Clancy, O'Connell and Clancy - Live from the Blackthorne Tavern

February 10, 2003
Live from the Blackthorne Tavern in Easton, Massachusetts.
Living where I am, I'd been lucky to attend countless concerts with all the various lineups of the Clancy and Makem families throughout the 80s, 90s and early 2000s. Of all the shows I attended, this is my all time favorite. So glad I captured it with my camcorder all those years ago. It was an intimate evening, in a small tavern with a fierce heavy snowstorm blowing outside. It almost didn't happen but a blizzard never gets in the way of a good night of Irish music, especially in New England.
I was 18 at the time and drove with my dad and a friend of the family from my college in Bridgewater, Ma to the Blackthorne Tavern in South Easton, Ma. Usually a 15 minute drive. I think it took us about 45 minutes. We got there around 7:30. The show was supposed to start at 8 but didn't get going until 9. Despite the storm the show was mostly sold out with about 150 people.
There was about a 30 minute intermission. Liam signed my copy of his autobiography, "The Mountain of the Women: Memoirs of an Irish Troubadour," with a personal note thanking me for all the archive material I'd been posting on his website's message board. I was a regular there and checked every day after classes. Nerd.
So sit back, preferably on a snowy night, maybe by the fire if you have one, with a pint or a brandy by your side, and enjoy.

[@billb.2673]

I can’t believe this was posted. My wife and I were there that night!! What an absolutely amazing find. We still have the CD we bought after the show. Thank you SO MUCH!!

[@donhuber9131]

I was happy for Robbie that he had this short-lived stint with Liam and Donal. This trio was brilliant in every sense, unlike those mediocre years of Robbie playing with Paddy, Tom, and Bobby where the singing was often uninspiring. You can see(and hear) Liam's joy playing with his son and nephew. Thanks for posting. I also commend the group for working up a lot of wonderful new material.

[@wendymccarthy2147]

A treasure! Thank you Liam,Robbie and Donal! Of course also to whomever posted it.😊

[@michaelbishop6831]

Outstanding!

[@hissibling933]

This is great! TYVM for posting this.

[@yiamdmb2087]

What a gift. THANK YOU. As it happened, I, too, was in the middle of a blizzard last night watching this. Liam. What can I say about this magic man that hasn’t already been said by those who have the eyes, the ears and the heart to recognize who he was. I met him as a child and bc of him, I took up guitar and never stopped. I’m very curious. I have never found information on anything he played. Once I did spot a Yamaha and Martin but that was it. I see a guild here and a Taylor but Liam’s? Lol..nothing. I would love to know if there is anything written about all his instruments - basically any of them that were the vehicles he drove to take us on the journey of each song he closed his eyes to and entered its world. I love music and too many artists to even begin to name but as for Liam, all I can say is “we shall not look upon his like again.”

[@michaelcorbett4376]

For the last several years he had two Takemine guitars. They weren't very good guitars. He tended to play cheap guitars, like Yamahas. He did play a Martin at one point, but he got that by trade. Someone who didn't use the guitar anymore traded it for one of Liam's older, cheaper guitars. The Martin owner saw Liam's guitar as a piece of history. The concertina he played for the last couple of decades was made for him by the Crabbe company in the 60's. He had a collection of other concertinas at his house, including a baritone Wheatstone.

[@yiamdmb2087]

@@michaelcorbett4376 Thank you so much! His playing always fascinated me…he did SO much with often just 3 or 4 chords and his strumming was just amazing. I tried for years to imitate his early style where his arm would almost fly off the guitar and I gave up lol. I have never seen any other artist play using their right hand that way - just one more bit of the whole of Liam that in my opinion made him a master. I was very surprised that I could never find anything written on him and his guitars/style, etc. and I greatly appreciate your sharing this. Thank you again! “No fear, no envy, no meanness” - Liam Clancy

[@marthaemery8402]

Thanks for this.