Christy Moore's choice

From Paul Anka to Ave Maria, and indeed to one of his own performances and another by Planxty, Christy Moore certainly sprang a surprise or two in his Desert Island Discs selection. No Dylan and, despite my whimsical thoughts, no Tony Capstick.

I list them on the continuation page, or you can consult the BBC's own site for detailed information about his encounter with Kirsty Young on BBC Radio 4 yesterday.

The show will be repeated on Friday (June 22) at 9am. I'd be interested to hear from anyone who caught the programme.

1 Ave Maria
Felicity Lott

2 A Stitch in Time
Christy Moore (live)

3 Lonely Boy
Paul Anka

4 Brennan On the Moor
The Clancy Brothers and Tommy Makem

5 Taimse Im’ Chodladh
Planxty
Rec No: 79035

6 Joe Hill
Luke Kelly

7 The Joy of Living
Ewan McColl and Peggy Seeger

8 The Raggle Taggle Gypsy
John Reilly
Composer Trad

One Record Taimse Im’ Chodladh
Book Collection of Popular Songs of England & Scotland –Francis Child
Luxury A set of Uillean Pipes

Comments

[Smiley]

Apart from the obvious Paul Anka, there are two other names that I know on Christy's list. Ewan McColl (father of Kirsty) and Peggy Seeger (sister of Pete). I was looking at varying sites on the internet about these two and was mildly surprised to see that they were both regarded as what can probably best be described as undesirables in the not so distant past. Intriguing stuff. Coming from a younger generation, I always tend to think of the punk era as being the age of revolution. It's fascinating to learn that others have been there before (in a more dignified manner too). I had heard of Strange Fruit by Billie Holiday, and also Pete Seeger (courtesy of the Springsteen CD) but it just goes to show how much I don't know!

[Colin Randall]

After I wrote about the Newcastle folk degree course, I received a very cross letter from a Telegraph reader complaining about the far left background of someone closely associated with it.

And Christy, of course, was so firmly in sympathy with the Irish republican cause - especially after Bloody Sunday, he says - that his presence and music would not have been out of place as the star turn at a Sinn Fein musical soiree.

Folk, clearly, is dangerous.

[Pete Sixsmith]

A good selection and it shows where the great man's influences come from. I thought that he went for influences rather than favourites which also showed through in his chat with Kirsty Young. He was not prepared to hide from his substance abuse but would not go into detail about it. The same applied to his eventual rejection of violence in Northern Ireland. Desert Island Discs is a much better programme under Young - she actually talks to interesting people. Can't imagine Roy Plomley sitting down with a man who demolished the contents of his hosts cocktail cabinet and threw the bottles out of the window.

[Bill Taylor]

I don't know if it'll still be there to find but a couple of years ago, out of curiosity, I Googled Tony Capstick and among his obituaries (there were several) was a remembrance by Christy Moore of that great night at the Aclet in Bishop Auckland (which I had the pleasure of MCing). Alas, Christy recalled it as having happened in West Hartlepool...

[Colin Randall]

Yes Bill, Christy's reference can still be found at his own site:

http://www.christymoore.com/archive_christy_chat.php

I am surprised he didn't mention how good the MC was.