minutes with... CHARLES HENDY of The Mary Wallopers

What are you up to?

Sitting in Dundalk listening to the birds outside thinking about how peaceful it is.

Which piece of music always sends a shiver down your spine?

Rule Britannia.

Which musician has most influenced you?

Has to be Jinx Lennon from Dundalk. He’s the most prolific, honest and amazing songwriter/music-maker.

Who would be in your ideal band?

Well we have our ideal band: Andrew Hendy, Seán McKenna, Róisín Barrett, Finnian O’ Connor, Seamas Hyland and Ken Mooney.

How did you get started in music?

Me and my brother Andrew used to play music at home since we were children, there were always singing sessions in the house. Later on we started a hip hop group and after that joined forces with Seán McKenna singing around the pubs for free drink. Eventually the pubs decided it was cheaper to just pay us. Since then we’ve expanded to bring in all the other tramps into the band.

Where are you from in Ireland, and what are your roots?

The rest of the band are from other spots, but me, Andrew, Seán and Finnian are from Dundalk.

What’s on your smartphone playlist at the minute?

A bit of everything; I’ve been listening to some old country and western stuff, like Marty Robbins etc.

What is your favourite place in Ireland? Dundalk.

What would be your motto?

‘Live Laugh Love’.

Which living person do you most admire?

Richie Kavanagh. Stay wut ’er Richie! Who will act you when they make a film of your life?

Danny Dyer.

Bowie or the Beatles? Neither.

If you weren’t a musician what other job would you be really good at?

Don’t know, never particularly liked jobs.

They have a handful of gigs in Britain throughout May (see below).

THE recent Global Irish Civic Forum in Dublin conference invited representatives of organisations working with Irish diaspora communities to come together in Dublin Castle.

A diverse range of groups and individuals took part, sharing a range of views and experiences.

Mary Swanton from The Irish Pastoral Centre Boston spoke directly to the head of The Irish Abroad Unit, Aidan Cronin, to thank him and his team for how the immediate generous emergency funding from the Emigrant Support Funds during the pandemic, was vital. “We would not have survived the Covid pandemic without you.”

Spoken at the last plenary session, she echoed the concerns of many of the delegates working in Irish Welfare who had to adapt quickly to issues like the travel ban and how face-time care/support was being done.

At the first panel discussion Irish-born Hilary Beirne of the NYC St Patrick’s Day

Foundation said that “85 per cent of the young Irish diaspora aged 18 to 35 years of age in the United States are not engaged with any Irish organisation”.

He added: “Unless some sort of real engagement with either voting rights in a presidential election or some kind of representation here in the Seanad the ability of Ireland to have access to the White House on its national holiday may disappear.”

Alan Humphreys, president of the Irish Support Agency New South Wales, agreed that extending the presidential vote to the diaspora was desirable, as did Ted Smith, a retired Irish diplomat.

He wanted to the floor to know why there was “the delay, the hesitancy in calling the referendum” with regards extending voting rights for the presidential election.

The Global Irish Civic Forum is an initiative of the Irish Government to engage with the Irish diaspora from around the world. Each forum helps strengthen ties between Ireland and the diaspora, promoting discussion around issues of concern and interest to the global Irish community.

Really great at being on the dole.

What’s the best piece of advice you’ve been given this year?

Collect your receipts.

Have you a favourite line from a song? Loads and loads. One of my favourite lines is from a poem by Dr John Cooper Clarke;

‘Standing in the dandruff light, tryna get pissed, among the head-lice, old spice, Brut and body mist.’

It’s from Salome Maloney, it paints a perfect picture of standing in a shite nightclub.

In terms of inanimate objects, what is your most precious possession? Our instruments.

What’s the best thing about where you live?

The people and pubs. . . . and the worst?

Maybe we›ve a lack of takeaway food variety.

What’s the greatest lesson life has taught you?

It’s alright to fail miserably.

What do you believe in?

Dunno

Who/what is the greatest love of your life?

Singing ballads.

The Mary Wallopers are on tour:

Wednesday, May 10 — Newcastle Wylam

Brewery

Thursday, May 11 — Bath Komedia

Friday, May 12 — Birmingham, The Mill

Saturday, May 13 — London O2, Forum

Kentish Town

Saturday, May 27 — Neighbourhood

Weekender, Warrington