Archive for Things to do before I die
I knew this place too
Posted by: | CommentsLegendary folk singer Liam Clancy has died aged 74. The actor, singer and musician was the last surviving member of The Clancy Brothers & Tommy Makem, who were credited with bringing Irish traditional music to a world audience in the 1960s . . . RTE News, 4th December 2009.
There were brief and fleeting moments in my childhood when I remember my parent’s being happy. When ceasefires were declared and month long silences were lifted. It was then that I was introduced to Makem and Clancy on a small black tape recorder. That tape recorder accompanied me on a rare holiday with my parents to the west of Ireland and as it played on my mothers lap in our old Renault, Liam Clancy among others provided an enshrined soundtrack. So even as a child, in between Bay City Rollers and Leo Sayer, I was aware of Liam Clancy, I grew to love the songs and their sentiments; Red is the Rose, Waltzing Matilda, All Gods Creatures and The Dutchman with its poignant lyrics that I was too young to understand.
As an adult, I grew more appreciative of Liam Cancy, particularly for his ability to tell a story. I remember a few years back RTE showing a two part Arts Lives documentary about him. I watched it with a fascination and hung on his every word. Two years later my mother died tragically, ironically in Waterford. In grieving her, I remembered the songs from my childhood and played them often. Red is the Rose was one of her favourites – particularly the way Liam Clancy sang it.
Alas, having become a fan of the great orator of folk, I had never seen the man perform live. In April 2009, living in Galway, I heard he was playing a show at the Town Hall Theatre. I remember thinking to myself, this man means a lot to me for many iconic reasons, childhood memories and not least that he was one of the best performers on the planet in my opinion. I also remember thinking that I needed to go and see him, that I should not let the opportunity pass, that I might not get another chance and that I would be doing this for my mother as well as myself.
I asked my friends if anyone would be interested in going – not a one! So I booked myself in and went alone. I spent the night on the edge of my seat, hanging on his every word – again; singing along , laughing with him, listening to stories of himself and Tommy, stories about life then and how it has changed. It was like being with someone I knew. It was like he really cared for us, and of course he did. The way he spoke to us with such empathy, understanding, dignity, and respect. The way he spoke to beautiful Gemma on stage and the way she looked up to him like an apprentice watching the old master.
I often think about that night and what it meant to me. Particularly as it was one of his last shows. It was the first time I ever heard songs like ‘The Broom of the Cowdenknowes’ – oh lord how he sang it! melodic, rich and beautiful, so beautiful. My first time to hear ‘I knew this place’, it made me sad and brought me back to my childhood, to the same rural setting that the song describes – watching my parents in a brief moment of happiness. I had come full circle.
Thank you Liam Clancy. One of my ‘to do before I die’ aspirations, was to get to meet you. I guess I’ll have to put that on hold for a while.
Goodnight and God bless you too.
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I knew This place I knew this place, I knew it well, There across the grassy yard, From my window I can see But all my climbing days are gone And I remember every word A brother’s laugh, the sighing wind, This house is old, it carries on Our lives pass on from door to door, And all these thoughts come back to The day is done. The lights are low, (Dave Mallet, 1978) |
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Undertake a PhD
Posted by: | CommentsAs I continue studying, I keep moving the goal posts. I started in 2004, back then my sights were set on a degree. When I got the degree, I went on to honours degree. Then I decided on a Masters degree at University (which is what I am currently at) and over the past year I have been researching the possibilities of a PhD. This is now looking more and more likely. I have an area of interest that I’d like to conduct research in, I have a University, the blessing of a Head of Dept and a supervisor. The only obstacle left is funding. The money is drying up in this recession.
I hope money does not end up being the reason I don’t do this. That would be crazy. So – hopefully this time next year, I’ll have started into a PhD and this time 3 or 4 years from now I’ll be able to tick this off as another “thing to do before I die”.
Note to self….try not to die in the next 4 years
Get a Masters degree
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In 2004, someone planted the seed in my head that I should return to school. this time as a mature student to third level. The build up to this is a long story that I will spare you from this time but needless to say, I decided to give it a try. I sheepishly dipped my toe in the water just to see what it was like to be a third level student. After completing first year and doing well in my exams, I made a decision that I would really like to remain in college, get my honours degree and then look into the possibilities of doing a masters degree.
So here I am, its now 2008, I have done my 4 years at third level, got my first class honours degree and have just recently been accepted into National University of Ireland (NUIG) for a two year Masters. So I am moving to Galway to start in September. I feel blessed to be going to Galway; the main reason being that it is not Dublin. I had spoken to Trinity and UCD about Masters and PhD opportunities but would have truly hated being a prisoner of Dublin so Galway is as good as it gets for me. A beautiful town and an even more beautiful University with a great reputation. The campus is stunning, on the banks of the Corrib river right in the heart of Galway city, a mixture of old and new. I even have a bedsit sorted now and that’s within walking distance which solve the parking problems at NUIG for me anyway.
Needless to say I shall have to return to this article and post the outcome whether it be success or failure. The next two years will fly and I just need to get my head down, study hard and then p0ick a suitable topic to research in year two.
See the Blue Nile live
Posted by: | CommentsBlue Nile gig at the Galway Arts festival. Tuesday 15th July 2008
In 1985, in Ireland, radio only went as far as 1:50am and then closedown. Nothing on the airwaves again until the next day. That didn’t matter then because it was all we knew. Anyhow, that particular slot of midnight to 1:50am was occupied by a late night DJ called Mark Cagney. If you are the sort that likes late night radio and you never heard him, then sadly you missed out on something special. Mark Cagney taught me a lot of what I know about music. He introduced me to bands such as Prefab Sprout, Lloyd Cole and the Commotions and then he went and introduced me to The Blue Nile. Once you have been introduced to the Blue Nile, there is no turning back.
Their first album “A walk across the rooftops” was released in 1984. Cagney used to play it on his late night show and I would be in bed listening. There was something about that music. It was more than any other music around. It was magic, soul, spiritual, timeless and yet very much of its time and it made the hairs on the back of my neck stand up. I had to order the album from a stall holder who used to sell records at the market in Rosemary Sq, Roscrea. It took some three weeks to get my hands on it but god was it worth the wait. I used to play the songs on there and melt with them, I used to dream with them. I got the sentimentality in them, I got the atmosphere, I got the meaning only sometimes but it didn’t matter.
24 Years later and the Blue Nile are still around. In all that time, they only released 4 albums. They do not do much TV or touring. They keep off the radar somewhat so it was a big surprise to hear that they were coming to Ireland to play at the Galway Arts festival. As it turns out I could get no one to go to the show with me but I did not give a dam about that, I had to see them. I have never seen them live before and god knows this may be my only chance.
As gigs go, I couldn’t imagine a better one. The set – some 24 songs. Gems from all four albums. each and everyone I knew and associated with a different time in my life. Each and everyone inspired emotion in me and I was glad to see the same in the crowd around me. Easter Parade, The tragedy of Family life, The mood and atmosphere of Saturday Night, then their one and only real pop hit Stay made women stand up and dance in the aisles annoyingly. The couple beside me had only ever heard one song – Happiness. When Buchanan started it up, she melted to the lines that we all melted to years ago “Now that I’ve found peace at last, tell me Jesus, will it last?”. Of course we all sang the ‘Happiness’ bit at the end several times louder each time. It was beautiful.
Throughout the night, you get a sense of Paul Buchanan. He comes across as a humble sole who ill seems to realise that he is the founder of a special club. Blue Nile fans are few and far between but they share that special knowledge of being moved by that voice and those lines. They talk openly to you and there is agreement abounding.
The gig itself was in the Radisson SAS. Actually it was a great venue and I was very happy with my comfortable seat a mere 20 feet fro the band. It was great to be able to see everything on stage, all that gear, all those synths, guitars, drums, all that glistening, excitement and expectation. It was great to be able to hear the banter from the audience which is now a staple of BN shows. It’s like an in joke between the fans and Buchannan. “When’s the double album coming out Paul?” “Any day now” he responds in his thick and low reserved Glasgow brogue. “Any day now, the hits just keep on coming”. That makes the place erupt in laughter. An in joke just for Blue Nile fans.
I listened to the Blue Nile for some two hours. When they ended, we took to our feet and screamed the place down looking for more. I mean, we really made noise. They came back out obviously pleased but very used to this kind of appreciation. Then “Strangers in the night”, probably one of the most unusual covers you are likely to hear. What? no Toledo ? (If you ever only listen to one song from Buchannan, make it ‘Because of Toledo’). Turns out his voice was going and he was scared he’d make a dogs dinner of it. So for the second encore, more banter. “Tell ye what, what say instead of butchering some song, why don’t we do one from the set earlier for ye, would that be ok? which one would you like us to do?”. It was a close tie between ‘Saturday Night’ and ‘Stay’ with the ‘Stay’ being carried by the dancing women. This time we all danced on our chairs and for 5 minutes we were all members of the Blue Nile.
See the Blue Nile before I die - Check!
