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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]

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

The line-up included:

Live For Ireland songs

  • 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

  • Boil the Breakfast Early – The Chieftains
  • Joey’s on the Street Again – The Boomtown Rats

Alternate tracks on double vinyl/cassette release

  • 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

  1. ^ a b c Carroll, Jim (19 May 2008). “Self Aid 22 Years On”. Irish Times. Retrieved 13 June 2010.
  2. ^ a b c Lynch, Mick. “Self-Aid: Looking Back Twenty Years On”. Retrieved 13 June 2010.
  3. ^ a b “Self-Aid to Help Irish Unemployed”. Billboard. Vol. 98, no. 19. 10 May 1986. p. 90. Retrieved 13 June 2010.
  4. ^ “History of the Boomtown Rats”. Boomtown Rats. Archived from the original on 9 March 2012. Retrieved 13 June 2010.
  5. ^ Putterford, Mark (2002). Phil Lynott: The Rocker. Omnibus Press. pp. 271–272. ISBN 0-7119-9104-9.