Lyrics and music by Mick Flannery

Snowmen in the field I see
ride the coal-bags down the hill with me
hey look you’ve got Rudolf’s nose
put my hat on you’ll get cold

Now let’s have a snowball fight
I always want you on my side
sit down by the fire with me
let’s try and climb the Christmas tree

You and I alone will go
and I will walk you all the way back home
and we will talk about our school and things
and I will see you tomorrow please

Oh yeah I forgot this part
this is where you break my heart
you told me that you loved me then…
did you really mean it friend?

And don’t go telling me lies love,
tell me the truth love…
tell me the truth love…
cause that way I won’t have to know love
won’t have to see love,
won’t have to ask the Ghost of Christmas Past.

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Thanks to the very kind services of Cork Prison, concerts at St Mary’s Collegiate Church will be a lot more comfortable.  Regular monthly concerts have been held in the church over the last few months, organised by Sacred Root Productions,  with acts such as Mick Flannery, John Spillane, Liam O’Maonlaoi, Kila and only last weekend Declan O’Rourke.

As part of their education programme, Cork Prison take on sewing projects in communities to keep the prisoners occupied and at the same time teaching them a new skill. Oona Colin, Events Co-ordinator of St Mary’s Collegiate Church contacted  Colm O’Herlihy, Education Officer and asked him if he would be interested in taking on a project of making almost 60 cushions for the pews above at the church.  After speaking with his colleagues, Colm was delighted to take on the project collaborating with Orla Hannon, Industrial Supervisor and Mary Mulholland, Health Education Officer with certain prisoners, in the making of these cushions.  Measurements were taken of each pew, as they all vary in size and the result is beautifullly coloured, thick cushions for the enjoyment of concert goers and tourists alike. The foam and fabric were very kindly supplied by Cork Prison.

The church is currently undergoing a little facelift, making it much more pleasing to the eye.  The very old and used plastic partition separating the chancel from the nave is also due to be replaced by a beautiful royal blue velvet curtain, more appropriate to the setting of this beautiful 13th century church.

A fundraising concert is planned for the end of May, with the collaboration of local community groups, in the hope of raising funds towards installing a heating system.  Heating an ancient stone building such as this, with high ceilings is quite a task and quite costly.  We hope that the people of Youghal and surrounding areas will come along and support this good cause, making concerts more enjoyable and comfortable for all.

St Mary’s Collegiate Church is available for rent for weddings, exhibitions, concerts and  shows by calling 083 360 6507.

Mick Flannery and Kate Walsh played to a capacity audience of music lovers last Thursay night ( Nov. 26th Nov. 2009) at St Mary’s Collegiate Church in Youghal. Sacred Root Productions promoted the event to raise funds for their excellent work with youth and community group.
Photo: Michael Hussey/Bromwen Howley www.youghalonline.com  Email: news@youghalonline.com

Local musicians Bobby Lee, Helen Murray and Steve Whelan played support and Bobby Whyte was MC. The concert is one of a series to be staged in the historic Church with Liam Ó Maonlaí (Hothouse flowers) to play next at the beginning of January 2010. Watch this space for more info.

Mick Flannery

It’s hard to reconcile the nondescript character from interviews, with the husky voice, rich with charisma and charm, that emits from the speakers. But Mick Flannery is a bit of a paradox. The shy Corkonian – stonemason by day, troubadour by night – caused quite a stir with his 2005 debut ‘Evening Train’, an album that drew more comparisons with a young Tom Waits than any other artist in recent memory, Irish or otherwise.

The most astounding thing about Flannery, though, was that an album dripping with maturity, poise and potential was crafted when the Blarney man was just 21 years old.

Now at the ripe old age of 25, Flannery’s first major label-debut is equally as stimulating. The Waits comparisons are still apparent, although on ‘White Lies’, there’s a sense that Flannery is very much determined to shun any resemblances, and find his own sound. Undoubtedly influenced by classic songwriters, his gorgeous, textured voice – which sounds it’s lived through several lifetimes – is less imitative of his heroes, but no less affecting or understated.

There’s no doubt, either, that Flannery’s talent as a songwriter is exciting: aching piano and guitar ballads sit comfortably astride sultry, theatrical bar-room fables that groove and quietly holler, while the subtleties of his key changes, the gorgeous female backing vocals on many songs, and his proficiency with lyrics (Near or Far is particularly stirring) don’t go unnoticed, either.

A singer-songwriter in the truest sense of the word – perhaps ‘storyteller’ would be more appropriate – ‘White Lies’ may not be a perfect album, but it’s certainly a promising step forward for a real talent. Watch this one grow. Review by Lauren Murphy

Kate Walsh

Kate Walsh is an English singer from Burnham-on-Crouch, Essex.

A graduate of the Brighton Institute of Modern Music, her first album was Clocktower Park (produced by Lee Russell), released in 2003 by Kitchenware Records. The album was named for a meeting place in her home town. In 2007, she released her second album, Tim’s House. It quickly became the No. 1 album on the UK iTunes Store. The album also features her most popular song, Your Song. Her big break came when she gained iTunes customers’ attention when her song Talk of the Town became the iTunes Free Single of the Week from the week beginning 20th March 2007.

Her third studio album, Light and Dark, was released in the UK on 31st August 2009. The lead single from the record, June Last Year, was released on 24th August. She is set to begin her UK tour at the end of September

Steve Whelan

Youghal singer/songwriter Steve Whelan has a very down to earth approach delivering his music with a spirit of honesty presence and grit. His smoky vocals married with his simple but poetic and addictive melodies produces a musical honesty and edge possessed by few writer composers. His influences range from Ben Harper, Cat Stevens, The Beatles to Gospel and Spiritual music.

Bobby Lee

Broadly deemed one of the finest guitarists of his generation, in 1996 Bobby was judged Fender’s “Irish guitarist of the future” by no less an intuitive opinion than that of Donal Gallagher, brother to the late Rory. (He received his award at Wembley Conference Centre, in the company of such as Hank Marvin of The Shadows and Peter Green of Fleetwood Mac).Interveining years has seen Bobby collaborate and support international luminaries like David Gray-Mercury Rev-The Kinks – Ronan O Snodaigh – Dee Armstrong- Liam Ó Maonlaí as well as long time friends and Irish stars Kila.

Bobby’s highlight in 2007 was funkin it up on the chill stage at Ireland’s prestigious Electric Picnic Festival 2007 and he has just come off a National tour with Dublin based band Kila to promote his new album “The Future History”. Bobby is a soulful, sensitive performer and songwriter, his highly spirited Funky Folk and Soul sound takes his music far beyond the realms of singer songwriter. His songs carry messages laden with spiritual and social imperative and are delivered with supreme musical and vocal dexterity.

He cites Jesus Christ as influential in his life and work but asked as to his religious preference, he replies, “I am who I am. Its not the branch that matters, it’s the ground its planted in, whether Christian, Buddhist, Hindu, Muslim. They’re all just labels. Its not important what I am, its important that I am.” Bobby was ably joined on stage by local singer Helen Murray who is a former winner of the Y Factor.
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Tickets are on sale at Scott’s, 137 North Main St, Youghal [Tel: 024 90333] and the Tourist Office, Market Square. Price €18 / €20 at door.
mick-flannery-to-play-at-st-marys-collegiate-college-youghal

Kate Walsh is making a special appearence at Mick Flannery’s gig on Thursday 26th of November in St Mary’s Collegiate Church, Youghal. The Essex singer/songwriter will support Mick Flannery in what is sure to be an entertaining evening following  the recent success of the John Spillane gig.

Calling Kate Walsh a singer songwriter is like saying Van Gogh was a cartoonist. Kate is, er, different. A 26-year-old from a sailing town in Essex who’s been likened to Joni Mitchell, Kate Bush and Jane Austen, she’s ferociously independent…in every sense. She adores Debussy, studies cello, listens constantly to Classic FM (and little else), bemoans the demise of vinyl and CDs (she finally got an iPod when iTunes gave her one after her last album ‘Tim’s House’ knocked Take That off the top of the download chart but rarely uses it), is entertainingly scathing about the conventional music industry (”it’s fickle, selfish, impersonal and backstabbing”) – and has established her own cottage industry to do it her way. And when she sits down to write a song you’d better lock up your hearts for you instantly become Kate’s close personal confidante as she bares her soul with shocking candour.

You almost believe her. She’s currently single, lives in Brighton, though ’stupid men,’ do still run amok on her beautiful third album ‘Light and Dark’ (”yes, I do have a light and dark side – we all do, don’t we?”) The title track is particularly poignant, a guilt-ridden reverie on a love triangle that opens enticingly…’I left you for another man and he doesn’t deserve me…’

“It’s the saddest song I’ve ever written. It’s about two men and they both heard it independently and knew it was about them,” she grimaces. “There was a lot of trouble…it was awful going through it, but it’s a great song! I think it’s one of my best songs ever.” One of the first times she sang it in public – at London’s Union Chapel – it upset her so much she barely made it to the end. It happens. “When you’re singing it makes all the sentiments so real again. I sing mainly with my eyes shut and I feel every word. I try to make an instrument of my voice, like playing a wonderful, emotive piano piece, lilting on certain words and phrases…”

Listening to the very real pain and fragility of her music you imagine the author must be a quivering wreck permanently teetering on the edge of a nervous breakdown. Far from it – chattering away ten to the dozen like she’s known you all her life, Kate Walsh is warm, funny and likeably self-deprecating, fully recognising the self-indulgent nature of the confessional songwriter’s art. “Nooooo, I don’t think I’ve had a terrible life at all,” she giggles. “I just mope and wallow more than anyone else. Maybe a part of me deliberately creates havoc so I’ve got something to write about – we like a bit of mayhem us songwriters. But now I’m changing all that and other things are becoming more important to me than some man who’s done the dirty on me. I’m not giving stupid men the time of day any more.”

She insists she’s not ambitious for fame or glory, but is immensely proud of the bigger sounds that characterise ‘Light & Dark’. And, now writing songs on piano rather than guitar, insists that ’stupid men’ will no longer be tolerated in her songs… or personal life. “For the first time, I feel happy about myself. Do you know what? I think I’m growing up…”

Tickets are on sale at Scott’s, 137 North Main St, Youghal and the Tourist Office, Market Square. Price €18 / €20 at door.

MICK FLANNERY a 25 year old stone mason who was brought up on a farm outside Blarney, Co. Cork, Ireland. His first real connection to music was watching an unplugged Nirvana covering Bowie’s “The Man Who Sold the World”. After a stint in a music college in Cork, he traveled to the U.S. where he “wandered around for a time.” While there, he entered the U.S. Songwriting Competition in Nashville, Tennessee and, to his surprise, won two top awards for his compositions.

If asked, Mick adamantly refuses to talk about himself. The best you’ll get from him on any given day is, maybe, an admission that he’s a bit “grumpy”, he enjoys a good game of poker, and he’d love to own a Gibson® ES-335.
So, if you’re determined to get up close and personal with Mick Flannery, you’re gonna’ have to kick back and listen to his music because that’s where he actually talks about himself. Mick writes all of his songs (words and music) and plays both piano and guitar.
“Mick Flannery is a singing and songwriting force to be reckoned with.” Siobhán Long, Irish Times
“Mick is a songwriter of the first order … His voice is pained, gravelly, and powerful. Recorded or live, it carries through and stops you in your tracks.” Urban Folk, New York