Self Aid was an unemployment benefit concert held in Dublin, Ireland on 17 May 1986.[1][2] The concert performances were primarily by Irish musicians, although Elvis Costello and Chris Rea, both Englishmen of Irish descent, were designated "honorary Irishmen" for the day; the event was promoted by Jim Aiken.[3] The concert included the last performance by The Boomtown Rats until they reformed in 2013.[4]
| Self Aid | |
|---|---|
 Self-Aid poster with logo | |
| Genre | Pop music Rock music Traditional Irish music |
| Dates | 17 May 1986 |
| Location(s) | RDS Arena in Ballsbridge, Dublin, Ireland |
| Years active | 1986 |
| Founders | Tony Bolland Niall Matthews |
The purpose of the concert was to highlight the chronic unemployment problem in Ireland at the time, with nearly 250,000 people unemployed. The 14-hour concert was the largest that had ever been staged in Ireland.[3] All musicians that took part donated their time free of charge.[2] All profits from the concert and subsequent album, Live for Ireland, went to the Self Aid Trust. The telethon raised millions of pounds for a job creation trust fund as well as over 1000 job pledges.[1] The song chosen for the finale was "Let's Make it Work", written by Christy Moore and Dublin songwriter Paul Doran.[2] Tributes were paid to Phil Lynott who had died just 4 months earlier, including a performance by a reformed Thin Lizzy with Gary Moore on lead vocals.[5]
The concept of the concert — job creation through pledges — attracted criticism both at the time and subsequently, with critics claiming that no jobs had actually arisen as a result other than vacancies that already existed.[1]
Concert performers
editThe line-up included:
- Auto Da Fé
- Bagatelle
- Big Self
- Blue in Heaven
- The Boomtown Rats
- Paul Brady
- Chris de Burgh
- Cactus World News
- The Chieftains
- Clannad
- De Dannan
- Elvis Costello
- Rory Gallagher
- The Fountainhead
- In Tua Nua
- Christy Moore
- Van Morrison
- Moving Hearts
- The Pogues
- Chris Rea
- Scullion
- Brush Shiels
- Stockton's Wing
- Thin Lizzy
- Those Nervous Animals
- U2
Live For Ireland songs
edit- Maggie's Farm - U2 (6:46)
- Seven into the Sea - In Tua Nua (3:53)
- Many Rivers to Cross - Elvis Costello and the Attractions (2:41)
- Dirty Old Town - The Pogues (3:45)
- Don't Pay the Ferryman - Chris DeBurgh (3:32)
- Harry's Game - Clannad (2:32)
- The Bridge - Cactus World News (4:19)
- Looking after No. 1 - The Boomtown Rats (4:50) [not on US release]
- Here Comes the Night - Van Morrison (3:58)
- Don't Believe a Word - Thin Lizzy (2:23) [not on US release]
- Steel River - Chris Rea (4:48)
- Make it Work - Christy Moore / Paul Doran (Larry Mullen) (3:13)
- The Lark - Moving Hearts (5:35)
- The Island - Paul Brady (5:09)
- Feel it Now - The Fountainhead (5:01)
- Exiles - Auto Da Fe (5:17)
Alternate tracks on US release
edit- Boil the Breakfast Early - The Chieftains
- Joey's on the Street Again - The Boomtown Rats
Alternate tracks on double vinyl/cassette release
edit- My Friend John - Those Nervous Animals
- A Sense of Freedom - Les Enfants
- The Arrival of Queen Sheeba in Galway - De Dannan
- Old Pal - Brush Shiels
- Rock 'N' Roll Fantasy - Bagatelle
- Keep on Climbin' - Freddie White
- Tell Me - Blue in Heaven
- Follow Me - Rory Gallagher
- Carol - Scullion
- Leave My Kitten Alone - Elvis Costello and the Attractions
- Skidoo - Stockton's Wing
- Independence - Big Self
Note: There have been multiple versions of this album, with varying tracks, in different formats and across different territories
References
edit- ^ a b c Carroll, Jim (19 May 2008). "Self Aid 22 Years On". Irish Times. Retrieved 13 June 2010.
- ^ a b c Lynch, Mick. "Self-Aid: Looking Back Twenty Years On". Retrieved 13 June 2010.
- ^ a b "Self-Aid to Help Irish Unemployed". Billboard. 98 (19): 90. 10 May 1986. Retrieved 13 June 2010.
- ^ "History of the Boomtown Rats". Boomtown Rats. Retrieved 13 June 2010.
- ^ Putterford, Mark (2002). Phil Lynott: The Rocker. Omnibus Press. pp. 271–272. ISBN 0-7119-9104-9.