Christy Moore, Dónal Lunny and Declan Sinnott perform ‘McIlhatton’ written by Bobby Sands.
Star guest on this edition of ‘The Music Show’ is the folksinger Christy Moore. He performs three songs from the recently recorded album ‘Ride On’. This album was made with the musicians and producers Dónal Lunny and Declan Sinnott. Christy Moore previously played with Dónal Lunny in the influential bands Planxty and Moving Hearts.
Christy Moore introduces the song McIlhaton about a fiddler named Mickey McIlhatton who was sent to Crumlin Road jail for making poitín. He explains that McIlhaton came from the Glens of Antrim and was as well-known to the people of the area as Brendan Behan was to people on the streets of Dublin.
When he passed away the late Bobby Sands from Twinbrook in Belfast wrote a song simply called McIlhaton.
For this song, Christy Moore sings and plays acoustic guitar. He is joined by Dónal Lunny on bouzouki and Declan Sinnott on acoustic guitar. When the song is over an out-of-breath Christy Morre declares,
That really knocks the wind out of you that McIlhaton does.
This episode of ‘The Music Show’ was broadcast on 30 March 1984.
‘The Music Show’ was a twelve-part series that featured classical, traditional and pop music played by Irish musicians. The first episode was broadcast on 14 October 1983. A second 12-part series began on 20 January 1984. It was presented by the Irish tenor Niall Murray.