Christy Moore on 'The Big Marquee', his new song about Cork 

Could Christy Moore's recently-unveiled song about Leeside be the next 'Lisdoonvarna'? He spoke to Joe Dermody about the tune, and the special place the Rebel County has in his heart 

Christy Moore at Live at the Marquee in Cork in June. (Photo Ray Keogh)

Christy Moore’s new song ‘The Big Marquee’ is a potential chart-topper whenever it is released as a single. Great lyrics about a range of Cork people, the song is tied into a narrative around the 78-year-old’s annual shows at Live at the Marquee in the southern city.

The song was one of the highlights of his recent 17th concert at the venue near the Marina. Before that, he had only tried it out a few times, notably at the Don O’Leary tribute last November in Cork Opera House. The lyrics of ‘The Big Marquee’ are obviously going to have resonance for a Cork audience, but then the popularity of ‘Lisdoonvarna’ didn’t stop at the Clare border.

Joe Dermody: It must be an incredible rush when an audience connects instantly with a song they’re hearing for the first time. Do you enjoy that buzz there and then or does it hit you later?

Christy Moore: When a song connects on first outing, it’s always uplifting. The response to ‘The Big Marquee’ in the tent was stellar. Sometimes, it takes years for a song to settle in with the listeners. The big question for me now is ‘How will it travel?’. I’ll be trying it out around the country in the coming weeks. Killarney will be a stiff test. That said, St Brendan’s Voyage is well received in Cork!

Christy Moore with Don O'Leary, Cork Life Centre. Moore's first live performance of 'The Big Marquee' was at a tribute concert for the Cork educator and activist. Picture; Eddie O'Hare

At your Marquee show, you told the audience that you started writing this song on the way to your 2022 show. Can you take us back to that day and how the song came together for you?

 Myself and Michael Devine [assistant] were driving to Cork for the 2022 Marquee. I started writing as we crossed the Curragh and had a few verses by the time we hit Glanmire. It wasn’t fit for purpose that night, but I kept at it for the year. I first sang it at Don O’Leary’s tribute at the Opera House and the following day played it in the Cork Life Centre when we had an impromptu gig for the students and staff.

You mention a lot of people and places in ‘The Big Marquee’. When you’re singing live, often with your eyes closed, do you see these people and places?

Many other people, places and things were in different verses, but not all made it to the final cut. Yes, I do see all those people mentioned as I sing … I know most of them personally, some no longer with us. Big Noel and Maggie Barry … I never met The Queen, but I’m told that she loved her periwinkles.

Planxty: Donal Lunny, Andy Irvine, Liam O'Flynn and Christy Moore.

There are a lot of famous Cork spots mentioned in the song. Have you a special grá for Cork and the enthusiasm that Cork people have for you?

I first played in Cork when Planxty played support to Donovan at The City Hall in 1972. That was the night Planxty “took off”. When we went into ‘Tabhair Dom Do Lámh’, a roar went up that has continued ever since. Over the years I’ve enjoyed great nights in the city: A tribute to Woody Guthrie in The Phoenix; the anti-nuclear roadshow in The Arcadia was exciting, to say the least.

 I’ve played many gigs for Cork legend the late Kenny Lee. There have been so many venues over 50 years: Planxty in the old Savoy; Moving Hearts in the Country Club; The Everyman for a week with Sharon Shannon, Eoghan O’Neill and Steve Cooney; many gigs with Declan Sinnott around the city and county. I did a West Cork tour with Jimmy Crowley in 1976, all the hot spots, Ballydehob, Kealkill, Schull and Glengarriff.

 Christy Moore performing at Live At The Marquee in Cork recently. (Photo: PLAY Creative) 

The chorus of ‘The Big Marquee’ has an image of a lot of people you like “packed in tight” in a huge tent for a massive sing-song. Do you sometimes wish certain people are there for your shows?

I dreamt last night that Simon Coveney, Leo Varadkar, Peter Barry and John A Murphy were sitting in the front row of The Phoenix. Leo was roaring out “we want Kylie Minogue”; Don O’Leary was handing out H-Block leaflets at the door... what a dream that was.

In a way, ‘The Big Marquee’ reminds me of ‘Viva La Quinta Brigada’, as they’re both songs about people and the principles they believe in. Do you admire these people you sing about?

‘Quinta Brigada’ was written after reading [Irish communist activist who fought in the Spanish Civil War] Mick O’Riordan’s book The Connolly Column. Mick was another son of Cork. I got to know him and his family well, as I did many other Brigadistas on the back of this song. I must mention Patrick Galvin, who wrote many poems and songs, including ‘Where O Where is Our James Connolly’. I had the honour of singing to both of these men.

Other Cork writers whose songs are in my repertoire include Jimmy MacCarthy, John Spillane, Donagh Long, Hank Wedell, Ricky Lynch, Ger Wolfe… I’m sorry if I’m leaving any one out.

I realise that The Marquee in Cork is the most exciting gig for me in the 32 counties. It’s right up there with Barrowland in Glasgow - long may it be erected “On the Banks, On the Banks, On the Beautiful Banks, On the Banks of the River Lee"

The Big Marquee,  by Christy Moore

 V1 

Saturday night we’re packed in tight all together in The Big Marquee
When the man from the Cork Examiner comes up and says to me
How come you keep coming back to The Rebel every year
The answer’s plain and simple Mick, the reason’s very clear
It’s the reels in Ringaskiddy, it’s the jigs in Haulbowline
Ricky Lynch singin’ in The Corner House, He’s like a vintage wine
It’s the crack on Sherkin Island, the Hake in Union Hall
The Turbot caught upon Cape Clear, you can eat the bones and all 

Chorus [repeated after each verse]
On The Banks, The Banks the Beautiful Banks
On The Banks of The River Lee
Saturday Night we’re packed in tight
All together in The Big Marquee

 V2
 Puccini’s in the Opera House, Karl Marx in the Connolly Hall
Joe Mac is in the Arcadia, Two Norries are on the ball
Maggie Barry’s on the Coal Quay, Jimmy Crowley on the ran-tan-tan
Sound as a Bell, Hank Wedell and the maestro John Spillane
Here comes Caitríona Twomey, she’s comin’ up The Mall To cook the Penny Dinner, to feed the great and small,
And there goes Don O’Leary, on the road to Sunday’s Well
Up to the Cork Life Centre, to ring the morning bell 

 V3
 I took a wrong turn at Dunkettle, whereupon my soul
 I went down the Jack Lynch Tunnel, woke up in the Metropole
took a walk along MacCurtain Street til I came to Patrick’s Hill
Big Noel said "Keep Coming Back” and begod I surely will
Back to the English Market, back to the scene Where a well-known Cork Fishmonger met her Majesty The Queen
He brought the Cockles and the Mussels, Caviar and Lobster Tails
The Periwinkle drove the poor old Queen completely off the rails

V4
O The Lonely Woods of Upton, The Boys of Fairhill, The Piper of Crossbarry, I hear him still
I see The Blood and Bandage when I hear The Rebel sing
I’m goin’ to kiss that Blarney Stone when the Bells of Shandon ring