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Christy Moore
Christopher Andrew "Christy" Moore (born 7 May 1945) is an Irish folk singer, songwriter and guitarist. He was one of the founding members of the bands Planxty and Moving Hearts and has had significant success as a solo artist. His first album, ''Paddy'' ''on the Road'', was recorded with Dominic Behan in 1969. Moore is best known for his political and social commentary and left-wing, Irish republican views. In 2007, he was named as Ireland's greatest living musician in RTÉ's People of the Year Awards. Early life Moore was born in Newbridge, County Kildare, Ireland, son of Andy Moore and Nancy (nee Power). He attended Newbridge College. His mother was a Fine Gael election candidate. Moore originally worked as a bank employee. He wanted to express himself using traditional music, and during a bank strike in 1966, which lasted twelve weeks, he went to England, as many striking officials did, but did not return when the strike was settled. "I had a wild and wonderful time ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Newbridge, County Kildare
Newbridge, officially known by its Irish language, Irish name Droichead Nua (), is a town in County Kildare, Ireland. While the nearby Great Connell Priory was founded in the 13th century, the town itself formed from the 18th century onwards, and grew rapidly alongside a military barracks which opened in the early 19th century. Taking on the name Newbridge (''An Droichead Nua'') in the 20th century, the town expanded to support the local catchment, and also as a commuter town for Dublin. Doubling in population during the 20 years between 1991 and 2011, its population of 24,366 in 2022 makes it the second largest town in Kildare and the List of urban areas in the Republic of Ireland, sixteenth-largest in Ireland. Name The Irish language name of the town is the official name, "An Droichead Nua", meaning simply "The New Bridge" and was introduced in the 1930s. Noble and Keenan's map of Kildare 1752, drawn before the town was started, marks 'The New Bridge' in the vicinity of 'Old ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
The Grehan Sisters
The Grehan Sisters were an Irish folk music act of the mid to late 1960s who achieved popularity in Britain after moving to Manchester, England in 1967 from their native Boyle in County Roscommon, via a spell performing in Dublin. They disbanded around 1970 but have occasionally reunited for one-off appearances in subsequent years, most recently in 2015, while Helen (formerly "Bernie") continues to perform intermittently as a solo artist. Biography Siblings Marie, Francie and Helen (then known as Bernadette or "Bernie") Grehan were immersed in Irish traditional music from an early age via their parents' pub, Grehan's in Boyle, and as teenagers developed a reputation for their exuberant renditions of traditional and composed Irish songs and tunes, also featuring Francie's playing on mandolin and ukulele-banjo (actually a mandolin-banjo since it has 8 strings), Helen on guitar and both Helen and Marie on spoons, with which they frequently entertained the patrons. Young up-and-c ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Gordon Lightfoot
Gordon Meredith Lightfoot Jr. (November 17, 1938 – May 1, 2023) was a Canadian singer-songwriter who achieved worldwide success and helped define the singer-songwriter era of the 1970s. Widely considered one of Canada's greatest songwriters, he had numerous Gold album, gold and Gold album, platinum albums, and his songs have been covered by many of the world's most renowned musical artists. Lightfoot's biographer Nicholas Jennings wrote, "His name is synonymous with timeless songs about trains and shipwrecks, rivers and highways, lovers and loneliness." Lightfoot's songs, including "For Lovin' Me", "Early Morning Rain", "Steel Rail Blues", "Home From The Forest", and "Ribbon of Darkness", a number one hit on the U.S. country chart for Marty Robbins, brought him recognition from the mid-1960s. Chart success with his own recordings began in Canada in 1962 with the No. 3 hit Me) I'm the One" and led to a series of major hits at home and abroad throughout the 1970s. He topped th ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Bobby Sands
Robert Gerard Sands (; 9 March 1954 – 5 May 1981) was a member of the Provisional Irish Republican Army (IRA) who died on hunger strike while imprisoned at HM Prison Maze in Northern Ireland. Sands helped to plan the 1976 Balmoral Furniture Company bombing in Dunmurry, which was followed by a gun battle with the Royal Ulster Constabulary. Sands was arrested while trying to escape and sentenced to 14 years for firearms possession. He was the leader of the 1981 hunger strike in which Irish republican prisoners protested against the removal of Special Category Status. During Sands's strike, he was elected to the UK Parliament as an Anti H-Block candidate. His death and those of nine other hunger strikers was followed by a surge of IRA recruitment and activity. International media coverage brought attention to the hunger strikers, and the republican movement in general, attracting both praise and criticism. Early life Sands was born in Dunmurry in 1954 to John and Rosale ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
The Spirit Of Freedom
''The Spirit of Freedom'' is an Irish folk music album by Christy Moore. The album is notable for featuring two songs written by Provisional IRA member Bobby Sands. The songs "Back Home in Derry" and "McIlhatton" were written by Sands while in prison at Long Kesh. Track listing # "Forever On My Mind" (Pearse McLoughlin; arranged by Christy Moore) # "No Time for Love" ( Jack Warshaw) # " The People's Own MP" (Bruce Scott) # " Deportee" (Woody Guthrie) # "Michael Gaughan" (Anonymous) # "Grannies Dustbin Lid" (Joe Mulhearn) # "Dying Soldier" (Ger Costello) # "Boy from Tamlaghtduff" (Christy Moore) # "McIlhatton" ( Bobby Sands) # "Jesus Christ & Jessie James" (Brian Whoriskey) # " Galtee Mountain Boy" (Christy Moore, Patsy Halloran) # " Back Home in Derry" (music: Gordon Lightfoot Gordon Meredith Lightfoot Jr. (November 17, 1938 – May 1, 2023) was a Canadian singer-songwriter who achieved worldwide success and helped define the singer-songwriter era of the 1970s. Widely c ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
H Block
''H Block'' is an album recorded by various Irish folk artists, and produced by Christy Moore in 1978. The album's title refers to the "H blocks" at Maze Prison (also known as "Long Kesh") in Northern Ireland, where Irish republican prisoners were held during the Troubles. The subject matter of several of these songs (particularly Moore's "90 Miles From Dublin") specifically centers on the period of the blanket and dirty protests at Maze and at Armagh Women's Prison. The launch of the album was raided by the Special Detective Unit ("Special Branch") of the Republic of Ireland. Track listing # "Rights of Man" (Traditional) - Matt Molloy # "Guest of the Queen" (Brian Ua Baoill) - Stephen Ray # "On The Blanket" ( Mick Hanly) - Mick Hanly # "H. Block Song" ( Francie Brolly) - Francie Brolly # "Repeal the Union" (Traditional) - Matt Molloy # "Bright Star" - Stephen Ray # "Patrick's Arrival" # "Taimse I Mo Chodladh" (Traditional) - Dan Dowd # "90 Miles from Dublin" ( Christy M ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
H-Block
HM Prison Maze (previously Long Kesh Detention Centre, and known colloquially as the Maze or H-Blocks) was a prison in Northern Ireland that was used to house paramilitary prisoners during the Troubles from August 1971 to September 2000. On 15 October 1974 Irish Republican internees burned 21 of the compounds used to house the internees thereby destroying much of Long Kesh. The prison was situated at the former Royal Air Force station of Long Kesh, on the outskirts of Lisburn. This was in the townland of Maze, about southwest of Belfast. The prison and its inmates were involved in such events as the 1981 hunger strike. The prison was closed in 2000 and demolition began on 30 October 2006, but on 18 April 2013 it was announced by the Northern Ireland Executive that the remaining buildings would be redeveloped into a peace centre, however these plans were later abandoned. Background Following the introduction of internment in 1971, Operation Demetrius was implemented by the ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Fine Gael
Fine Gael ( ; ; ) is a centre-right, liberal-conservative, Christian democratic political party in Ireland. Fine Gael is currently the third-largest party in the Republic of Ireland in terms of members of Dáil Éireann. The party had a membership of 25,000 in 2021. Simon Harris succeeded Leo Varadkar as party leader on 24 March 2024. Fine Gael was founded on 8 September 1933, following the merger of its parent party Cumann na nGaedheal, the National Centre Party and the Blueshirts. Its origins lie in the struggle for Irish independence and the pro-Treaty side in the Irish Civil War, with the party claiming the legacy of Michael Collins. In its early years, the party was commonly known as ''Fine Gael – The United Ireland Party'', abbreviated ''UIP'', and its official title in its constitution remains Fine Gael (United Ireland). Fine Gael holds a pro-European stance and is generally considered to be more of a proponent of economic liberalism than its traditional rival, ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Mickey Finn (Irish Fiddler)
Mickey Finn (31 December 1951 – 15 April 1987Sound Scene Margaret Collins, 23 April 1987 The Galway Advertiser archive. Retrieved 20 February 2011) was a traditional Irish fiddler. He was a fixture in 's scene during the 1970s and 1980s, playing with artists such as [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Gay Byrne
Gabriel Mary Byrne (5 August 1934 – 4 November 2019) was an Irish presenter and host of radio and television. His most notable role was as the first host of '' The Late Late Show'' over a 37-year period spanning 1962 until 1999. ''The Late Late Show'' is the world's longest-running live chat show. He was affectionately known as "Uncle Gay", "Gaybo" or "Uncle Gaybo". His time working in Britain with Granada Television saw him become the first person to introduce the Beatles on-screen, and Byrne was later the first to introduce Boyzone on-screen in 1993. According to Byrne, Paul McCartney asked him to be the Beatles' agent during a sound check for his show but he declined the offer. From 1973 until 1998, Byrne presented ''The Gay Byrne Hour'' – later '' The Gay Byrne Show'' when it expanded to two hours – on RTÉ Radio 1 each weekday morning. After retiring from his long-running radio and television shows, Byrne presented several other programmes, including ''Who Wants to Be ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Dónal Lunny
Dónal Lunny (born 10 March 1947) is an Irish folk musician and producer. He plays guitar and bouzouki, as well as keyboards and bodhrán. As a founding member of popular bands Planxty, The Bothy Band, Moving Hearts, Coolfin, Mozaik, LAPD, and Usher's Island, he has been at the forefront of the renaissance of Irish traditional music for over five decades. In 2025 he was the recipient of the RTÉ Radio 1 Folk Awards Lifetime Achievement Award. Lunny is the brother of musician and producer Manus Lunny. He had a son, Shane, with singer-songwriter Sinéad O'Connor; Shane was found dead on 7 January 2022, aged 17. Early life Lunny was born on 10 March 1947 in Tullamore. His father Frank was from Enniskillen in County Fermanagh and his mother, Mary Rogers, came from Ranafast in The Rosses in County Donegal; they raised four boys and five girls. The family moved to Newbridge in County Kildare when Dónal was five years old. He attended secondary school at Newbridge ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
