During the 2011 Oxegen Music Festival in County Kildare, Ireland, an unexpected moment unfolded backstage when Beyoncé and Jay-Z arrived. An older man, bald and wearing a black T-shirt, held the VIP door open for them. Mistaking him for event staff, Jay-Z slipped the man a $50 tip — unaware he was acknowledging Christy Moore, one of Ireland’s most cherished musicians.
That same night, Moore closed the festival as a surprise guest alongside headliners Coldplay. Performing his iconic 1984 song “Ride On,” he was met with the roar of 60,000 fans who sang along passionately and chanted his name, with Chris Martin introducing him as “one of our heroes since we were kids.”
Hailing from nearby Newbridge, Moore returned home after decades of success as a singer, songwriter, and frontman of influential groups like Planxty and Moving Hearts. Despite his iconic status, he remains approachable and often mistaken for a crew member.
Reflecting on his career with humor, Moore recalled an amusing review from a Carnegie Hall performance where a critic assumed he was a stagehand coming to move the piano. “I think that review was fair enough,” he remarked lightheartedly.
Having just celebrated his 80th birthday, Moore is experiencing an unexpected career resurgence. His 25th studio album, “A Terrible Beauty,” topped the Irish charts last year, surpassing contemporary artists. Though he no longer tours internationally, he continues to perform solo across Ireland, accompanying himself on guitar, bodhran, or sometimes singing a cappella, drawing from a songbook that spans six centuries.
Moore’s music often explores Ireland’s complex history and social issues—from the Blanket Protests in “90 Miles From Dublin,” to commemorating the Stardust nightclub fire in “They Never Came Home,” and contemplating reconciliation in the post-Troubles era with “North and South of the River,” a collaboration with U2. His work remains a poignant chronicle of his nation’s struggles and resilience.
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