"The Well Below The Valley" by PLANXTY – December 1973 Ireland and UK Second Studio Album on Polydor Records – featuring Christy Moore, Donal Lunny, Andy Irvine and Liam O’Flynn (1988, 1990 and 2001 US Shanachie Records CD Reissue – Bill Giolando Master At CMS Digital in California) - A Review by Mark Barry...

"...As I Roved Out..." 

By the time PLANXTY had released their second studio album "The Well Below The Valley" on Polydor Records 2383 232 in December 1973 - both it and the February 1973 self-titled "Planxty" debut on Polydor 2383 186 had made them Traditional Irish Music revivalist legends. Both the public and the press were enthralled – and rightly so (their name is apparently an expression of goodwill in Gaelic – like cheers or thanks).

A 25-date UK tour beginning 14 February 1973 in Brunel University in Uxbridge and ending St. Patrick's Day (17 March 1973) in a Technical College in South East London only cemented for British listeners what many already knew in their native Ireland where they'd released a stand-alone debut 45 in December 1972 (months after they'd formed during sessions for the Christy Moore album "Prosperous") - the fiercely talented foursome of Christy Moore, Andy Irvine, Donal Lunny and Liam O'Flynn made a beautiful racket. 

PLANXTY played real Folk - a sound deeply rooted in centuries-old jigs, reels, hornpipes, bothies and heartache ballads from Connemara, Donegal, Roscommon and Kildare - but all of it updated into commoner tales that suddenly felt fresh and new again.

Their third outing "Cold Blow And The Rainy Night" would appear in October 1974 (Polydor 2383 301) with Johnny Moynihan having replaced Donal Lunny who would shortly be forming The Bothy Band with Triona and Michael O'Donnell - their March 1976 debut LP also on Polydor Records. Indeed, the Seventies proved a beautiful and productive time for Trad in Ireland, England and the whole of the Celtic isles. Both Andy Irvine and Johnny Moynihan had been with SWEENEY'S MEN over on Nat Joseph's Transatlantic Records. 

Which brings us to these bare bones American-based Shanachie Records reissues for PLANXTY...

Shanachie released all three albums onto CD in 1990 and have been reissuing them ever since. In August 2020 (the time of this review) – theirs appears to be the only way you can get hard copies of the music on digital. Today we concentrate on platter number two specifically – framed as it was in that gorgeous Jim Fitzpatrick Celtic-folklore artwork. To the humours of mountains, dogs in the bushes and dodgy men named Reilly roving out...

UK released 1988, then reissued 25 October 1990 (and again March 2001) - "The Well Below The Valley" by PLANXTY on Shanachie SH 79010 (Barcode 016351791023) is a straightforward CD transfer of their second studio album from 1973 and plays out as follows (45:59 minutes):

1. Cúnla [Side 1]

2. Pat Reilly

3. Slip Jigs: (a) The Kid On The Mountain (b) An Phis Fhliuch

4. As I Roved Out (Andy)

5. Reels (a) The Dogs Among The Bushes (b) Jenny's Wedding

6. The Well Below The Valley

7. Hewlett [Side 2]

8. Bean Pháidín

9. Hornpipes: (a) Fisherman's Lilt (b) Cronin's Hornpipe

10. As I Roved Out (Christy)

11. Solo Jig: Humours Of Ballyloughlin

12. Time Will Cure Me

Tracks 1 to 12 are their second studio album "The Well Below The Valley" - released December 1973 in Ireland and the UK on Polydor Records 2383 232 - Produced by PHIL COULTER. 

PLANXTY was:

CHRISTY MOORE – Lead Vocals, Acoustic Guitar, Harmonica and Bodhran

ANDY IRVINE – Second Lead Vocals, Mandola, Mandolin, Hurdy-Gurdy and Harmonica

LIAM O'FLYNN – Uilleann Pipes and Tin Whistle

DONAL LUNNY – Third Lead Vocals, Bouzouki, Guitar and Bodhran

The gatefold inlay merely reproduces the liner notes from the 1973 album's rear sleeve, a brief history of each song and recording/reissue credits on the last page. All of these Shanachie Records CD reissues are like this – gatefold slips of paper (at least in this case the beautiful Jim Fitzpatrick Celtic artwork in here - he would famously adorn many of the Thin Lizzy LPs including "Vagabonds Of The Western World", "Jailbreak" and "Johnny The Fox"). Audio-wise, Shanachie 79101 offers one brief transfer credit – BILL GIOLANDO at CMS Digital – and despite the 1988 copyright date credit on the rear inlay (never changed from the 1990 first issue) – the CD itself has a 2001 copyright date. Having said that, the remaster feels big and hearty and full of life – the original recording work of Producer Phil Coulter and Engineer Barry Ainsworth shining through. To the music...

It's only the rakish "Cúnla" knocking at the window - the opening track featuring a full-on display of playing dexterity - Bouzouki, Uilleann Pipes and a rapid-spoken vocal from Christy Moore combining to open Side 1 with a slice of Irish Folk joy. Even now, it makes me soppy. Sergeant Jenkins dupes "Pat Reilly" on Monday morning payday with gushing compliments and the promise of a dram in John Kelly's pub - the naive youngster inveigled into the Black Horse regiment and thereafter regretting taking the King's schilling. Two jigs follow - "The Kid On The Mountain" learned from the Dublin's Seamus Ennis - often considered the best piper ever - while the other "An Phis Fhliuch" came from the repertoire of flute-player Willie Clancy.

Up pops the first of two songs called "As I Roved Out" - Side 1's sung by Andy Irvine - a ballad of broken vows said to go back to the Great Famine - where the chap marries 'the lassie with the land' instead of starving with his true love. Side one has its greatness sealed with two lively reels - Liam making those notes dance like locals around a beach bonfire on a summer's night - magical stuff. Christy Moore sings that green grows the lily in "The Well Below The Valley" – an acoustic-instruments builder that feels both joyous and ominous whilst being a perfect end to Side 1.

Up comes the pace as "Hewlett" opens Side 2 with a jolly piper – a tune said to be associated with the blind harper Carolan. The liner notes try to translate the Irish in "Bean Pháidín" – a tale of female woe where some local lad is seriously aggrieved to not be The Woman of Pháidín – Liam playing a blinder as the Bodhran builds the pace. Things continue on the road to happiness with two hornpipes from County Kerry – piping awash with shingles, nets and fishermen. After a solo jig, Christy Moore sings of a pretty fair maid in the second song (different to the first) called "As I Roved Out" – too ray ah – plenty of oats for the soldier’s horse and some wine for the soldier boy. It ends on a rare solo song – Andy Irvine's own "Time Will Cure Me" – a deep talking song about love in the night that is gone in the morning – leaving our singer with a powerful longing and much soul-searching. A great album comes to a quality end.

After an October 1975 farewell tour of Ireland and the UK (with Paul Brady filling in for the absent Christy Moore) - Planxty disbanded for some years only to reform for the 1979 album "After The Break" on Tara Records TARA 3001 (they would make more LPs after that on Tara). August 1976 saw Polydor-UK release the mop-up Best Of LP and Cassette "The Planxty Collection" (Polydor 2383 397) that featured four cuts from "The Well Below The Valley" and the rare December 1972 Irish-only non-album Mono 45 "Cliffs Of Dooneen".

Andy Irvine would make a hugely revered solo album on Mulligan Records also in 1976 with Paul Brady of The Johnstons simply titled "Andy Irvine/Paul Brady" (Mulligan LUN 008) with a new seven-minute rendition of "Arthur McBride And The Sergeant" – a song neither of them seems to be able to escape even in August 2020. Donal Lunny would form the fabulous BOTHY BAND (in my opinion better than Planxty) and launch Windmill Lane Studios in Dublin where U2 practically lived. Liam "Og" O'Flynn would become young again in The Chieftains. Christy Moore, Donal Lunny and piper Davey Spillane alongside guitarist Declan Sinnott were just some of the illustrious names to form MOVING HEARTS in 1981 – another Irish Folk-Rock band fondly remembered who managed three albums on WEA Ireland between 1981 and 1983. Christy would of course continue well into the 2020s and was the subject matter of a March 2004 Sony/Columbia 6CD Box set celebrating his career to as far back as 1964. 

But PLANXTY will always have a special corner in any Irish soft machine and Folk lover’s soul - a band that made new what was old and returned it to a platform of respect. Jesus is at the well and they're searching for a lassie in Matthew O'Casey's place in Galway (notorious git mentioned in the West Coast of Ireland lament "Bean Pháidín") - was it ever thus...

Ireland's PLANXTY - Discography 1972 to 1976:

SINGLE: 

"Cliffs Of Dooneen" b/w "Yarmouth Town"

December 1972 Ireland-Only 45-Single on Polydor 2078 023

ALBUMS: 

"Planxty" – February 1973 UK debut vinyl album on Polydor Records 2383 186

CD Reissue on Shanachie 79009, released 25 October 1990 originally with no Barcode, reissued 1 March 2000 with Barcode 016351790927

Master at CMS Digital in California

"The Well Below The Valley" - December 1973 UK second studio album on Polydor Records 2383 232

CD Reissue on Shanachie 79010, 1988 originally and 1 March 2001 with Barcode 016351791023

Bill Giolando Master at CMS Digital in California

"Cold Blow And The Rainy Night" - October 1974 UK third studio album on Polydor Records 2383 301

CD Reissue on Shanachie 79011, 6 November 1989 original release date, then with Barcode 016351791122 and 2002 Copyright date on disc itself

"The Planxty Collection" - August 1976 UK Compilation LP on Polydor Records 2383 397 - features tracks from all three albums above plus the rare Mono "Cliffs Of Dooneen" Irish-only single A-side. Both sides of the single appear on the 1977 Irish LP "A Feast Of Irish Folk" on Polydor 2475 605. CD Reissue on Shanachie SH 79012, 12 December 1989, No barcode originally, then Barcode 016351791221