40 Facts About Jimmy MacCarthy

James MacCarthy was born on 1953 and is an Irish singer-songwriter.

Jimmy MacCarthy was unhappy at school and left at 15 without qualifications, and became a stable boy at Vincent O'Brien's place in Ballydoyle.

Jimmy MacCarthy then made a living out of singing at pubs, and was later busking in the streets of London and doing occasional concerts, opening for other singers' gigs in Ireland.

Jimmy MacCarthy became a musician from an early age, receiving his first guitar at the age of 7.

When Jimmy MacCarthy turned 19, he was performing in his native Cork in bars and folk clubs, including the Pirates Den, Crosshaven.

Jimmy MacCarthy was the band's acoustic guitar player and, together with Sinnott, wrote much of the band's own material.

On reflection, Jimmy MacCarthy stated that being a songwriter was what earned him his place in Southpaw.

Jimmy MacCarthy recalled reading the name Fiachra Trench on the album sleeve, only to find that he was the man who had just moved next door to him.

In October 1999, Jimmy MacCarthy played at the National Concert Hall, Dublin as a special guest with the "fifth Beatle" George Martin, which was a dream for him as a longtime fan of the band.

At the concert, Jimmy MacCarthy performed a cover of the Beatles' song "She's Leaving Home".

Between 2003 and 2008, Jimmy MacCarthy took an extended hiatus from performing.

Since he returned to the live scene Jimmy MacCarthy has been performing new songs along with all the classics.

Deryn O'Callaghan, manager of the Carnegie Arts Centre, has said that, after he had commemorated the town in one of his songs, Jimmy MacCarthy would have a warm welcome whenever he played the venue.

Jimmy MacCarthy has not performed live since then, although he has performed some new songs during performances on live radio.

Additionally, a song Jimmy MacCarthy wrote about his life growing up in Cork 'Roll On The Lee' has been released as a charity single for Enable Ireland.

Jimmy MacCarthy believes that if Westlife had released "Angel's Wings" as a single the chances were that it could have become a number one hit and that it would have been nice to have a song at the top of the UK charts.

Jimmy MacCarthy has, throughout the years, expressed his frustrations with RTE for their lack of support for indigenous Irish artists.

Jimmy MacCarthy later gave RTE credit for reversing the decline of Irish artists on radio and conceded that the nation would be much poorer without them.

Additionally, in a speech he gave while being inducted to the IMRO Irish Songwriters Academy, Jimmy MacCarthy discussed how, in recent times, traditional radio and television were being replaced by the internet as the means by which music and information are broadcast and disseminated.

Understanding that American multinational corporations such as Google, as the core owners of products like the iPhone and smartphone, had poor track records of protecting author's rights, Jimmy MacCarthy requested that those in attendance be aware of the need to continue protecting the rights of songwriters for future generations.

Jimmy MacCarthy saw how an institution like that, through the good work of Hugh Duffy, could improve circumstances for Irish composers.

Jimmy MacCarthy was inspired by the lyrical flow in his books.

Musically Jimmy MacCarthy has named Paul Simon, Randy Newman and Tom Waits as being among his favourite lyricists of all time.

Jimmy MacCarthy established himself as a versatile musician, playing guitar with Southpaw and later learning to play piano himself, and gathering very creative musicians whom he would go on to record with.

Jimmy MacCarthy revealed that he sought to be a pop singer from the age of 19, but, from the release of his debut album 'The Song of the Singing Horseman' in 1991, his music took a shift towards being more folk-oriented.

Jimmy MacCarthy named James Taylor as the performer most like him, due to the fact he plays guitar and piano on stage, and had two backing singers.

Jimmy MacCarthy's music has been described as folky power-pop, but it can be classed as folk-rock.

Jimmy MacCarthy wrote two verses and a chorus for what would become 'Ride On' in an inspired 10 minutes while awaiting a lift on Cork's Barrack Street.

Jimmy MacCarthy said that the deeper element that people miss lies in the fact 'Ride On' tells a tale of two people going separate paths because one doesn't believe in bloodshed, and them being lovers adds an extra layer of loss.

Jimmy MacCarthy, who has always been outspoken on his views on Irish history and current affairs, likes to include deeper subject matter in his songs, in addition to meaning that seems superficially simplistic.

In live performances, Jimmy MacCarthy juxtaposed the sentimental feelings of nationhood and belonging with a degree of social critique on Ireland in the late twentieth century.

Whenever Jimmy MacCarthy set to lay out the facts, he would do so with great caution.

Jimmy MacCarthy wrote every song on this album and sang two of his own.

Jimmy MacCarthy was very pleased with Black's work on this album, particularly the new songs.

Jimmy MacCarthy restored the stables on this house, until it was destroyed in a blaze, along with the recording studios he had set up in the outhouses.

Years later, Jimmy MacCarthy said that, his roots in Cork were calling when he found Jenkinstown House in Kilkenny.

In 2013, when Jimmy MacCarthy was single and living alone, he said poverty had been an obstacle for him getting married for most of his life and, when he was in a position where he could get married, he had already become very bachelor-like, often leaving because he was drawn to songwriting.

On 2 December 2020, Jimmy MacCarthy married his Chinese fiancee Chen Qiumei, with whom he founded the Europe-China Culture and Art Exchange Association and Chinese and foreign family Association.

Jimmy MacCarthy was awarded the keys of Macroom in April 2008 for his achievements in songwriting.

Jimmy MacCarthy was only the third person to be awarded the freedom of the town.