Planxty is an Irish folk music band formed in January 1972, consisting initially of Christy Moore (vocals, acoustic guitar, bodhrán), Andy Irvine (vocals, mandolin, mandola, bouzouki, hurdy-gurdy, harmonica), Dónal Lunny (bouzouki, guitars), and Liam O'Flynn (uilleann pipes, tin whistle). They quickly revolutionized and popularized Irish folk music, touring and recording to great acclaim.
Subsequently, Johnny Moynihan, Paul Brady, Matt Molloy (flute), Bill Whelan (keyboards), Nollaig Casey (fiddle) and, briefly, Noel Hill (concertina) and Tony Linnane (fiddle) were also temporary members. Planxty broke up twice, first in December 1975 and again in April 1983. The original quartet reunited in October 2003 and their final performance (to date) was on 31 January 2005. (Read more at Wikipedia)
Links to Peel[]
Planxty in HD -- Raggle Taggle Gypsy O (1973 RTE)
Peel was impressed enough by Planxty to have them do three sessions for his shows in 1972-73. They also did many folk shows for the BBC and the B-side of their first single, the instrumental "Sí Beag, Sí Mór", became a lasting favourite of Bob Harris. Like the Chieftains, they were an influence on the many Irish folk bands who emerged in the 1970s, some of whom did sessions for Peel. There were also session appearances by Paul Brady (as a solo artist) and Matt Molloy and Dónal Lunny (with the Bothy Band).
The most famous former member of Planxty is Christy Moore, who has enjoyed a long and successful solo career, although he never did a solo session for Peel. However, on 02 July 1979 Peel mentioned attending an all-day festival at Dalymount Park, Dublin, in which Moore was among the artists who played. The singer also featured in the third episode of the 1999 Radio Two documentary series As I Roved Out: A Century Of Folk Music, which Peel presented, and appeared at Glastonbury in 1993. During a concert in April 2016 Christy Moore paid tribute to the DJ, and to his colleague Terry Wogan :
- "That's our new single and you'll be lucky to hear that on the radio as no one would play that nowadays as Terry Wogan is no longer around. The other one who would have played it was John Peel. When no one was taking any notice of Planxty he played our songs and then he asked us in for a session in 1972 and then it all went mad! So three hail marys for John Peel and god bless Terry Wogan." [1]
Festive Fifty Entries[]
None.
Sessions[]
Three sessions. No known commercial release. Dates below for #2 session taken from Ken Garner The Peel Sessions, sessionography, p319, but do not appear to match 1973 show listings on p213-4. Matt Molloy and Dónal Lunny also three with Bothy Band.
1. Recorded: 1972-07-DD. First broadcast: 08 August 1972. Repeated:
- Planxty Irwin / Merrily Kiss The Quaker / West Coast Of Clare / The Raggle Taggle Gypsy
2. Recorded: 1973-02-28. First broadcast: 12 March 1973. Repeated: 14 May 1973. Note that neither of these dates had Peel Shows broadcast, so this might have been a Bob Harris session.
- Cunla / Bean Phaidin / The Hare In The Corn / The Rambles Of Kitty / (& Two Reels, first broadcast 14 May 1973 repeat)
3. Recorded: 1973-10-15. First broadcast: 06 November 1973. Repeated:
- Bean Phaidin / Kid On The Mountain/Fishbuck / As I Roved Out (1) / As I Roved Out (2)
- Bothy Band
1. Recorded 1976-03-09. First broadcast 26 March 1976.
- Music Of The Glen/The Humours Of Scariff/Poll An Madadh Uisce / Old Hag You Have Killed Me/Danny Delaneys/Morrisons / When I Was A Fair Maid / Am Bothan A Buaig Fionnghuala / The Maid Of Coolmore
2. Recorded 1976-10-19. First broadcast 24 November 1976.
- The Hare In The Heather / Bonny Kate/Jenny's Chickens / Garret Barry's/Coppers And Brass Billy Banker/The Shores Of Loughrea/The Laurel Tree / Michael Gormans/The Frieze Britches All The Way To Galway/Fairhead Mary / Sixteen Come Next Sunday
3. Recorded 1978-03-14. First broadcast 21 March 1978. Repeated 21 April 1978.
- Lord Franklin / O'Neill's March / The Strayaway Child / Maids Of Mitchelstown
Other Shows Played[]
(This list is incomplete - please add any missing info)
- 02 May 1972: Three Drunken Maidens (single) Ruby
- 29 March 1973: Raggle Taggle Gypsy Oh (LP – Planxty) Polydor
- 19 April 1973: Merrily Kiss The Quaker (LP – Planxty) Polydor
- 14 February 1980: Smeceno Horo (LP - After The Break) (Tara)
- As I Roved Out: A Century Of Folk Music: Raggle Taggle Gypsy
- Christy Moore
- 21 March 1972: The Raggle Taggle Gipsies (LP - Prosperous) Trailer LER 3035 (the LP which led to the formation of Planxty)
- 09 May 1972: The Dark Eyed Sailor (LP - Prosperous) Trailer
- 06 June 1972: Spancillhill (LP – Prosperous) Trailer
- Glastonbury 1993: Well Below The Valley-O
- As I Roved Out: A Century Of Folk Music The Sun Is Burning
- 17 October 2000: Lock Hospital (LP - Prosperous) Trailer
- Bothy Band
- 03 November 1976: Music In The Glen (LP - Old Hag You Have Killed Me) Polydor
- 17 October 1977: Pipe On The Hob / The Hag At The Churn (album - Out Of The Wind Into The Sun)
- 19 March 1979: Farewell To Erin (LP – Afterhours) Mulligan
- 22 July 1985: Farewell To Erin (LP - Afterhours) Mulligan
- 28 November 2002: Farewell To Erin (LP - Afterhours) Polydor