Planxty

Building on the pioneering work of Christy Moore’s Prosperous album, this debut by the Fab Four of Folk (Moore, Liam O’Flynn, Donal Lunny and Andy Irvine), represented an extraordinary breakthrough. Its magical blend of vocals, guitar, bodhran, mandolin, bouzouki, hurdy-gurdy, pipes and whistle brought an exhilarating contemporary folk style to traditional songs and dance tunes. The tightly focused playing on ‘Raggle Taggle Gypsy’ or ‘Merrily Kissed the Quaker’ showed how electrifying acoustic music could be. Ewan MacColl’s ‘Sweet Thames Flow Softly’ was delivered passionately by Moore, Irvine’s ‘The West Coast of Clare’ became a work of daunting beauty and ‘Tobhair Dom Do Lamh’ was magical. The album concludes with the traditional song ‘The Blacksmith’ juxtaposed with Irvine playing a Balkan air, suggesting that this music could go anywhere. And it did.

No 17 in 2009, as voted for by over 200 Irish musicians. Up from No 18 in 2004.