― Dadaismus (Dada), Tuesday, 18 May 2004 12:28 (9 years ago) Permalink
... this is kind of my point: that's been one of the key experiences of 'Irishness' for a long time, hasn't it?
Dave, I was trying to make conversation because I'm interested in this subject: I wasn't trying to shut you up.
― Tim (Tim), Tuesday, 18 May 2004 12:31 (9 years ago) Permalink
― Dave Stelfox (Dave Stelfox), Tuesday, 18 May 2004 12:46 (9 years ago) Permalink
Christy Moore is a good nomination, for this thread. Probably the best I can think of.
― Ronan (Ronan), Tuesday, 18 May 2004 12:50 (9 years ago) Permalink
― Dadaismus (Dada), Tuesday, 18 May 2004 12:51 (9 years ago) Permalink
― Ronan (Ronan), Tuesday, 18 May 2004 12:53 (9 years ago) Permalink
― Morley Timmons (Donna Brown), Tuesday, 18 May 2004 13:31 (9 years ago) Permalink
I dunno about "Irishness" - it seems to be a basic element of human nature that people of all nationalities become increasingly anxious to develop and cling to an increasingly romantic and idealised version of their homeland the longer they're away from the dreary realities of it, yes.
I imagine that if I were forced to spend the rest of my days on some horrible Caribbean island right now, within a couple of years I'd probably start singing mournful songs about how much I miss the joys of driving 'round the M25; the efficiency of South West Trains; the exemplary levels of cleanliness, service and excellent cuisine at the Moto services on the M4; and the wonderfully refreshing rain that occasionally interrupts the glorious sunshine than glints enticingly off the abandoned shopping trolleys that have been dumped in the Kennet canal.
There again....
― Stewart Osborne (Stewart Osborne), Tuesday, 18 May 2004 14:04 (9 years ago) Permalink
― Graeme (Graeme), Tuesday, 18 May 2004 14:07 (9 years ago) Permalink
― Stephen Boyle (SBoyle), Tuesday, 18 May 2004 16:29 (9 years ago) Permalink
This makes it sound like Ireland needs a Manic Street Preachers.
― Ned Raggett (Ned), Tuesday, 18 May 2004 16:36 (9 years ago) Permalink
― Andrew Farrell (afarrell), Tuesday, 18 May 2004 17:18 (9 years ago) Permalink
― Andrew Farrell (afarrell), Tuesday, 18 May 2004 17:21 (9 years ago) Permalink
― Ronan (Ronan), Tuesday, 18 May 2004 17:26 (9 years ago) Permalink
I'm saying we don't need a house band at all. My thesis is that we no longer have any stories worth singing about.
Actually, there's a native comedy troupe who occasionally appear (Mighty Wind-style) as fake-folkie balladeers, satirising the whiny, recriminatory self-pity that pervades so much of Ireland's "trad" songbook.They're called The Hairy Bowsies*, and their songs tackle Perfidious Albion (Ye Dirty English Bastards) and sacred cows such as the 1916 Rising (The Craic We Had The Day We Died For Ireland) and the Potato Famine (Jaysus, The Spuds Aren't Lookin' The Best).
(*"Bowsie" is a Dublin slangword connoting a man of low breeding and unpleasant personal habits.)
― Palomino (Palomino), Tuesday, 18 May 2004 19:46 (9 years ago) Permalink
― Ronan (Ronan), Tuesday, 18 May 2004 20:11 (9 years ago) Permalink
― Dadaismus (Dada), Thursday, 20 May 2004 08:55 (9 years ago) Permalink
― robin (robin), Thursday, 20 May 2004 18:42 (9 years ago) Permalink
― Ronan (Ronan), Thursday, 20 May 2004 18:59 (9 years ago) Permalink
philomena begley
― gershy, Thursday, 24 May 2007 07:17 (5 years ago) Permalink
I always wondered if "the ambulance . . . took little Jim away" in the Undertones' song because he committed suicide or because a bomb got him.
― If Timi Yuro would be still alive, most other singers could shut up, Thursday, 24 May 2007 07:37 (5 years ago) Permalink
What, no-one's mentioned The Cranberries yet :-)
― ailsa, Thursday, 24 May 2007 07:43 (5 years ago) Permalink
No Foster and Allen? It's a disgrace, so it is.
― Marcello Carlin, Thursday, 24 May 2007 07:45 (5 years ago) Permalink
Re: The supposed Irishness of the Pogues. The line-up in their mid-80's heyday was as follows:
Shane McGowan who was born in Tunbridge Wells James Fearnley who was born in Manchester Spider Stacey who was born in Eastbourne Jem Finer who was born in Stoke Andrew Ranken who was born in London Cait O'Riordan who was born in Nigeria (before moving to London) Darrell Hunt who was born in Hampshire
but(although he didn't join till Rum, Sodomy etc).... Phil Chevron was born in Dublin YAAAAAY!
― everything, Thursday, 24 May 2007 08:35 (5 years ago) Permalink
A lot of 19th century National Romantic composers, painters and authors preferred to live outside their home countries.
― Geir Hongro, Thursday, 24 May 2007 08:37 (5 years ago) Permalink
Their "home country" is England.
― everything, Thursday, 24 May 2007 08:39 (5 years ago) Permalink
Bap Kennedy has a few songs that help this Yank relate to living in difficult times in Ireland.
― Mr. Odd, Thursday, 24 May 2007 13:49 (5 years ago) Permalink
The Divine Comedy - Sunrise
I was born in Londonderry I was born in Derry City too Oh what a special child To see such things and still to smile I know that there was something wrong But I kept my head down and carried on
I grew up in Enniskillen I grew up in Inis Ceathlain too Oh what a clever boy To watch your hometown be destroyed I know that I could not stay long So I kept my head down and carried on
Who cares where national borders lie Who cares whose laws you're governed by Who cares what name you call a town Who'll care when you're six feet beneath the ground
From the corner of my eye A hint of blue in the black sky A ray of hope, a beam of light An end to thirty years of night The church-bells ring, the children sing What is this strange and beautiful thing It's the sunrise Can you see the sunrise? I can see the sunrise
― Finefinemusic, Thursday, 24 May 2007 20:19 (5 years ago) Permalink
the band that best addrsses 'Irishness' and the subject of Ireland ...inna reggae song?
― t**t, Thursday, 24 May 2007 20:20 (5 years ago) Permalink
Christy Moore was still the best answer on this thread, but it asked for a band, so it would probably have to be Planxty whose first three albums (at least) were pretty much peerless.
― Lostandfound, Friday, 25 May 2007 03:29 (5 years ago) Permalink
planxty was such a good band, and pre-MOR paul brady was even better than christy moore imho (lol i just remembered luka bloom, christy's brother - is he still "around")
― gershy, Friday, 25 May 2007 03:36 (5 years ago) Permalink
Mary Coughlan: "My Land Is Too Green" (abt sentimental self-mythologising alcoholics ect)
― anatol_merklich, Friday, 25 May 2007 10:12 (5 years ago) Permalink
No mention of Clannad or Enya?
― Geir Hongro, Friday, 25 May 2007 11:05 (5 years ago) Permalink
the Virgin Prunes, see especially the song "Down The Memory Lane" or most of Heresie for example.
― sleeve, Friday, 25 May 2007 15:41 (5 years ago) Permalink
must look these guys up, those titles are pretty sharp.
― U2 raped goat (darraghmac), Tuesday, 19 May 2009 13:54 (4 years ago) Permalink
There's always the Horslips.
― THESE ARE MY FEELINGS! FEEL MY FEELINGS! (I eat cannibals), Tuesday, 19 May 2009 16:46 (4 years ago) Permalink
I vote for Primordial. Easily the greatest Irish band of the last 20 years.
― scott seward, Tuesday, 19 May 2009 16:58 (4 years ago) Permalink
The Craic We Had The Day We Died For Ireland
lol
― languid samuel l. jackson (jim), Tuesday, 19 May 2009 17:00 (4 years ago) Permalink
so beautiful...
― scott seward, Tuesday, 19 May 2009 17:08 (4 years ago) Permalink
― scott seward, Tuesday, 19 May 2009 17:19 (4 years ago) Permalink
There's clearly a gap in the market for a band of young(ish) men full of righteous anger spewing venom about falling house prices, the income levy, and the loss of Ranelagh's Michelin star restaurant.
― ecuador_with_a_c, Tuesday, 19 May 2009 19:46 (4 years ago) Permalink
or career rebirth for the Thrills, to give vent to the anger of their class....
― sonofstan, Tuesday, 19 May 2009 19:52 (4 years ago) Permalink
I used to play football (soccer) with the lead singer of Primordial when I was a kid. He's one of my best friend's cousins.
― Local Garda, Tuesday, 19 May 2009 22:53 (4 years ago) Permalink
my best mate was introduced to his GF by one of the thrills at a wedding, and subsequently given the use of his posh room to consummate said meeting.
that pic from the youtube primordial is five mins from me.
i got nothin else.
― U2 raped goat (darraghmac), Tuesday, 19 May 2009 23:22 (4 years ago) Permalink
that was actually my dad
seriously tho, first sentence, are you saying your mate slept with guy from primordial's gf? or the dude from the thrills? i saw the thrills in aladdin's on brick lane last thurs. the circle is complete.
― Local Garda, Tuesday, 19 May 2009 23:25 (4 years ago) Permalink
introduced to his own future gf, not a gf of any of the thrills. that i am aware of.
― U2 raped goat (darraghmac), Tuesday, 19 May 2009 23:28 (4 years ago) Permalink
ah okay, now i understand. the dublin indie scene is pretty small. a lot of bands/artists i thought were irredeemably shite turn out to be v nice and good fun and into techno.
― Local Garda, Tuesday, 19 May 2009 23:29 (4 years ago) Permalink
their music still shite tho...imo
― Local Garda, Tuesday, 19 May 2009 23:30 (4 years ago) Permalink