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Christy Moore

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Christy Moore

Christopher Andrew 'Christy' Moore (born 7 May 1945, Newbridge, County Kildare, Ireland) is a popular Irish folk singer, songwriter, and guitarist. He is well known as one of the founding members of Planxty. His first album, Paddy on the Road (a minor release of 500) was recorded with Dominic Behan (brother of Brendan) in 1969. In 2007, he was named as Ireland's greatest living musician in RTÉ's People of the Year Awards[1].

Planxty

Main article: Planxty

Moore was originally a bank employee who wanted to express himself using traditional music. A bank strike in the 1970s, which lasted over fourteen months (and effectively paralysed Irish commercial life for the duration), resulted in Moore spending considerable time practising music. When the strike ended, Moore had already decided where his passion in life arose, and left the bank for good.

1970 brought his first major release, Prosperous (named after the village of Prosperous, County Kildare, where the album was recorded), which brought together the four musicians who shortly thereafter formed Planxty: Liam Óg O'Flynn, Andy Irvine, and Dónal Lunny. For a time they called themselves "CLAD", an acronym of their names, but soon decided on Planxty.

After leaving Planxty in 1975, Moore continued on his solo career, reforming his old band on occasion (which he has been doing ever since). He also formed the band Moving Hearts with Lunny and five other musicians in 1980. In 2000 he published his autobiography, One Voice.

Moore's earlier years of heavy drinking, sleeping dysfunctional hours, continual travelling, and often eating takeaway foods resulted in a decline in health, and several operations. Moore's battle with alcohol, and subsequent heart operations have taken their toll on his body. Moore, who channels much energy into his art, has been requested to not produce any more work for medical reasons, and has decided to abide by this, after earlier warnings were ignored. For this reason the volume of work produced since 1999 has declined dramatically.

Detention

In October 2004, a story in the Irish Times revealed how Moore had been stopped and detained by customs officers at the Welsh port of Holyhead. The article claimed the singer was stopped in his van with his driver, taken into an office and questioned over the lyrics of his songs. The following day in response to the Irish Times article, Moore released a statement saying: "My driver and I were stopped and held for two hours at Holyhead last Monday, under the Prevention of Terrorism Act 2002. My driver and I were held separately in two interrogation rooms. I found the whole experience threatening. I was questioned about the contents of my briefcase."

Despite initial reports to the contrary, the singer's van, which was full of musical equipment, was not searched.

"I was questioned about lyrics of songs and I was asked a lot of personal questions about members of my family and my children and about my home. At no time was I given any explanation as to why I was being held and interrogated in this manner", he added.

He said the fact that Irish people are still being treated this way on their way to Britain is very "saddening".

"I had hoped to deal with this matter out of the public domain. But seeing as it has become a news item, I feel the need to offer my side of the story. I found the whole affair quite frightening."

Political and social commentary

Moore is best known for his political and social commentary, which reflects a leftwing Irish Republican perspective, this despite the fact that his mother was a Fine Gael county councillor and parliamentary candidate in Kildare[1]. He supported the republican H-Block protestors in the 1970s and 1980s with the album H-Block in 1978, the launch of which was raided by the police, and The Spirit of Freedom. He has also recorded songs by the hunger striker Bobby Sands. However, in 1987 he ceased supporting the military activities of the IRA as a result of the Enniskillen bombing.

Individual songs he has written throughout his career include 'On the Blanket' about the protests of republican prisoners, 'Viva la Quinta Brigada' about Irish volunteers in the Spanish Civil War and 'Minds Locked Shut' about Bloody Sunday in Derry.

Moore has endorsed a long list of left wing support causes. ranging from El Salvador, to Mary Robinson in the 1990 Presidential Election.

At Glastonbury Festival in 2005 he sang about the Palestinian solidarity activist Rachel Corrie.

Current work

His solo style includes driving rhythms on guitar and bodhrán as well as slower ballads. On Friday 6 October 2006 Christy paid a surprise visit to the legendary An Góilín traditional singers' club in Dublin. There, before fifty or so people, Christy took out his guitar (instruments are rarely used in An Góilín, it being a singers' refuge) and sang songs reflective of the Irish language and socially radical culture of the club such as Na Conghailigh, about the deaths of Tomás and Seán Ó Conghaile off Conamara, and Viva la Quinta Brigada, about the role of the Irish fighting with the socialists in the Spanish Civil War. With typical Moore social consciousness, he opened the festival marking Ballymun's inception as Dublin's first Fairtrade Town on 23 November 2006. Ballymun, once synonymous with social deprivation and drug problems, is currently the largest urban regeneration project in northern Europe. In June 2007, Christy was guest on Desert Island Discs, a BBC programme that is often considered an accolade. He selected mainly Irish folk music that had inspired him and spoke frankly of personal and political issues that had shaped his life.

Moore's brother Barry, whose stagename is Luka Bloom, is also a successful singer-songwriter. His nephew, Conor Byrne, is also an accomplished traditional flautist and tin whistle player, with Christy appearing on his Wind Dancer album.

Trivia

  • The Bishop of Galway, Eamon Casey, is the subject of Moore's song 'Casey.'
  • Moore is also a fan of Kildare GAA.
  • In 2005, his popular release "Don't Forget Your Shovel" (written by Christie Hennessey) was referenced in a number 1 UK single "The JCB Song" by Nizlopi: "And the engine rattles my bum like berserk. While we're singin, 'Don't forget your shovel if you want to go to work!'" It was further referenced in the video for the same song; as the line is sung, the characters in the JCB pass a shop called "Christie's Shovels".
  • It is claimed that Christy Moore was largely responsible for preserving a Medieval folk song with Biblical origins, The Well Below the Valley. The song, a haunting tale of incest, sin and sexual abuse, was believed all but lost to the English-speaking world until Moore heard it sung by a member of the travelling community named John Reilly in County Roscommon in 1963. Moore later recorded it in 1973 for Planxty's second album.

Discography

Solo

With Planxty

With Moving Hearts

Compilation Albums

Videos

  • Christy (1995) 54 mins - Christy reflects on life and career. Very rare and difficult video to get a hold of.

DVDS

  • Christy Moore Uncovered (2001) 104 mins - features collaborations with Jimmy McCarthy, Wally Page, Shane McGowan, Sinead O'Connor and John Spillane.
  • Planxty Live 2004 The reunion of the hugely popular and influential group after a 20 year hiatus.
  • Christy Moore Live In Dublin 2006 (2006) 143 mins - First time a live solo concert has been recorded and released outside CD format. Filmed over 4 nights in December 2005 and January 2006.

References

  1. ^ "Rehab Press Room". Retrieved 2008-09-22.
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