As we mark four weeks of this strange, surreal indoor existence, we have a clearer grasp of the things that we truly value in our lives and in our country. Me, I hadn't realised how much I needed the John Creedon Show in my life until we were all forced into voluntary confinement.
These days, bad news is relentless. Pick up for your phone and everything message or article you read is about the virus. Turn on the national broadcaster and from 7am to 7pm (parking the Ronan Collins show), Covid-19 occupies roughly 98% of the conversation space and 100% of the advertising space. All of the news bulletins are about corona. If the Angelus had words, those bongs would be about Covid-19 by now. How do you engage with the world beyond that terrible disease when you can't go outside and can't turn on the radio?
Thankfuly The John Creedon SHow is a nightly refuge from the virus. Creedon's show occupies a unique space in Irish life right show: it's the only hour of the day when I consistently forget about all the dread and the anxiety and death. He does this by playing the same uplifting, soulful songs he's been playing for years. Folksy, rootsy songs that tell stories and remind about what living is about. You don't realise how much you need those songs and how much you missed them until you hear them.
Creedon's show was its most vital last evening, as he remembered the life and music of the great John Prine, who succumbed to coronavirus on Wednesday. Prine is beloved in this country and Creedon has played a huge part in educating the country in his beautiful music. Among other things, Prine recorded a session in RTÉ's Cork studio in June 2003 and held an event with Prine at the American ambassador's residency in 2017. Creedon played an hour of Prine's music last night and it was wonderful and sombre and ultimately a celebration of a true legend of folk music. '23 Skidoo', 'Paradise', 'Sam Stone' - all the classics - and a lot of songs about death and heaven and living life to the fullest.
'A man of very few words except the ones he was writing...A beautiful man,' is how Creedon described Prine. Creedon's sadness was obvious but ultimately he let Prine's music speak for itself.
Congrats to @johncreedon for a lovely John Prine tribute show last night. Wonderful. Thanks John for helping get us through these tough times. I’ve converted a lot of Chapel Hill people to your show. @maireadninuadha @rte @garryhynes
— Peadar Noone (@peadar_noone) April 9, 2020
Was busy earlier so just getting a chance to listen to @johncreedon and his tribute to @JohnPrineMusic - fitting tribute to the man who I always thought of as Dylan without the gravel ;-) a great artist and a wonderful human - I hope he inspires a new generation #legacy
— kieran carrick (@kierancarrick) April 8, 2020
That was a fitting tribute to the late great John Prine on @johncreedon tonight... I’ve been relistening to his songs all day and he really had a magical way with words & music helping us all navigate this “big old goofy world...” https://t.co/tSvw4TnI9F
— John F. Cryan (@jfcryan) April 8, 2020
Creedon also had a message about this disease, which has ravaged so many elderly people (like PRine), based on the Prine song 'Hello In There'. 'It's like an anthem for our times. With so many over 70s confined to barracks, it's like a call to action that when you look into pair of old eyes to remember that they were youngsters once upon a time and to pay them full respect and to engage.'
Creedon has been a fixture on evenings on Radio 1 for what feel like decades. You might need to reach a certain age before you fully appreciate his genius as a DJ. I know it took me awhile but these days, listening to the John Creedon Show is like a hug or a pint, and since we can't have either of those things for the time being, aren't we lucky we have a man on the radio five nights a week who can open our hearts with music and make us forget? Better yet, it doesn't cost a thing and you don't need a Zoom account to partake.
I don't know if Ireland has every had a national radio DJ before, but during this lockdown, Creedon is certainly doing that job.
