye opened with, memory you see, what it does, I think ye opened, hit the ground running it’s called, ‘The Three Drunken Maidens’.
“We had woodcock and pheasant/we had partridge and pear/every sort of dainty/no scarcity was there.”
Christy's reply
“They had 10 pints apiece me lads
but still they would’nt get out
these three drunken maidens
they pushed the jug about”
The very best of luck with the concert tommorow night.Im really looking forward to it here in Timoleague.Another classic awaits us.Let the music keep our spirits high.
I hope the wardrobe department is easing our NCH dilemma…
A good music day here. Coffee and chat with my music partner in crime – talk of rehearsals/possible gigs (like the old days)…
Out shopping and something drew me into the Salvation Army shop – found it was £1 worth of CD – Clancy Brothers/ Makem in concert , New York, 1984 – re mixed by Brian Masterson with ace contributions by Arty McGlinn, Nollaig Casey and Dick Kinnis…gig summed up by the contrasts of a wonderful low key version of ‘Carrickfergus’ followed by full belt ‘Haul Away Joe’ – what first attracted you, Dylan , me and so many more…
Last, but certainly not least, a brilliant newsletter from http://www.itma.ie .. it has the usual ace mix including news of 6 new compositions (and youtube footage) by Mairead Ni Mhaonaigh (also made available as learning resources with Mairead playing slowly…)Lovely stuff…
Great that you’ve decided on the NCH set list. I bet that was a hard task. The audience eagerly awaits… D
Brilliant to read the Athlone ramble. Always great to get your recall…’Three Drunken Maidens’ is yet another link in this Steeleye/Tim and Maddy memory week – and why not play it twice per gig?!
Brilliant to have good memories of Planxty manager, Des Kelly. Just about 50 years since our first band advertised in the Manchester Evening News for an ‘honest agent’…if we’d asked for the biggest villain known to man, we couldn’t have found worse than the one who showed up… thankfully, the local Police warned us off and no harm done… the promised tour never happened, but the folk clubs have been good to us…hopefully,returning soon.
Enjoy the pre gig build up. No after shave at 7 59 tomorrow night, but there’ll be a world wide buzz and away we go…
Brilliant stuff Christy! Keep those long rambling posts about the early years coming. I enjoy them so much I’m starting to think I was actually there in the thick of them meself!
Wasn’t the 1st single Three Drunken Maidens?
Christy's reply
Top of the class Gipp….followed by “The Foxhunter’s reel”
One of my work team’s on/off boyfriend is the driver for Dame Edna. He also plays the ukelele and this is all true apart from the ukelele bit. It’s really the mouth organ. Really, she’s also related to Harry Redknapp.
Does Rawmaishing have to be made up? Because this isn’t.
Rebecca
Christy's reply
my own rawmaishing is based entirely upon ( percieved) facts…my “made-up” stuff comes from the fantasy department
So again this year we will not see you in Cork but so happy that my husband gave me a livestream ticket for my birthday and now it is almost the 1st of May.
I think we will start to install the laptop and the television set hours before to make sure the connection is fine. I hope you are looking forward to it as well.
So some years ago my husband asked you to perform Gortatagort in Liverpool that was, I think. Wonderful song, it paints a picture of a happy childhood and even though I was born in a city (Rotterdam) it always touches me deeply.
Now I would like to make a request for my husband. He likes the song Butterfly (so much wine) very much. Even better than when sung by the Handsome Family. But I bet you get millions of requests so it might be not possible. In that case I will ask you next year before the concert in Cork.
Looking forward to tomorrow night. Kind regards, Astrid
Christy's reply
two great songs …John Spillane and The Handsome Family….both of them would be in my Top-20 -favourite-songs-to-sing…
you’ve given me an idea…when I get a chance I’ll do a “my favourite songs” gig on facebook…
tomorrow nights set is already fixed…I’m planning to do some new songs…hope it works for you
D. Can you imagine the pair of us in surgical garb, tweezers in hand, performing tape surgery?!
C. There were a few O’Briens, the name features a few times in local pubs. As for Irishtown. I dont think so.
Christy's reply
there was another pub on the left hand side of the old Galway rd out of Athlone where I gigged a few times…was it The Grove ? before that there was The Cinema on The Bridge with Planxty..before that the old Dean Crow in 1972/3..Planxty first time round..heady days with our first single in the charts….anyone know what that was called ? we used to play it twice at gigs….the old Transit van…Liam and I shared the driving…Andy was quarter master…Donal wrote chord sheets and coloured in the music…we had a Marshall 100w amp, two Hurleys Crazy Boxes, a Binson Echo and 4 mikes…youth was on our side…..Des Kelly was our wonderful manager…we could not have had a better friend….Des used to play Bass in The Capitol Showband..his brother Johnny on the drums….he became a Band Manager….head an office in Donnybrook with 2 phone lines…a stable of acts..at different times Dermot Henry and The Virginians, Cathy and The Fugitives, The Smokey Mountain Ramblers…Des was from Galway ….(Galway)Joe Dolan was in the original Sweeney’s Men ,thats how Des became their Manager which, in turn, was how he became Planxty’s first Manager….Des was a salt-of-the-earth kinda man….he was immersed in the showband culture and early Planxty days we found ourselves in unlikely situations…playing “relief” to Sean Thompson and The Everglades in Easkey Ballroom….he also had his own Record Label “Ruby Records ” which released our first 3 or 4 singles….then we got on the Late Late show in 1972 and played “The Cliffs’ for Gaybo…Des knew Phil Coulter… Phil signed Planxty and then leased us out to Polydor in London…we were like the egg in the Monastery..out of the frying pan into the Friar….but Des always proved true and, in fairness, Phil Coulter produced three good albums that still reverberate 50 years on….all recorded in the top London Studios of the time….by then we had a purpose built top range PA system, designed by Nicolas Ryan, we had a new van with aeroplane seats and a two person road crew… we hardly knew ourselves…almost made it to the cover of New Spotlight and began to garner mentions in Melody `Maker…
this rawmaish is probably a lot more the you bargained for Ed but these two fingers ran away with them selves…better get up and get started
Well, just took a few hours to catch up on some posts, links, videos, interviews all posted here, plus a while on the driftnet searching for more info. Where Dave gets the time, Rory the muesli, Rebecca the songs, Pam the poetry, aye and so many great, some sad, family stories shared. On Christy’s guestbook, all human life is here….
Taking a wee rest tomorrow to prepare for the big gig on Saturday. Not allowed to have house guests, but sure no ones gonna tell tales….
It’s the waiting and wondering that’s almost the best part…sock it to us my friend!
Christy's reply
under starters orders here Patsy…trying to figure out what outfit to wear for the NCH…cant find any black T Shirts
Good morning Christy.
We are soo looking forward to your live stream from NCH. We were with you when you were last there. We are my wife Anneke, her brother Chris and his wife Liesbeth and me. Chris and Liesbeth will be watching from Froombosch, the Netherlands. The four of us went to your wonderful gig in Trim in February 2019. That was a great group of musicians you assembled.
And going back some years, I bought your album ‘Prosperous’ on March 12 1972 from a small record shop on New Oxford Street, London. I was wandering around London and did a double take when I saw the album in the window. I had been hearing it on the John Peel show on BBC radio.
Then on May 6 1972 I saw Planxty in the Adams Arms pub in London with your brother Andy, who stayed with me for a few days. that was a great gig as you were all in great form.
Take care from your old neighbour John Delaney.
Christy's reply
great to hear from you John…its been a while since
Hello Christy and All,
Rawmaishing
That’s a brilliant word.
Expanding and expounding led me straight to Riding the high stool.
What a song. It’s a place we’ve all been, I guess.
Oscar Wilde
We are all in the gutter but some of us are looking at the stars.
Its a strange quote. It could be really good, but it also could be riding the high stool?
Rebecca
Christy's reply
We wont have a bad word said about dear Oscar….as decent a man as ever I met..the only harm in him was hangin out of him
Sun is back and the day starts with Mr Guthrie’s sounds – and Ed is spot on.I should have said that Messrs Zimmerman and Carthy celebrate their 80ths a few days apart…quite a duo – especially when they shared a flat in 60s London. It’s terrific that fans put up info about favourite artists – Carthy/Steeleye sites are proving to be fruitful this week.The other night, I was thinking of Ed’s recent post about cassettes as a shop has opened selling tapes only…if they need technical support, Ed’s the dab hand, I reckon!
Bart’s wonderful post stopped me in my tracks…all good wishes from here to Belgium.The power of music indeed – and credit to you, Christy for such quality music over the years. So much depth and something for every mood for anyone who finds you.
Have a good day all – be it with Tak/ Atkin or boom box tapes.
Dave
Christy's reply
I once shared a lift with Dame Edna in Melbourne, with Charlie Pride in Sydney, Lou Reed in Kensington,
met Joe Heaney on a train….sat beside Ian Botham from London to Bangkok, met Cyril Tawney in Leeds, Johnny Silvo in MSG, Bert Lloyd on a London Train out of Sheffield, Derrol Adams in Edinburgh, Reg Presley in London, Elton John in Barkisland,Maggie Barry in Willesden….met myself coming back
ps…and I knew a woman who’s first cousin was married to a lad who’s God-father was in a duo who nearly got signed to an underground label in a car park between stockton-on-tees and ashton-under-lyne
D.
Are you sure about Martin Carthy, his birthday and one Mr Robert Zimmerman?
They dont share a birthday. Mr Zimmerman shares his birthday with my brother; I dont have to look it up. Their birthdays are a few days apart.
I love here and there, hearing original but truthful excuses. We met one tonight. Christy and the Toblerones. He took them out but it was to hard to put them back in the packet again. Love it.
Such reading about Martin Carthy and Steelye Span, great.
And Joe McCann’s death being marked, 50 years gone.
Hi Christy
Looking forward to watching your concert tomorrow with my parents. It will be especially poignant for my family as we suddenly and tragically lost my father’s sister Maureen at the start of the month, and have just had her funeral this week.
Maureen was a beautiful soul and had such a passion for art and music. She loved your music and the music of so many others. She shone so brightly in our lives and will be sorely missed. My father has always found great comfort in your music at some of the hardest points in his life and tomorrow evening will be no different. Hopefully once this is all over we can see you in Glasgow again.
Thank you for the comfort and sheer joy your music has brought to our family over the years, I look forward to tomorrow evening.
Matthew Gallagher
sorry to read of the loss of your Auntie Maureen..
best wishes to your Father
Myself, the Band and all the Crew have a great affinity with Glasgow
From my first gig there in 1967 ( Folk Centre, Montrose St.) to the most recent (Barrowland in 2019) its been a ongoing affair….in early days The Scotia and The French Club, outlying gigs in east Kilbride, Rutherglen, Paisley, latterly the great Concert Hall and Mags McIvor’s….listening, learning, sharing, receiving,…my home away from home in Motherwell with the Imlach clan …..all that plus the pleasures awaiting, just 40 miles away, in Auld Reekie
Great rambling and reminiscing here, I’ve just texted someone and awaiting reply. A local Facebook page not providing information; yet. Will be back. I attended all 3 Athlone concerts. ’72 and ’73, and a second one in ’73 (or ’74). Ye opened with, memory you see, what it does, I think ye opened, hit the ground running it’s called, ‘The Three Drunken Maidens’.
“We had woodcock and pheasant/we had partridge and pear/every sort of dainty/no scarcity was there.”
“They had 10 pints apiece me lads
but still they would’nt get out
these three drunken maidens
they pushed the jug about”
“The Foxhunter’s reel” to follow! This hunt wouldn’t have occurred on the Isle of Wight would it Christy? or is it just my over active imagination?
The very best of luck with the concert tommorow night.Im really looking forward to it here in Timoleague.Another classic awaits us.Let the music keep our spirits high.
ps
‘your’NCH dilemma – not ‘our’… no dress code here! D
Hi Christy
I hope the wardrobe department is easing our NCH dilemma…
A good music day here. Coffee and chat with my music partner in crime – talk of rehearsals/possible gigs (like the old days)…
Out shopping and something drew me into the Salvation Army shop – found it was £1 worth of CD – Clancy Brothers/ Makem in concert , New York, 1984 – re mixed by Brian Masterson with ace contributions by Arty McGlinn, Nollaig Casey and Dick Kinnis…gig summed up by the contrasts of a wonderful low key version of ‘Carrickfergus’ followed by full belt ‘Haul Away Joe’ – what first attracted you, Dylan , me and so many more…
Last, but certainly not least, a brilliant newsletter from http://www.itma.ie .. it has the usual ace mix including news of 6 new compositions (and youtube footage) by Mairead Ni Mhaonaigh (also made available as learning resources with Mairead playing slowly…)Lovely stuff…
Great that you’ve decided on the NCH set list. I bet that was a hard task. The audience eagerly awaits… D
Hi Christy
Brilliant to read the Athlone ramble. Always great to get your recall…’Three Drunken Maidens’ is yet another link in this Steeleye/Tim and Maddy memory week – and why not play it twice per gig?!
Brilliant to have good memories of Planxty manager, Des Kelly. Just about 50 years since our first band advertised in the Manchester Evening News for an ‘honest agent’…if we’d asked for the biggest villain known to man, we couldn’t have found worse than the one who showed up… thankfully, the local Police warned us off and no harm done… the promised tour never happened, but the folk clubs have been good to us…hopefully,returning soon.
Enjoy the pre gig build up. No after shave at 7 59 tomorrow night, but there’ll be a world wide buzz and away we go…
Dave
Brilliant stuff Christy! Keep those long rambling posts about the early years coming. I enjoy them so much I’m starting to think I was actually there in the thick of them meself!
Wasn’t the 1st single Three Drunken Maidens?
Top of the class Gipp….followed by “The Foxhunter’s reel”
Of course, I am also looking forward to hear new songs. Thanks any way, sure it’s going to be a feast.
thats the kinda talk we like to hear…Shine On Astrid
I sang three songs for my mum and dad yesterday. Two of them I’d written myself. Life can be a wonderful thing.
what a privilege for all concerned….well done…
Thank you for all the post Christy. Here’s to a great weekend.
One of my work team’s on/off boyfriend is the driver for Dame Edna. He also plays the ukelele and this is all true apart from the ukelele bit. It’s really the mouth organ. Really, she’s also related to Harry Redknapp.
Does Rawmaishing have to be made up? Because this isn’t.
Rebecca
my own rawmaishing is based entirely upon ( percieved) facts…my “made-up” stuff comes from the fantasy department
Dear Christy,
So again this year we will not see you in Cork but so happy that my husband gave me a livestream ticket for my birthday and now it is almost the 1st of May.
I think we will start to install the laptop and the television set hours before to make sure the connection is fine. I hope you are looking forward to it as well.
So some years ago my husband asked you to perform Gortatagort in Liverpool that was, I think. Wonderful song, it paints a picture of a happy childhood and even though I was born in a city (Rotterdam) it always touches me deeply.
Now I would like to make a request for my husband. He likes the song Butterfly (so much wine) very much. Even better than when sung by the Handsome Family. But I bet you get millions of requests so it might be not possible. In that case I will ask you next year before the concert in Cork.
Looking forward to tomorrow night. Kind regards, Astrid
two great songs …John Spillane and The Handsome Family….both of them would be in my Top-20 -favourite-songs-to-sing…
you’ve given me an idea…when I get a chance I’ll do a “my favourite songs” gig on facebook…
tomorrow nights set is already fixed…I’m planning to do some new songs…hope it works for you
D. Can you imagine the pair of us in surgical garb, tweezers in hand, performing tape surgery?!
C. There were a few O’Briens, the name features a few times in local pubs. As for Irishtown. I dont think so.
there was another pub on the left hand side of the old Galway rd out of Athlone where I gigged a few times…was it The Grove ? before that there was The Cinema on The Bridge with Planxty..before that the old Dean Crow in 1972/3..Planxty first time round..heady days with our first single in the charts….anyone know what that was called ? we used to play it twice at gigs….the old Transit van…Liam and I shared the driving…Andy was quarter master…Donal wrote chord sheets and coloured in the music…we had a Marshall 100w amp, two Hurleys Crazy Boxes, a Binson Echo and 4 mikes…youth was on our side…..Des Kelly was our wonderful manager…we could not have had a better friend….Des used to play Bass in The Capitol Showband..his brother Johnny on the drums….he became a Band Manager….head an office in Donnybrook with 2 phone lines…a stable of acts..at different times Dermot Henry and The Virginians, Cathy and The Fugitives, The Smokey Mountain Ramblers…Des was from Galway ….(Galway)Joe Dolan was in the original Sweeney’s Men ,thats how Des became their Manager which, in turn, was how he became Planxty’s first Manager….Des was a salt-of-the-earth kinda man….he was immersed in the showband culture and early Planxty days we found ourselves in unlikely situations…playing “relief” to Sean Thompson and The Everglades in Easkey Ballroom….he also had his own Record Label “Ruby Records ” which released our first 3 or 4 singles….then we got on the Late Late show in 1972 and played “The Cliffs’ for Gaybo…Des knew Phil Coulter… Phil signed Planxty and then leased us out to Polydor in London…we were like the egg in the Monastery..out of the frying pan into the Friar….but Des always proved true and, in fairness, Phil Coulter produced three good albums that still reverberate 50 years on….all recorded in the top London Studios of the time….by then we had a purpose built top range PA system, designed by Nicolas Ryan, we had a new van with aeroplane seats and a two person road crew… we hardly knew ourselves…almost made it to the cover of New Spotlight and began to garner mentions in Melody `Maker…
this rawmaish is probably a lot more the you bargained for Ed but these two fingers ran away with them selves…better get up and get started
Well, just took a few hours to catch up on some posts, links, videos, interviews all posted here, plus a while on the driftnet searching for more info. Where Dave gets the time, Rory the muesli, Rebecca the songs, Pam the poetry, aye and so many great, some sad, family stories shared. On Christy’s guestbook, all human life is here….
Taking a wee rest tomorrow to prepare for the big gig on Saturday. Not allowed to have house guests, but sure no ones gonna tell tales….
It’s the waiting and wondering that’s almost the best part…sock it to us my friend!
under starters orders here Patsy…trying to figure out what outfit to wear for the NCH…cant find any black T Shirts
Good morning Christy.
We are soo looking forward to your live stream from NCH. We were with you when you were last there. We are my wife Anneke, her brother Chris and his wife Liesbeth and me. Chris and Liesbeth will be watching from Froombosch, the Netherlands. The four of us went to your wonderful gig in Trim in February 2019. That was a great group of musicians you assembled.
And going back some years, I bought your album ‘Prosperous’ on March 12 1972 from a small record shop on New Oxford Street, London. I was wandering around London and did a double take when I saw the album in the window. I had been hearing it on the John Peel show on BBC radio.
Then on May 6 1972 I saw Planxty in the Adams Arms pub in London with your brother Andy, who stayed with me for a few days. that was a great gig as you were all in great form.
Take care from your old neighbour John Delaney.
great to hear from you John…its been a while since
Hello Christy and All,
Rawmaishing
That’s a brilliant word.
Expanding and expounding led me straight to Riding the high stool.
What a song. It’s a place we’ve all been, I guess.
Oscar Wilde
We are all in the gutter but some of us are looking at the stars.
Its a strange quote. It could be really good, but it also could be riding the high stool?
Rebecca
We wont have a bad word said about dear Oscar….as decent a man as ever I met..the only harm in him was hangin out of him
Mornin’ Christy/ all
Sun is back and the day starts with Mr Guthrie’s sounds – and Ed is spot on.I should have said that Messrs Zimmerman and Carthy celebrate their 80ths a few days apart…quite a duo – especially when they shared a flat in 60s London. It’s terrific that fans put up info about favourite artists – Carthy/Steeleye sites are proving to be fruitful this week.The other night, I was thinking of Ed’s recent post about cassettes as a shop has opened selling tapes only…if they need technical support, Ed’s the dab hand, I reckon!
Bart’s wonderful post stopped me in my tracks…all good wishes from here to Belgium.The power of music indeed – and credit to you, Christy for such quality music over the years. So much depth and something for every mood for anyone who finds you.
Have a good day all – be it with Tak/ Atkin or boom box tapes.
Dave
I once shared a lift with Dame Edna in Melbourne, with Charlie Pride in Sydney, Lou Reed in Kensington,
met Joe Heaney on a train….sat beside Ian Botham from London to Bangkok, met Cyril Tawney in Leeds, Johnny Silvo in MSG, Bert Lloyd on a London Train out of Sheffield, Derrol Adams in Edinburgh, Reg Presley in London, Elton John in Barkisland,Maggie Barry in Willesden….met myself coming back
ps…and I knew a woman who’s first cousin was married to a lad who’s God-father was in a duo who nearly got signed to an underground label in a car park between stockton-on-tees and ashton-under-lyne
D.
Are you sure about Martin Carthy, his birthday and one Mr Robert Zimmerman?
They dont share a birthday. Mr Zimmerman shares his birthday with my brother; I dont have to look it up. Their birthdays are a few days apart.
I was born under a wandering star
I love here and there, hearing original but truthful excuses. We met one tonight. Christy and the Toblerones. He took them out but it was to hard to put them back in the packet again. Love it.
Such reading about Martin Carthy and Steelye Span, great.
And Joe McCann’s death being marked, 50 years gone.
were you ever in O’Brien’s pub in Irishtown ?